Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Sunday, December 19, 2021
FREE Photos with Santa at Asheville Outlets
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Visit Asheville Outlets for FREE photos with Santa by TapSnap Phototainment from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 28, 2021 and Saturdays & Sundays, December 4 & 5, December 11 & 12 and December 18 & 19, 2021. Located in the center circle in front of Nike Factory Store. Visitors will receive one FREE 4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image (while supplies last). For more information, visit ShopAshevilleOutlets.com.

FREE SANTA PHOTOS
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

FREE SANTA PHOTOS

 

Visit Asheville Outlets for FREE photos with Santa by TapSnap Phototainment from on Saturdays and Sundays, November 27 & 28, December 4 & 5, December 11 &12, and December 18 & 19, located in the center circle in front of Nike Factory Store.

Visitors receive one FREE  4” by 6” photo and digital download of a single image (while supplies last).

 

Holiday Giving Mobile Drive at Archetype Brewing
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Archetype Brewing

TBC Rewards

Sharing Life. Saving Lives.

The Hop releases Bountiful Cities Series Sweet Potato Candied Pecan Ice Cream
Dec 19 @ 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Hop- various locations see below
An Online Store Release!
The Bountiful Cities Series consists of regular, small-batch ice cream flavors made with ingredients grown and harvested from the local elementary school FEAST gardens! It is also meant to be a tool to help promote the food-related programs for the schools/students in Asheville and Buncombe County.
What is the newest flavor?
Sweet Potato w/ Candied Pecans

North Asheville

640 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

828.254.2224

More Info »


West Asheville

721 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

828.252.5155

More Info »


Downtown Asheville

S&W Building
56 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28801

More Info »


Black Mountain

114 Cherry Street
Black Mountain, NC 28711

828.357.5461

More Info »


The Creamery

167 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806

828.774.5058

More Info »

Asheville Stamp Club
Dec 19 @ 1:30 pm
Online w/ Asheville Stamp Club

 

We have been an active club since 1924. We currently have 65 active members of all collecting interests and meet once per month to share programs, auctions, ideas, buy, sell & trade stamps, and just plain camaraderie. Many of our members have extensive collecting, exhibiting, or speaking experience, and discussions are always interesting and rewarding. New and developing collectors will find an audience ready and willing to help with expanding one’s knowledge and enjoyment of the hobby.

Western North Carolina is in an interesting geographical location: we get visitors from the north during the winter, from the south during the summer, and many people who decide they’ve had enough of either of those climates to move here permanently! We urge visitors of any age with philatelic interests to join us, even if only for a short time. We may even convince you to enjoy our region full-time!

Membership

We welcome collectors of all ages and interests.
Dues are $10.00 a year and includes our bimonthly newsletter “The Smoky Mountain Philatelist”, complete membership list that includes “what we collect” and notices about our meetings with urging to attend and share your interest with us.
Download the Membership Application in .pdf format.

ELF
Dec 19 @ 1:30 pm
Rabbit Rabbit
JAZZ BRUNCH Free · One World West
Dec 19 @ 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
One World West Brewing

JAZZ BRUNCH @ ONE WORLD WEST
EVERY SUNDAY FROM 1:30-4PM
FIRST SET BY THE HOUSE BAND & SECOND SET IS A JAZZ JAM
WEEKLY BRUNCH MENU FROM UMAMI MAMI
‘HOLIDAY’ HEY ASHEVILLE TOUR
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
LaZoom

Start your new holiday tradition with LaZoom! Our top rated Hey Asheville Tour gets an extra dose of holiday cheer for the season. We’ll laugh all the way as the purple bus roams the historical streets of Asheville as you learn new holiday traditions, and meet colorful characters that are sure to bring joy to the world.

Historical and hysterical, The Hey Asheville tour features outrageously entertaining tour guides, outlandish comedy skits complete with special appearances and loads of Asheville information. You’ll get to see the best of downtown Asheville and the rarely seen but stunningly beautiful Montford neighborhood, not to mention the burgeoning River Arts District! You’ve never had a ride like this. It’s like a vaudeville show on wheels!

Find out what makes Asheville so unique on LaZoom’s City Comedy Tour. It’s the perfect mix of history, comedy, and entertainment. Our guides are trained professional actors working with an original script. It’s like a theatre on wheels! The tour highlights downtown Asheville, historic neighborhoods, the South Slope, and the River Arts District.

