Calendar of Events
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.
Saturday, December
16, 2023
Winter Lights
Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Winter Lights ❅
❅ November 17 through December 31!
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
Please leave your furry friends at home!
To keep both visitors and pets safe, pets are not permitted at Winter Lights at the Arboretum. Service animals are always welcome.
Experience the Arboretum in a Whole New Light!
Winter Lights is The North Carolina Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.
Presented by:
Sunday, December
17, 2023
Christmas at Biltmore Daytime and Evening
City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) applications open
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Miracle on Main Street opens at Chimney Rock Smokehouse
Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred
Lake Julian Festival of Lights drive through
Winter Lights
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]
Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities
We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:
- Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
- Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
- Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
- Growing edible gardens
Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.
Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina.
- Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
- Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
- Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
- Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
- High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes
Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications are due by: January 31, 2024 or March 29, 2024. Funding will be awarded by the 15th of the following month.
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year.
Miracle on Main Street will take over Chimney Rock Smokehouse from November 24 to December 31st. Featuring craft cocktails, tons of decor, award winning bbq, and weekly events. This place will make even the Grinch smile.
Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.
Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.
And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!
Festival of Lights offers two different experiences for attendees: a drive-thru and a walk-thru. The walk-thru dates will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. and the drive-thru will be taking place nightly from Dec. 4 – Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.
The walk-thru nights (Dec. 2 and 3) will consist of fun holiday crafts, kettlecorn, hot chocolate and the spectacular light show. Admission to the walk-thru nights is only $5 for adults, and children 16 and under get in free, making it an affordable and joyful outing for families to celebrate the holiday season together. Please note that parking for the walk-thru nights will be available at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School. This is only a short walk from Lake Julian Park. Cars will not be permitted to enter the park unless they have a need for ADA accessible parking. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to dress warmly.
The drive-thru nights (Dec. 4 – Dec. 23) allow you to stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the beautiful lights around Lake Julian Park. As participants drive throughout the park, they can tune into their favorite seasonal music on the radio. Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for busses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific.
Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Winter Lights ❅
❅ November 17 through December 31!
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
Please leave your furry friends at home!
To keep both visitors and pets safe, pets are not permitted at Winter Lights at the Arboretum. Service animals are always welcome.
Experience the Arboretum in a Whole New Light!
Winter Lights is The North Carolina Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.
Presented by:
Monday, December
18, 2023
Christmas at Biltmore Daytime and Evening
City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) applications open
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Miracle on Main Street opens at Chimney Rock Smokehouse
Student Soil + Water Scholarship
Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival
Family Ukulele Lessons with Asheville Ukulele Society
Lake Julian Festival of Lights drive through
Winter Lights
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]
Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities
We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:
- Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
- Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
- Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
- Growing edible gardens
Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.
Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina.
- Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
- Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
- Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
- Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
- High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes
Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications are due by: January 31, 2024 or March 29, 2024. Funding will be awarded by the 15th of the following month.
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year.
Miracle on Main Street will take over Chimney Rock Smokehouse from November 24 to December 31st. Featuring craft cocktails, tons of decor, award winning bbq, and weekly events. This place will make even the Grinch smile.
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.
Come learn to play the ukulele with the Asheville Ukulele Society. Lessons are free, but space is limited. To register, sign up at the library front desk or call 828-250-4738.
Open to everyone elementary school-age & up. Parents of children ages 15 & under must attend with their children. Parents of teens are encouraged to come learn together!
Festival of Lights offers two different experiences for attendees: a drive-thru and a walk-thru. The walk-thru dates will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. and the drive-thru will be taking place nightly from Dec. 4 – Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.
The walk-thru nights (Dec. 2 and 3) will consist of fun holiday crafts, kettlecorn, hot chocolate and the spectacular light show. Admission to the walk-thru nights is only $5 for adults, and children 16 and under get in free, making it an affordable and joyful outing for families to celebrate the holiday season together. Please note that parking for the walk-thru nights will be available at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School. This is only a short walk from Lake Julian Park. Cars will not be permitted to enter the park unless they have a need for ADA accessible parking. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to dress warmly.
