ART/CRAFT FAIRS
Caldwell Arts Council
601 College Ave SW, Lenoir, 754-2486
• Through WE (12/23) – “Satie’s Holiday Sale,” 75 crafters and artists exhibiting. Mon.-Fri.: 9am-6pm. Sat.: 10am-3pm. Free to attend.
Holiday Craft Bazaar
ashevillemusichall.com
• SA (12/19), noon-6pm – Local art and craft vendors with live music. Free to attend. Held at One Stop Deli & Bar, 55 College St.
BENEFITS
Deck the Trees Benefit
669-8870, themontevistahotel.net
• Through TH (12/31) – Proceeds from this exhibition of decorated Christmas trees benefit the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries. Awarding of prizes for trees: Dec. 18, 6-8:30pm. Free to attend. Held at Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W. State St., Black Mountain
Helpmate
CPrice@helpmateonline.org
Provides services to victims of domestic violence and their families in Buncombe County. Info: 254-2968.
• Through TH (12/31) – Proceeds from Christmas tree ornament sales benefit Helpmate. Free to attend. Held at Ben’s Tune-Up, 195 Hilliard Ave.
Home for the Holidays
townandmountain.com/Ashevillefundraiser
• SU (12/20), 5-9:30pm – Proceeds from this fundraiser with Santa, live music, kid’s games, food, silent auction and photo booth benefit 5 local nonprofits that help the homeless. Admission by donation. Held at Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave.
N.C. Arboretum Winter Lights
665-2492, ncwinterlights.com
• Through SA (1/2), 6-10pm – Proceeds from this walking tour of the holiday animated light display benefit N.C. Arboretum programs, exhibits, and facilities year-round. $18/$16 children. Held at N.C. Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way
CLASSES, MEETINGS & EVENTS
Carl Sandburg Home
1928 Little River Road, Flat Rock, 693-4178, nps.gov/carl
• SA (12/19), 10am-1pm – “Christmas at Connemara,” dulcimer music, craft making, storytelling by Becky Stone and sing-a-longs. $5.
Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville
687-7759, aeu.org
• SU (12/20), 2pm – “Heaven’s Here on Earth,” holiday season presentations. Free. Held at Asheville Friends Meetinghouse, 227 Edgewood Road
DANCE
Ballet Conservatory of Asheville
255-5777, balletconservatoryofasheville.com
• TH (12/17) & FR (12/18), 4:30pm & 7:30pm – The Nutcracker. $30/$20 seniors & students/$15 children. Held at Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 S. Pack Square
Odditorium
1045 Haywood Road, 575-9299
• FR (12/18), 10pm – Babes in Toyland, The Savannah Sweet Tease Burlesque Revue. $10.
Southern Lights Square and Round Dance Club
697-7732, southernlights.org
• SA (12/19), 6pm – Christmas themed dance. Free. Held at Whitmire Activity Center, 310 Lily Pond Road, Hendersonville
FESTIVALS
Lake Julian Festival of Lights
684-0376, david.blynt@buncombecounty.org
• Through WE (12/23), 6-9pm – Driving tour of Lake Julian’s holiday lights. $5 per car/$10 per van/$25 per motor coach. Held at Lake Julian Park, 406 Overlook Road Ext., Arden
FILM
Buncombe County Public Libraries
buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/library
• Through (12/26), 2pm – North Asheville Library Film Series: “Do They Know it’s Christmas?” Featuring In Bruges, Edward Scissorhands, Brazil and Less Than Zero. Free. Held at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave.
The Junction
348 Depot St., 225-3497, thejunctionasheville.com
• SA (12/19), 8pm – Outdoor holiday movies: The Polar Express. Free to attend.
KIDS
Lake James State Park
6883 N.C. Highway 126, Nebo, 584-7728
• MO (12/21), 10am – “Animal Track Ornaments,” workshop. Registration required. Free.
MUSIC
Blue Ridge Ringers Handbell Ensemble
blueridgeringers.tripod.com, blueridgeringers@gmail.com
• FR (12/18), 7pm – Holiday concert. Free. Held at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 22 Fisher Road, Brevard
• SU (12/20), 4pm – Holiday concert. Free. Held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 900 Blythe St., Hendersonville
Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown
125 S. Main St., Hendersonville, 693-0731, flatrockplayhouse.org
• TH (12/10) through SU (12/20) – “The Christmas Concert that Never Was,” Barbara Streisand & Frank Sinatra tribute concert. Thur.-Sun.: 8pm. Sat. & Sun.: 2pm. $25-$40.
