It’s North Carolina
It's North Carolina

Events and things to do in North Carolina, with dates, prices and drive times checked at the source.

Asheville & Foothills NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027

15 events and attractions in the Asheville & Foothills region are confirmed on the organizers’ own pages, from Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Prices, hours and rules below are quoted from those pages and dated; anything an organizer has not published says “not published” rather than a guess. Towns covered include Asheville, Hendersonville, Hickory and Morganton. Next up: UNC Asheville Bulldogs Men's Basketball vs Western Carolina, Nov 7, 2026.

Asheville & Foothills events by date

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
UNC Asheville Bulldogs Men's Basketball vs Western Carolina Asheville Nov 7, 2026 5:30 PM not published Kimmel Arena; family rules not published
Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum Asheville Nov 13, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 Gates open 6:00 PM, last entry 9:00 PM Priced per vehicle (Personal Vehicle up to 20 ft), three date tiers (Pink/Blue/Yellow); tier prices not published on pages read; gate tickets cost $10 more; Arboretum Society members $5 off advance Walk-through show, 1+ million lights, about 1-mile trail, allow 1 hour or more; no pets (service animals only); under 16 must be with an adult; outside alcohol prohibited, alcohol sold on site; vehicle entry only, no walk-ins; rain or shine; rideshare needs a vehicle ticket
Lowes Foods Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Hickory Nov 20, 2026 5:45 PM not published (free event not stated) Parade through downtown, then Santa lights the tree on Union Square; holiday music; Santa photos FAQ on page
80th Annual Asheville Holiday Parade Asheville Nov 21, 2026 11:00 AM not published Theme 'A Vintage Holiday'; downtown Asheville; hosted by Asheville Downtown Association; family rules not published
Morganton Winter Carnival Morganton Nov 21, 2026 2:30 PM-5:30 PM; downtown lighting ceremony 5:30-6:00 PM not published (page lists carriage rides as free for this event) Historic Burke County Courthouse Square: Santa visits, ice slide, face painting, hot chocolate at Frosty's Diner, letters to Santa, fire and ice demo
Holiday Tree Lighting Hendersonville Nov 27, 2026 5:00 PM-8:00 PM not published (free not stated) Historic Courthouse Plaza; carols, hot cocoa, Santa switches on the tree and Main Street lights; hosted by City of Hendersonville
UNC Asheville Bulldogs Men's Basketball vs Georgia Southern Asheville Nov 28, 2026 2:00 PM not published Kimmel Arena; afternoon game; family rules not published
Visits with Santa and Carriage Rides, Courthouse Square Morganton Nov 28, 2026 to Dec 20, 2026 5:30 PM-8:00 PM Friday and Saturday evenings; carriage ticket window opens 5:00 PM Carriage rides $5 per person (no call-ahead reservations, sign up at ticket window); Santa visit price not published Santa's Workshop at the Historic Burke County Courthouse Square, Nov 28-Dec 20
Downtown Morganton Christmas Parade Morganton Dec 1, 2026 6:00 PM not published Downtown Morganton, hosted by the Downtown Development Association; family rules not published
Olde Fashioned Christmas with Santa on the Square Hendersonville Dec 4, 2026 5:00 PM-8:00 PM not published (horse-drawn ride cost not stated) Downtown open house; horse-drawn rides through lit Main Street; Santa on the Square (selfies, hot cocoa, games, crafts) with Henderson County Parks and Recreation
29th Annual Santa on the Chimney Chimney Rock Dec 5, 2026 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Included with park admission; single-day admission $17 adult, $8 youth (5-15), under 5 free (admission FAQ page, undated) Santa rappels the 315-foot Chimney Rock; photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hike with an elf, crafts, live music, animal ambassadors; dog, stroller and parking rules: see the organizer page
Hendersonville Christmas Parade Hendersonville Dec 5, 2026 6:00 PM not published Evening parade steps off 6 PM heading south on Main Street; theme 'Light up the Night'
Holiday Train Rides with Mountain Fresh Orchards Hendersonville Dec 19, 2026 5:00 PM-8:00 PM not published Train rides on Main Street boarding at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse; baked and canned goods sold

Each event name links to the organizer’s page. Last checked 2026-10-18. Confirm the date and ticket price there before you go, because organizers change both.

Open daily, weekly or all season

Event Where Dates Hours Price (as published) Notes
Candlelight Christmas Evenings at Biltmore Asheville Nov 3, 2026 to Jan 9, 2027 not published not published (tickets sold online; page does not list prices) Biltmore House by candlelight plus Antler Hill Village lights; front lawn Christmas trees; ticket includes all-day estate access; ages, dogs, strollers not published on this page
WNC Nature Center Asheville Oct 24, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027 not published Adults $16.95 plus tax ($11.95 City of Asheville residents); seniors 65+ $15.95 ($10.95); youth 13-15 $16.95 ($11.95); child 3-12 $12.95 ($9.95); 2 and under free 42 acres of wildlife habitats incl. black bears, red pandas, red wolves, otters; hours, dogs, strollers not published on page read

Drive times

See drive times to 20 North Carolina destinations from Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington.

State parks in this region

For free days outdoors, see the North Carolina State Parks Passport: most state parks charge nothing for day use.

Frequently asked questions

How were these events checked?

Each row was read on the organizer’s or venue’s own page, not copied from a listings site. The link in the first column is that page and the check date is in the log. See our editorial standards and verification log.

What if a price says “not published”?

It means the organizer’s page did not show a price when we looked, often because tickets sit behind a booking widget. We leave it blank instead of guessing; use the event link to see current prices.

What is the next event in the Asheville & Foothills region?

UNC Asheville Bulldogs Men's Basketball vs Western Carolina, Nov 7, 2026, in Asheville. Dates shift, so use the link in the table.

Where do I report a wrong date or price?

Use the contact page. Corrections are logged on our corrections page.

Sources

Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “Asheville & Foothills NC Events: Oct 2026 to Mar 2027”, itsnorthcarolina.com/asheville-foothills-events/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.