The drive-thru nights (Dec. 4 – Dec. 23) allow you to stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the beautiful lights around Lake Julian Park. As participants drive throughout the park, they can tune into their favorite seasonal music on the radio. Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for busses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific.
Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Winter Lights ❅
❅ November 17 through December 31!
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
Please leave your furry friends at home!
To keep both visitors and pets safe, pets are not permitted at Winter Lights at the Arboretum. Service animals are always welcome.
Experience the Arboretum in a Whole New Light!
Winter Lights is The North Carolina Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.
Presented by:
Tuesday, December
19, 2023
Christmas at Biltmore Daytime and Evening
City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) applications open
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Miracle on Main Street opens at Chimney Rock Smokehouse
Student Soil + Water Scholarship
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Monarchs and Milkweed: A Story of Survival
Lake Julian Festival of Lights drive through
Winter Lights
The Blackout Diaries Comedy Show at The Pulp
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]
Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities
We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:
- Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
- Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
- Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
- Growing edible gardens
Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.
Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina.
- Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
- Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
- Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
- Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
- High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes
Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications are due by: January 31, 2024 or March 29, 2024. Funding will be awarded by the 15th of the following month.
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year.
Miracle on Main Street will take over Chimney Rock Smokehouse from November 24 to December 31st. Featuring craft cocktails, tons of decor, award winning bbq, and weekly events. This place will make even the Grinch smile.
Buncombe County students interested in entering the field of conservation, agriculture or another natural resource program can win a $1,000 scholarship from The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District.
The William Hamilton Memorial Scholarship will provide a student with money to go towards their studies. Eligible students must attend or plan to attend an accredited college or university and must submit a proposal for a volunteer conservation project in Buncombe County.
One winner will be selected by a committee of Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District staff and Supervisors and the funds will be dispersed directly to the institution upon completion of the volunteer project.
Scholarship Timeline:
February 28, 2024 – Deadline to apply
April 11, 2024 – Winning applicant announced
June 30, 2024 – Deadline to complete volunteer project
July 11, 2024 – Presentation to the Board, award dispersed
The winner is also expected to attend a Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting to present the results of their project and accept their scholarship.
Find the application below. Completed applications and questions can be sent to [email protected].
The application can also be mailed to:
Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District
Attn: Jen Knight and Rose Wall
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville NC, 28806
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.
Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.
Applications due by:
- November 30, 2023
- January 30, 2024
- March 30, 2024
If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!
Join us on a journey into the world of butterflies and plants, and see the complex relationship between monarchs and milkweed. “Monarchs and Milkweed” explores how very survival of these majestic creatures has been shaped over time by one another, traveling through the seasons of a calendar year and revealing how both insect and plant grow and interact, culminating in a massive migration that crosses a continent.
Festival of Lights offers two different experiences for attendees: a drive-thru and a walk-thru. The walk-thru dates will take place on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. and the drive-thru will be taking place nightly from Dec. 4 – Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.
The walk-thru nights (Dec. 2 and 3) will consist of fun holiday crafts, kettlecorn, hot chocolate and the spectacular light show. Admission to the walk-thru nights is only $5 for adults, and children 16 and under get in free, making it an affordable and joyful outing for families to celebrate the holiday season together. Please note that parking for the walk-thru nights will be available at Charles T. Koontz Intermediate School. This is only a short walk from Lake Julian Park. Cars will not be permitted to enter the park unless they have a need for ADA accessible parking. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to dress warmly.
The drive-thru nights (Dec. 4 – Dec. 23) allow you to stay in the comfort of your own car while oooh-ing and ah-ing at the beautiful lights around Lake Julian Park. As participants drive throughout the park, they can tune into their favorite seasonal music on the radio. Admission is $10 per car for personal vehicles, $25 for sprinter vans, trailblazers, and conversion vans, and $50 for busses and motorcoaches. Purchased tickets will be valid for one-time use on any night of the festival; tickets are not date specific.
Join us in celebrating 10 Years of Winter Lights ❅
❅ November 17 through December 31!