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas

Please note: Proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test and masks will be required at the performance. For more information on our COVID-19 safety protocols, please click here.

The tradition continues on the Rock after going virtual! Bring the whole family to this dazzling holiday celebration, Playhouse-style! An all-new show with the same great spirit and quality, A Playhouse Christmas 2021 will feature many seasonal classics along with several new adaptations and medleys. Showcasing a cast of Flat Rock favorites, this song and dance revue is sure to bring you great holiday joy!

A SWANNANOA SOLSTICE
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

WORTHAM CENTER PRESENTS

A Swannanoa Solstice

In 2021, A Swannanoa Solstice celebrates 19 years of delighting Western North Carolina audiences with a world-class display of folk, ushering in the winter season and drawing in more fans each and every year. A beloved local holiday tradition, A Swannanoa Solstice welcomes renowned multi-instrumentalist Robin Bullock and Grammy-winner David Holt to the stage, along with special guests Doug Orr, Phil Jamison, E.J. Jones & The Piper Jones Band, and renowned Madison County fiddler Josh Goforth. These creative, charismatic musicians perform a mix of Celtic, American-roots and world-influenced music to dazzle audiences during the annual event, reflecting the heritage of the hills and spreading a peaceful, united and uplifting message perfect for the holiday season.

Carolina Christmas Show
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Municipal Event Center

Share the joy & magic of the Christmas season with your friends & family at the 2021 Carolina Christmas Show, a dazzling production of live music, dance, & comedy! This heartwarming Broadway-style show features the finest performers from Western NC & special guest artists presenting sacred and secular Christmas favorites, including Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, and Go Tell it On the Mountain. Relax, unplug, & experience the Carolina Christmas Show, a celebration of the true spirit of Christmas that’s sure to become an annual tradition! Now in its fourth season, the show will be performed at the Municipal Event Center in downtown Marion, North Carolina (approx. 40 minutes from Asheville) on Friday, December 17th at 7:30 PM, Saturday, December 18th at 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM, and Sunday, December 19th at 2:00 PM, 2021.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol A Play With Music
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm
North Carolina Stage Company w/ Virtual option

This two man adaptation is a fast-paced and imaginative production that combines Dickens’ brilliant original text with both traditional and unexpected Christmas music, along with  old-fashioned foley-style sound effects. These dynamic performers beautifully impart this epic, timeless story of discovery of the heart, appealing to both adults and children in a fresh way.

$25.00 Virtual Tickets at See Upcoming Dates for Zoom – A Christmas Carol at North Carolina (thundertix.com)

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm
Haywood Arts Regional Theater

 

HART’s Main Stage

 

We all love Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic, but sometimes we need to switch it up… and why tell one story when we can tell them all?! In this madcap holiday romp, three actors decide to perform every Christmas story ever told — plus Christmas traditions from around the world, seasonal icons from ancient times to topical pop-culture, and every carol ever sung.  Hold on tight as you take a tinsel-covered roller coaster ride bursting with laughter, carols, and joy, and prepare to leave with more Holiday spirit than you can carry.

The Montford Moppets: A (slightly chaotic) Christmas Carol!
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm
Wesley Grant Southside Center

Our best rising stars are still going and are bringing you this seasonal classic. This year it’s the Moppets own interpretation of Dickens’ well-known story, and they are keen to bring you something that’s great fun for the whole family.

This year, a cast of 10 youth actors will randomly draw their roles for each performance just before showtime, giving every audience a fresh take on the heart-warming holiday tale every time!

This one’s going to be GREAT!
Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory
Dec 19 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
The Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness

a christmas memory.jpg

Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory

Truman Capote’s story, A Christmas Memory, will be presented as a one-man show by actor and theologian E.R. Haire, Jr. at The Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness. Performances will be held in the Wilderness Room at the following times:

  • Friday, December 17 at 7pm

  • Saturday, December 18 at 2pm and 7pm

  • Sunday, December 19 at 2pm

The show is free to the public, but attendance is limited to 35 people per performance and RSVP is required. Face masks covering nose and mouth and physical distancing are required.  Temperatures will be taken at the door.

A Christmas Memory  takes place during the Great Depression of the 1930s.  Until he was ten years old, Truman Capote lived with elderly relatives in a small town in rural Alabama. The story is a frankly autobiographical account of those years, especially of his relationship with one of the elderly cousins, Miss Sook Faulk.

