Asheville, N.C. (October 26, 2023) – Movie-worthy settings and one-of-a-kind traditions transport visitors to another world in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains this holiday season. The grandeur of Biltmore making its Hallmark Channel debut and the sweet creations of the 31st Annual National Gingerbread Competition at The Omni Grove Park Inn ignite the festive spirit for travelers of all ages. Other celebrations, including immersive light displays, live music and stage performances, and local handicraft markets, pair with the area’s generally mild winter weather to create an active mountain getaway full of classic and fresh holiday adventures.

 

From Screen to Reality: A Hallmark-Inspired Escape at Biltmore

Biltmore takes center stage this season in “A Biltmore Christmas,” a new Hallmark Channel movie premiering on Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT as part of its “Countdown to Christmas 2023.”

 

New for this year’s cherished Christmas at Biltmore, George Vanderbilt’s opulent Library will be adorned in 1940s holiday glamour – an homage to the movie’s time-travel storyline that whisks viewers back to 1947. Visitors can tour Biltmore House’s meticulously designed rooms and immerse themselves in the festive ambiance. They may even recognize nine of those rooms that were used as sets in the Hallmark movie.

  

  • Christmas Daytime Celebration (Nov. 3 – Jan. 7) | This daytime tour of Biltmore House features 67 hand-decorated Christmas trees, along with 14,000 ornaments, 45,000 holiday lights, 250 candles, 1,000 feet of garland and 150 traditional poinsettias.
  • Candlelight Christmas Evenings (Nov. 3 – Jan. 6) | Evenings when Biltmore House is decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, combined with the scent of fresh greenery, offer an experience reminiscent of a bygone era. Setting the scene is a sparkling 55-foot Norway spruce tree in the center of the front lawn, and hundreds of luminaries lining the walkways to the home.  

 

Additionally, Hallmark fans will have the unique opportunity to view props and costumes  worn by the actors, which will be displayed during the holiday season at the lodging properties and other locations around the Biltmore Estate. Exhibits include an original Carolina Herrera-designed ballgown and a glittering 1930s Czech crystal necklace.

 

Last January, the Hallmark cast and crew traversed the 8,000-acre estate to film "A Biltmore Christmas," starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha. The production team utilized 8 vintage cars, 200 yards of artificial snow, and 300 Asheville-area locals as extras in the movie. Visitors can follow in their footsteps using a location guide mapping out all Biltmore and Asheville production spots, plus other holiday must-dos, at ExploreAsheville.com.

 

 

Inn-spiring Gingerbread Creations Showcased at National Competition

Sweet-toothed visitors of all ages can spice up their holiday season at The Omni Grove Park Inn during the 31st Annual National Gingerbread Competition.

 

Artisans from across the nation compete in various categories with whimsical structures made entirely of candy and baked confections, all vying for coveted prizes and a moment in the national television spotlight.

 

From Nov. 27 – Jan. 2, visitors can view the edible works of art, or book a to immerse themselves more fully in this delectable world. The hotel will also present “The 12 Days of Gingerbread” highlighting the Top 12 finalists on social media.  

 

Additional travel packages and deals are available at ExploreAsheville.com.

 

 

Light Up The Night with Dazzling Holiday Displays

Displays of twinkling lights in distinctive Asheville area neighborhoods welcome families with holiday cheer.
 

  • Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum (Nov. 17 – Dec. 31) | Asheville’s brightest holiday tradition turns ten this year. The enchanting open-air, walk-through light show at the North Carolina Arboretum features larger-than-life illuminated displays. New features include towering flowers, brilliant butterflies and monumental mushrooms.
  • Dickens in the Village Festival (Dec. 1-2) | The annual festival transforms historic Biltmore Village for a weekend, featuring shopkeepers dressed in Victorian-era garb and a main stage filled with musicians, dancers and choral groups.   
  • Weaverville Candlelight Stroll (Dec. 8) | The not-so-sleepy small town of Weaverville comes alive with music, live entertainment, horse drawn carriage rides and luminaries. 
  • Lake Julian Festival of Lights (Dec. 3-23) | This drive-thru spectacular transforms a beloved park in South Asheville. The park's encircling road guides visitors through enchanting light tunnels adorned with 50 animated and stationary exhibits.  

 

 

Unique Mountain Holiday Celebrations

From winter wonderlands and beer releases to purple buses and Appalachian Santa, no place celebrates the holidays quite like Asheville.

 

 

 

Holiday Musicals and Entertainment 

From classic stories to hit music and original plays, there are live performances for all audiences to enjoy this season. 

 

  • Nutcracker Magical Christmas Ballet (Dec. 17) | Experience this classic Christmas production, performed by Ukrainian Principal Artists and an international cast, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. 
  • The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Dec. 1-2) | A new take on this holiday tale will be performed by Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre at  Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. 
  • Warren Haynes Christmas Jam (Dec. 9) | Curated and presented by Grammy Award-winner Warren Haynes, the Christmas Jam is a one-of-a-kind music marathon – this year featuring Slash (Guns n’ Roses), Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Govt’ Mule and more.
  • A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas (Nov. 24 – Dec. 21) | Christmas carol lovers will enjoy live renditions of their favorite holiday hits at this annual show performed at the Flat Rock Playhouse, the official State Theatre of North Carolina. 
  • Elf: The Musical (Dec. 1-23) | This heartwarming adaptation of the beloved 2003 film at the Asheville Community Theatre is a larger-than-life extravaganza.
  • Jeeves Takes a Bow (Nov. 24 – Dec. 17) | The British upper crust meets the New York mob in this witty play presented at NC Stage Company in downtown Asheville.
  • Show Your Grillz Tour: A Night of Bling and Beats! (Dec. 2) | Hip-hop fans can show off their bling and dance the night away. Featuring an all-star line-up including Scotty ATL, Akeem Ali, and DJ E Sudd, the concert will take place at Franny’s Farm, a sustainable woman-owned hemp farm in Leicester.
  • New Queers Eve (Dec. 1-16) | Through interconnected stories told by various queer Asheville writers, this original play at The Magnetic Theatre invites audiences to share in the joys and struggles of LGBTQIA+ life through the decades.  

 

 

Handcrafted Holiday Keepsakes  

Discerning patrons will appreciate one-of-a-kind treasures crafted by hundreds of working Asheville artists.

 

 

For more information on Asheville holiday travel, visit ExploreAsheville.com.

 

For a rights-approved holiday photo gallery, click here. For more information, spokesperson contacts, photo and video assets, or site visit requests, please contact the PR Team at media@exploreasheville.com.

 

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About Asheville

Asheville is where unrivaled natural beauty and bold creative expression meet. Tucked away in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, the city’s generally mild winter weather and adjacency to the tallest peaks in the East make it ideal as an active mountain getaway. For generations, Asheville has nurtured and inspired a compassionate community of artists, brewers, makers and healers. Buzzing with fresh and classic holiday traditions, Asheville is deeply rooted yet ever evolving – just like the ancient French Broad River that runs through it.