Winter Lights is a spectacular open-air walk-through light show made from over one million lights! Located at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, this year’s event features favorites like the famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden, along with enchanting new details designed to delight and surprise.
Please leave your furry friends at home!
To keep both visitors and pets safe, pets are not permitted at Winter Lights at the Arboretum. Service animals are always welcome.
Experience the Arboretum in a Whole New Light!
Winter Lights is The North Carolina Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.
Presented by:
During this year’s holiday break, forget all the craziness and bring the whole (drinking age) family & friends out to hear tales of triumph (but mostly hilarious tragedy) while drinking heavily. Starting its roots in Chicago, and hosted by the hilarius Alex Joyce, The Blackout Diaries is an interactive comedy show were standup comedians, plus ‘regular’ people (cops, firefighters, teachers, etc) tell true drinking stories with photos from the events. Then you, the audience, can ask questions.
The Blackout Diaries has been selected as ‘Critics’ Choice in The Chicago Reader, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times and more. Segments from the show have appeared on Comedy Central, NPR, Sirius Radio and more. A review once described the show as “a reverse AA meeting”. We still don’t know if that was a positive review or not, but we feel it sums the show up well.
Alex Joyce has been performing stand up comedy for 13 years. After graduating from The University of Alabama he moved to Chicago where he studied at the Second City Training Center for Sketch Writing. He is co producer and performer in The Blackout Diaries, a weekly show at The Lincoln Lodge Theater where comedians tell wild drinking stories and the audience gets to ask questions. Joyce returns to Asheville regularly to visit family and perform. Joyce lives in Chicago.
Featuring Hilliary Begley. Petey Smith McDowell & Roman Fraden
Wednesday, December
20, 2023
Christmas at Biltmore Daytime and Evening
City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) applications open
Immerse Yourself in the Magic
Experience Christmas at Biltmore, when America’s Largest Home®, Antler Hill Village, and the entire estate are beautifully bedecked for the holidays.
NEW THIS YEAR: all Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access. Because more time to explore means more memories made. Select ticket types also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Antler Hill Village Illumination
Included with admission—Bask in the glow of a glittering cascade of lights illuminating trees, buildings, and the pathways that connect the unique shops, restaurants, and Winery in Antler Hill Village. Experience this must-see part of the Christmas at Biltmore tradition, which includes festive displays adorning Ciao! From Italy and our relaxing Winery, where complimentary tastings await.
Christmas Daytime Celebration
November 3, 2023–January 7, 2024
A daytime visit to Biltmore is a feast for the senses, featuring fragrant wreaths, glittering garland, and the sparkle of thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village! Wrap yourself in the magic of this most beloved of holiday traditions: Christmas at Biltmore.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Christmas at Biltmore 2024! View Ticket Options.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings
An Unforgettable Holiday Evening
November 3, 2023–January 6, 2024
A majestic Norway spruce and pathway luminaries welcome you to America’s Largest Home®. Inside, thousands of ornaments reflect the soft glow of candles, fireplaces, and twinkle lights. The magic continues in Antler Hill Village, which is festooned with glittering lights, ornaments, and displays.
NEW THIS YEAR:
All Biltmore House tickets include FREE next-day grounds access!
Select ticket options also include Italian Renaissance Alive.
Plan now for Candlelight Christmas Evenings 2024! View Ticket Options.
The City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (C.A.Y.L.A) program is designed for sophomores and juniors who are interested in career exploration, leadership development, and gaining 21st-century job skills to prepare them for their future. C.A.Y.L.A provides young people with an excellent opportunity to work and grow in Asheville while also acquiring valuable work experience that will advance their future careers.
Program Benefits
The program takes place over the summer months, during which the students will become paid interns based on their career interests. Students will have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in their career of choice, network, and build skills and relationships that will aid them as they get ready to begin their college life. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a $2,000 scholarship to go towards their college education.
Apply Today!
The application period will remain open until January 15, 2024. If you know someone who might be interested in this incredible internship opportunity provided by C.A.Y.L.A, please encourage them to apply.
For questions about the C.A.Y.L.A. program, please contact Promise Boseman at: [email protected]