Kick off the holidays in downtown Asheville at the Grove Arcade’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting Block Party, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The day starts at 10 AM with a Southern Highland Craft Guild Holiday Market inside the historic arcade, where you can shop handmade gifts from regional makers. 

From 3 to 7 PM, the party spills out along Page Avenue. Watch the Asheville Ballet perform, hum along with the Asheville Gay Men’s Chorus, and catch jazz from the Bill Bares Jazz Trio. Rock the Disco Sound System and the Captains of Revelry bring the dance music. Kids can pose for photos with Santa and craft letters to the North Pole, while grown-ups grab a festive drink at pop-up bars along Restaurant Row. 

Built in 1929, the Grove Arcade is one of Asheville’s most treasured landmarks. The event is free and open to all.