Henderson County Public Library
301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville, 697-4725
• FR (12/18), noon – “A Musicke Antiqua Christmas,” concert performs holiday music from the 1300s to 1944 in costume on replicas of early music instruments. Free.
North Main Music
692-6335, Held at the corner of 6th Avenue and Main St.
• FR (12/18), 6-8pm – Stepchild, classic and rocking Christmas music. Free to attend.
• SA (12/19), 6-8pm – Doug Dye, classic Christmas music. Free to attend.
St. Matthias Church
1 Dundee St., 285-0033, stmatthiasepiscopal.com
• SU (12/20), 3pm – “A Musicke Antiqua Christmas,” concert performs holiday music from the 1300s to 1944. Free.
SPIRITUALITY
Celtic Christian Holiday Service
• Join us at a service to honor the Winter Solstice. Held at private home in Weaverville. Details: avalongrove.org or 645-2674
Center for Art & Spirit at St. George
1 School Road, 258-0211
• FR (12/18), 6-9pm & SA (12/19), 9am-noon – Solstice labyrinth walk. Admission by donation.
Francis Asbury United Methodist Church
725 Asbury Rd., Candler, 667-3950, faumc.com
• TH (12/24), 5pm – 1800s candlelight Christmas Eve service. Free.
Groce United Methodist Church
954 Tunnel Road, 298-6195, groceumc.org
• SU (12/20), 7pm – Moravian Christmas Love Feast with music and reception. Free.
Trinity Episcopal Church
60 Church St., 253-9361
• TH (12/24), 3pm – Christmas pageant. Free.
UR Light Center
2196 N.C. Highway 9, Black Mountain, 669-6845, urlight.org
• SU (12/20), 3pm – Winter Solstice piano concert and meditation with Richard Schulman. $20.
• TU (12/22), 2pm – “Ascension Circle with Crystal Bowls,” Winter Solstice ceremony with crystal chakra bowls played by attendees. $15.
SPOKEN & WRITTEN WORD
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
225 W. State St., Black Mountain, 669-0930, blackmountainarts.org
• SU (12/20), 3pm – Jamieson Ridenhour performs a one-man Victorian-style reading of A Christmas Carol. Admission by donation.
THEATER
35below
35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org
• THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (12/10) until SA (12/19) – The Santaland Diaries, comedy. Thur.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Fri. & Sat.: 9:30pm. $15.
Asheville Community Theatre
35 E. Walnut St., 254-1320, ashevilletheatre.org
• FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (12/4) until (12/20) – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2:30pm. $12-$22.
Montford Park Players
254-5146, montfordparkplayers.org, Held at Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway
• FRIDAYS through SUNDAYS (12/11) until (12/20) – A Christmas Carol. Fri. & Sat.: 7:30pm. Sun.: 2:30pm. $10.
• MO (12/21) through WE (12/23), 7:30pm – A Christmas Carol. $10.
The Magnetic Theatre
375 Depot St., 279-4155
• WE (12/16), 7:30pm – The 42nd Annual Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular! $18-$23.
• THURSDAYS through SATURDAYS (12/3) through (12/19) – The 42nd Annual Bernstein Family Christmas Spectacular! Thur.-Sat.: 7:30pm. Sat.: 10pm. $18-$23.
VOLUNTEERING
Care Partners Foundation
277-4815, carepartnersfoundation.org
• Through TH (12/24) – Volunteers needed for gift wrap station at Asheville Outlets. Registration required.
Eblen Charities
255-3066, eblencharities.org
• Through WE (12/23) – Volunteers needed to staff 3-hour shifts at the St. Nicholas Project toy store. Contact for more information: 777-3383.
N.C. Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, 665-2492, ncarboretum.org
• Through SA (1/2) – Hundreds of volunteers needed for the Winter Lights exhibit FR (11/20) through SA (1/2) from 5:30-10pm nightly. Register online: ncwinterlights.org
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.