CHRISTMAS FARM TOURS
November 26-28, Mini farm tours take place every 30 minutes between 10am and 4pm
Apple Hill Farm, Banner Elk
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CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL & LIGHTING OF THE TOWN
November 26, 12-5:30pm
Held in Memorial Park in Blowing Rock, this event features visits with Santa, games & activities for children, live Christmas music and the lighting of the town tree! For more information,
BEECH MOUNTAIN HOLIDAY MARKET
November 27, 10am-4pm
Buckeye Recreation Center, Beech Mountain
Get a jump start on holiday arts and crafts at the Holiday Market held at Buckeye Recreation Center. Start your holiday shopping with locally made crafts, jewelry, food and art. Live music from 12-3pm, kids activities, Mrs. Claus and a Parade of Wreaths add to the fun!
BLOWING ROCK CHRISTMAS PARADE
November 27 @ 10am, Main St, Blowing Rock
Held on Main Street, the parade features community floats, music, antique cars, and much more!
CHETOLA FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
November 28- January
Chetola Resort becomes a Winter Wonderland with over 50,000 dazzling lights around Chetola lake. Free to public
wynfestivaloftrees.com. Link to the Festival of Trees map of tree displays: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with more than 30 trees displayed across the High Country as part of the Western Youth Network (WYN) annual Festival of Trees.The trees are decorated by designers, retailers, High Country businesses and individuals — and displayed at public locations in West Jefferson, Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and the Linville area. Decorated trees, some with extra gifts and gift certificates, will be sold on an online auction which opens Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 12pm. A selection of festive holiday wreaths, most of which will be on display at the Watauga County Recreation Center will be added to the auction on Nov. 30. The auction runs through Thursday, Dec. 2 at 8pm, when it will close during a livestreamed telethon. The telethon — hosted by festival committee member Stacey Gibson and WYN Advisory Board Member and App Regional Healthcare System CEO Chuck Mantooth — will feature local holiday entertainment, contests and prizes.
bannerelk.com
For those who need a little Christmas this holiday season, the Blue Ridge Mountain town of Banner Elk is the place to be the first weekend of December. The town’s three-day celebration known as A Small Town Christmas takes place Dec. 3-5, offering visitors a traditional holiday getaway wrapped in small-town charm.
The town’s three-day celebration known as A Small Town Christmas takes place Dec. 3-5, offering visitors a traditional holiday getaway wrapped in small-town charm.
The schedule starts with a Friday evening tree lighting followed by a holiday musical variety show at the local performing arts center.
Saturday dawns with a 5k Reindeer Run and breakfast with Santa, followed by a day full of activities. There is a pet-friendly event, a community carol sing, story time with Santa at the fire station, cookie decorating at Banner Elk Café, a holiday market, and an evening in the park with light shows, train rides, hot chocolate and a Christmas movie.
Sunday’s activities include choose-and-cut visits to nearby tree farms and holiday tours at Apple Hill Alpaca Farm (tickets required).
Blowing Rock’s traditional Christmas celebrations are back this weekend with plenty of fun on Friday and Saturday. Each year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Blowing Rock invites residents and visitors to come out and be a part of the Lighting of the Town on Friday followed by the annual Christmas Parade on Saturday. Events begin at noon on Friday with a chance to get your photo made with Santa Clause until 3 p.m. Carnival games in Memorial Park start at 1:30 p.m. and will last until 4 p.m. Live music begins at 2 p.m. and will continue through 6:30 p.m. The main event of the evening will be the Lighting of the Town at 5:30 p.m. All events will be held at Memorial Park.
thecarolinasnowbelles.com Please check website for ticket info and show times
A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas returns this December to the stage at Appalachian Theatre of the High Country and Alliance Auditorium. A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas is certain to feature something for everyone! From beloved classics like Merry and Bright, Sing and Like This by The Carolina Snowbelles director Cheryl Cutlip, to a zesty new work by Brooke Church Handy performed to a rousing rendition of Go Tell it on the Mountain. Ballet lovers will delight as dolls come to life in an enchanted toy shop scene choreographed by Bradley Parquette, and, to remind us of the true meaning of the holiday season, guest artists, The Turning Point Dance Company from Wilmington, NC, directed by Cory Smith, will be on hand to present an uplifting rendition of Handel’s Messiah.
The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC) will kick off their holiday programming with a 3 p.m. matinee concert on December 5 featuring Darin and Brooke Aldridge and their bluegrass band. With roots in the High Country (Avery County, in fact,) this husband-and-wife team promise inspired bluegrass just in time for the holidays. “Christmas with Darin and Brooke Aldridge” is a live and in-person concert is sponsored by Mast General Store. The Aldridge’s have placed several tracks at the top of the charts on Roots, SiriusXM, Bluegrass and Gospel charts. They have received multiple nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and Inspirational Country Music (ICM). Their music videos “Wildflower,” “Tennessee Flat Top Box,” and most recently, “Every Time You Leave,” all of which were heavily featured on media outlets including CMT, CMT Edge, GAC, Bluegrass Ridge TV and The Bluegrass Situation. Television appearances include PBS, Great American Gospel, The Bluegrass Road, RFD-TV, Blue Highways TV, Songs of the Mountain, Woodsongs, Larry’s Country Diner and Music City Roots.