On Golden Pond a Readers Theatre Showcase
Dec 19 @ 2:30 pm
Reuter Center on the campus of UNCA

On Golden Pond

Tickets are not on sale yet. Please check back closer to the event date.

Only Ethel has found the key to humoring and being supportive of her husband, Norman, a disagreeable and difficult retiree. When their grown daughter, Chelsea, visits them at their vacation cabin on beautiful Golden Pond along with her new fiance’ Billy Ray, and his son Billy Ray Jr., she hopes that Billy Ray Jr. and Norman will bond. As for Chelsea, she tries to repair the long strained relationship she’s had with her aging father before it’s too late.


Friday and Saturday performances are held at Asheville Community Theatre; Sunday performances are held at the Reuter Center on the campus of UNCA. All shows at 2:30 pm.


Please come prepared to wear a mask for the entire performance. Masking requirements at ACT may change based on the recommendation of federal and/or state health officials; please check our website for ACT’s most up-to-date masking policy. **Reuter Center at UNCA may have different masking requirements than ACT, please check the UNCA website for venue policies.**


All sales final. No exchanges or returns.

GREENVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY AT PEACE
Dec 19 @ 3:00 pm
Peace Concert Hall

Holiday at Peace

WSPA TV’s Jamarcus Gaston hosts a program filled with your holiday favorites including music from “The Nutcracker” and “Frozen.” Special guests include International Ballet, acclaimed soprano and South Carolina native Karen Parks, and Santa himself!

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session
Dec 19 @ 3:00 pm
Jack of the Wood

 

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session 

Sundays

1 till who knows when?

Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.

Jack of the Wood

95 Patton ave

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 252.5445

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dec 19 @ 3:00 pm
Asheville Pizza Brewing Co

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BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN WNC TO SEE IT!

THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Superhero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.  (Running Time = 2 hours 30 minutes)

ELF
Dec 19 @ 4:00 pm
Rabbit Rabbit
Franny’s Farm Foods an Interactive Dinner Theatre
Dec 19 @ 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Franny's Farm

Launch of Pasta & Prana, GF Hemp Gnocchi with Interactive Dinner Theatre
Sunday, December 19th from 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Do you love Gnocchi? Traditional neo-gnocchi no more! Come be a part of Nonna’s New World, where the ingredients are characters and the evening is multi-sensory.

Join us for the official launch of Franny’s Farm Foods, highlighting Pasta & Prana’s gluten free hemp gnocchi! Enjoy an interactive Vegetarian Dinner Theatre featuring a 5-star meal with vegan main course and dessert by renowned Chef Jason of Plant.

Featuring “Nonna’s New World Gnocchi” with storytelling of transformation and Italian tradition

Starring Summer Minerva as Nona, Producer Vinny Bonanno, Chef Jason of Plant and Mike Ptaszek chef, wordsmith, Yogi and creator of Pasta & Prana

Produced by A Vignette Visions

Supporting Non-Profit Utopian Seed Project

A family affair At Franny’s Farm, 22 Franny’s Farm Road, Leicester, NC 28748

An event venue voted “Favorite Event Farm” for the past 6 years in “Best of WNC”

On Sunday, Dec 19th from 5-8pm

Tickets $150 per person. Available at

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/interactive-dinner-theatre-nonas-new-world-gnocchi-tickets-219197855687

Contact us for more information

Tiffany at 828.505.7105 [email protected]
Franny Tacy at [email protected]

Predators vs. Hurricanes
Dec 19 @ 5:00 pm
PNC Arena

More Info for Hurricanes vs. Kings

Asheville’s Winter Wonder Walk – A Family Holiday Event
Dec 19 @ 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Adventure Center of Asheville

December 10, 11, 17, 18, and 19th.

The Winter Wonder Walk transports you inside a winter storybook where our actors bring to life the wonderful world of Winterland, and set you on a quest to find Jack Frost. Your senses will be dazzled by this completely immersive experience. After the Winter Wonder Walk Trail, a warm cozy festival tents welcomes you back to Mrs. Clause’s Kitchen with Cookies For A Clause, kids activities, a stocking stuffer market with local vendors, and concessions.
For more information, visit www.winterwonderwalk.com.

