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
