On Saturday November 28, December 5, 12 and 19, music or storytelling will be offered from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm with craft-making from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The best local foods and handmade gifts!

Deck The Trees is a fun and festive December Holiday Happening in Black Mountain. This event is a fundraiser for the Fuel Fund of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. Trees decorated in the theme And A Star Appeared will be displayed in the Monte Vista Hotel and many businesses throughout Black Mountain. Trees may be voted on by placing cash/check in the box corresponding to your favorite tree. All money collected goes directly to the Fuel Fund. For more information about Deck The Trees and to support your favorite tree(s) contact svcmblackmountain.org.

Even though it’s getting colder, you can still find fresh, local food at area farmers tailgate markets. Several markets in Buncombe County will offer holiday markets or extended seasons in November and December. In addition to seasonal produce, meats, cheeses, and bread, these markets feature local artists and handmade goods, such as wreaths, pottery, jewelry, and more.

Taught by Amanda Klinikowski

Come play fun and socially distanced theatre games with Amanda on ACT’s Mainstage!

The safety of all students and teachers is important to ACT. Masks will be required at all times during the class and everyone will remain socially distanced for all games while inside on the ACT Mainstage with added ventilation. Parents are asked to remain in their cars nearby for the duration of class. We ask that all students arrive 10-15 minutes before their class time to accommodate temperature checks. This class is in-person, with no virtual option. If your child is medically unable to wear a mask for 50 minutes, please check out one of ACT’s many virtual class options instead!

Student Ages: 10-11 (Or with prior permission from Amanda Klinikowski. Please reach out to Amanda BEFORE registering for class!)

On Saturday November 28, December 5, 12 and 19, music or storytelling will be offered from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm with craft-making from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

A Wonderful Family Holiday Tradition … Handcrafted Christmas ornaments by Master Scientific Glassblower Jason Probstein. 

Since 2010, the Mountain Made art gallery, in downtown Asheville, has been proud to host live glassblowing demonstrations by scientific glass blower, Jason Probstein.

This year Probstein will be demonstrating from 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM on these 3 days: Fridays, Saturdays & Mondays … starting November 20 to December 21, 2020 … Or until his gas tanks run dry!

He will be creating his unique handcrafted Christmas tree ornaments – while you watch. We invite you to bring the entire family and come by Mountain Made to watch this master scientific glassblower at work!

To learn more this and other holiday events, visit our website for more information. Or if you are in downtown Asheville, we invite you to just come by Mountain Made gallery, located at 1 Page Ave – Inside the Grove Arcade (Suite #123) to see for yourself just how great Jason and his ornaments are.

Beginning October 7, the three-hour documentary-styled art installation Question Bridge: Black Males will be on view at the Asheville Art Museum. This innovative transmedia project facilitates a dialogue between Black men from diverse and contending backgrounds, and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. The work will be on view during regular public hours from October 7, 2020 through March 15, 2021.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that explores critically challenging issues within the African American male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among Black men across geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite, and puzzle Black males today in the United States.

The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.

North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.

We are excited to continue the tradition of hosting Santa to meet and greet all kids and kids-at-heart. Santa is doing many things differently this year, and because of that we are providing multiple options for you and your loved ones to see Santa.

In person visits will still be available, but you will have to reserve a special time to see Santa. Click here to reserve your spot now. These visits will be contactless, and hand sanitizing stations will also be available. Scroll further down the page to learn more about available dates, times, photo package pricing and more. Face masks are required to visit Santa for children age 2 and up as well as adults, so remember to bring your festive holiday mask or face covering.

For those unable to see Santa in person or who want additional memorable experiences, we are now offering several online options. You can continue to Create Holiday Magic from the comfort of your home, and celebrate Christmas throughout the season with things like Story Time with Santa, Photos with Santa (including pets), a live zoom call and more! Click here to learn more.

Best of all, Porch Portraits by Suzanne will donate $15 of every session to our great friends at Flat Rock Playhouse. My goal is to raise $15,000 for the Playhouse by the end of the year so any money over and above the price of $65 will go straight to them.

Perhaps most exciting, an extremely generous Playhouse donor has agreed to a MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN up to $36,000.18! This incredibly generous donation draws on the magic of Chai, the Jewish belief that multiples of 18 bring good luck. Meaning that every session booked will result in at least $30 for the wonderful folks at Flat Rock Playhouse.

For decades, Flat Rock Playhouse has been opening their collective hearts and sharing their fabulous talents to bring joy and entertainment to western North Carolina. This is an opportunity to show our gratitude at a time when they really need our support.

Together, let’s make magic happen! Help us kick off this campaign by contributing today.

MANNA FoodBank and their partner agencies have served an average of 101,000 people each month since March. This is a 70% increase over pre-pandemic levels. The need is deep and persistent across Western North Carolina. MANNA is dedicated to our neighbors in need and is working to end hunger across the mountains of North Carolina. When you round up to support MANNA, they are able to do amazing things. No amount is too small because $1 provides 3.5 meals!

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2019 and we hope to see you in 2020! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 13, 2020, and operates through December 31, 2020.

Weekly sound healing sessions are held here at Skinny Beats Sound Shop (4 Eagle St – Asheville, NC) every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 AM. We lay yoga mats on the floor and lower the blinds to create a meditative space that helps you clear your mind and relax to our unique soundscape of crystal singing bowls, expansive gongs, handpans, didgeridoos, rainsticks, and more. We are currently limiting public sessions to 10 people. Please call for info regarding private sessions.

Asheville Gallery of Art’s December show, “#ArtSquared,” is amulti-artist show featuring a variety of original square paintings by gallery members. The show runs December 3-29 during gallery hours, 12-5 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday. You can also make arrangements for a private tour by emailing a request to [email protected].

This Saturday, join us for a fun, free, community event that your ballet fans young and old will love. So much has been cancelled because of the pandemic, but we are proud to our offer our community and families a safe, spacious outdoor site to enjoy socially distanced festive traditions. This Saturday, we are partnering with Asheville Community Dance Theater to host a screening of their 2019 performance of the beloved holiday ballet, The Nutcracker. Entry is free. As a special surprise, some of the cast favorites in costume will be on site as special guests. Masks and social distancing are required at all times, as always.

Taught by Amanda Klinikowski

Come play fun and socially distanced theatre games with Amanda on ACT’s Mainstage!

The safety of all students and teachers is important to ACT. Masks will be required at all times during the class and everyone will remain socially distanced for all games while inside on the ACT Mainstage with added ventilation. Parents are asked to remain in their cars nearby for the duration of class. We ask that all students arrive 10-15 minutes before their class time to accommodate temperature checks. This class is in-person, with no virtual option. If your child is medically unable to wear a mask for 50 minutes, please check out one of ACT’s many virtual class options instead!

Over 90,000 guests rode THE POLAR EXPRESS™ with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in 2019 and we hope to see you in 2020! The 1¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the North Pole to find Santa Claus waiting. Santa will board THE POLAR EXPRESS™, greeting each child and presenting them with a special gift as in the story, their own silver sleigh bell. Christmas carols will be sung as they return back to the Bryson City Depot.

THE POLAR EXPRESS™ begins November 13, 2020, and operates through December 31, 2020.

It’s beginning to look a lot like… winter! Instead of staying bundled up under the covers, be inspired by the season to create snowy landscape cards and Model Magic decorations. Held indoors in the Museum’s John & Robyn Horn Education Center during cold weather. Space is limited to small groups of up to eight students; face coverings and social distancing are required.