Our Memories Making Meals program will donate 4 meals to MANNA Foodbank from each ticket. Memories Making Meals is a continuation of The Haunted Trail’s BOO To Hunger program which has donated 38,400 meals in 2 years. Have a memorable family friendly night out while supporting MANNA Foodbank!

The Winter Wonder Walk is produced in collaboration with Asheville Plays!, the creators of The Haunted Trail, The Conundrum, and The Adventure Center of Asheville. We are excited to bring you another treasured part of your family’s holiday tradition.

For more information, visit www.winterwonderwalk.com.

Candlelight Solstice Walk
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Charles D. Owen Park

As the dark draws in, it is comforting to know that we can warm ourselves in each other’s laughter and company.

We welcome you to join us at 6 pm this December 19th at Charles D Owen Park, 875 Warren Wilson Rd. We will tell a solstice story to open the gathering and walk around the lake by candlelight to celebrate the returning light.

We have a limited number of candle lanterns to share, so bring your own lantern if you can; the video below provides instructions for a simple mason jar lantern.

Festival of Lights at Lake Julian Park
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Lake Julian Park

Image result for Festival of Light lake julian

Tickets must be purchased online this year. Your ticket is valid for a one-time use any night of the festival; tickets are not date-specific.

  • $10 for personal vehicles (standard cars/vans)
  • $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans
  • $50 for buses and motorcoaches
  • 20% of the proceeds benefit Special Olympics Buncombe County

Lake Julian Festival of Lights has become a tradition for many mountain families and visitors. Visitors are invited to watch the lights twinkle over the lake and listen to their favorite seasonal tunes while driving through the magical wonderland.

Lake Julian Festival of Lights takes place nightly from December 1-23 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Please check our Facebook page for information on closings due to winter weather.

Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum
Dec 19 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Winter Lights returns to the gardens November 19-January 1

Tickets are now sold PER VEHICLE, not per person.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2021 Winter Lights holiday event will welcome members and guests back into the gardens as it returns to the traditional outdoor walk-through open-air show format. The famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden will be back, outfitted with new designs in lights, while throughout the gardens, popular arrangements will mingle with ones never seen before.

You can find everything you need to know about Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition at the tabs above, and be sure to secure your tickets now.

We hope you will join us this holiday season!

 

Winter Lights is the Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser, and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.

A SWANNANOA SOLSTICE
Dec 19 @ 7:00 pm
Diana Wortham Theatre

WORTHAM CENTER PRESENTS

A Swannanoa Solstice

In 2021, A Swannanoa Solstice celebrates 19 years of delighting Western North Carolina audiences with a world-class display of folk, ushering in the winter season and drawing in more fans each and every year. A beloved local holiday tradition, A Swannanoa Solstice welcomes renowned multi-instrumentalist Robin Bullock and Grammy-winner David Holt to the stage, along with special guests Doug Orr, Phil Jamison, E.J. Jones & The Piper Jones Band, and renowned Madison County fiddler Josh Goforth. These creative, charismatic musicians perform a mix of Celtic, American-roots and world-influenced music to dazzle audiences during the annual event, reflecting the heritage of the hills and spreading a peaceful, united and uplifting message perfect for the holiday season.

Spider-Man: No Way Home
Dec 19 @ 7:00 pm
Asheville Pizza Brewing Co

Visual search query image

BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN WNC TO SEE IT!

THE MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a Superhero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.  (Running Time = 2 hours 30 minutes)

 

A Celtic Celebration with the Reel Sisters
Dec 19 @ 7:30 pm
Isis Music Hall--The Main Stage

The stage is set for holiday fun with The Reel Sisters playing harps, pipes, whistle, and song! Seasonal favorites pair with traditional tunes from the British Isles & Appalachia leaving your heart full and your toes tapping!

GRATEFUL SUNDAY WITH PHUNCLE SAM
Dec 19 @ 8:00 pm
Salvage Station

Grateful Sunday

Phuncle Sam is Asheville’s own Dead-Centric “jam band”. Since their formation in 2004, Phuncle Sam has been firmly rooted in musical exploration. The band serves up inventive interpretations of Jerry Garcia, Grateful Dead and many others. They have built up a faithful following by using an approach that respects the improvisational traditions of The Grateful Dead, while exploring what can happen when individual band members bring their unique influences and interpretations into the mix.