In Asheville, home for the holidays is the best place to be! Explore Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) community events that connect neighbors and encourage locals to discover the spirit of the season starting November 9. These are just highlights with additional events throughout the city through the end of the year. Browse the current program guide, search classes and events online, or download the APR app to see them all.
Holly Jolly Special Events
Asheville Holiday Parade & Onesie One Miler – November 18, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Downtown Asheville (Biltmore and Patton Avenues)
FREE | All ages
Produced by Asheville Downtown Association in partnership with the City of Asheville, locals don festive outfits and line the streets of downtown as marching bands, jump ropers, martial artists, classic cars, professional floats, the APR parade entry, and more welcome the holiday season followed by free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. This year, a downtown dash joins the fun in the form of the Onesie One Miler.
Calls from Santa – December 4-5, 6-8 p.m.
FREE | Ages 4-6 with adult
Ensure all the good little children in your life receive a personal call from the North Pole! Sign up and one of Santa’s helpers will schedule a call.
Holiday Lights & Cozy Movie Night – December 8, 6-8 p.m.
Burton Street Community Center (134 Burton St.)
FREE | All ages
Take a stroll under festive lights and enjoy a movie on the big screen with light refreshments.
Breakfast with Santa – December 9, 9-10:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
$10 | Ages 2-9 with adult, advance registration required
A holiday tradition for local families, Santa hosts a special breakfast with games, crafts, and a visit from the jolly man himself.
Ugly Sweater Party for Older Adults – December 16, 3-8 p.m.
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center (121 Shiloh Rd.)
FREE | Ages 50 and over
Calling all adults ages 50 or better: Eat, drink, and be merry in the tackiest holiday sweater you can find. To participate in the gift exchange (not required), bring a new item wrapped or in a gift bag.
Wax-Sealed Letters & Meet and Greet with Santa – December 17, 1-3 p.m.
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center (121 Shiloh Rd.)
FREE | Ages 50 and over
Write Santa a letter, stamp it with real wax, and hand deliver it to the man with the bag.
Holiday Crafting & Cooking
Therapeutic Recreation Adult Crafting & Cooking – Tuesdays through December 12, 10-11 a.m. & 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Murphy-Oakley Community Center (749 Fairview Rd.)
FREE | Ages 17 and older, designed for individuals with disabilities
The Therapeutic Recreation team hosts a variety of cooking and crafts each Tuesday. Starting November 14, the focus is on the holidays:
- November 14 – No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- November 21 – Thankful Tree
- November 28 – Festive Chicken Salad
- December 5 – Holiday Ornament
- December 12 – Cookies for Santa
Friendsgiving: Desserts Edition – November 16, 2-4 p.m.
Grove Street Community Center (36 Grove St.)
FREE | All ages, advance registration requested
Talk about holiday traditions and bring your favorite dessert to share with friends.
Friendsgiving & Holiday Bazaar – November 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Burton Street Community Center (134 Burton St.)
FREE | All ages, advance registration required
Gather for a delicious potluck meal and good company. Browse crafts from Burton Street’s Senior Elite Club to get one-of-a-kind gifts for special people in your life.
Holiday Cookie Baking – November 28, 5-7 p.m.
Tempie Avery Montford Community Center (34 Pearson Ave.)
$5 | Ages 5 and over, advance registration required
Perfect your cookies so you’ll be ready to make some for Santa. We provide dough, you cut it into festive shapes and decorate!
Holiday Dollar Décor DIY – November 29 and December 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
$20 | All ages, advance registration required
The popular series that helps make fabulous crafts from low-cost items brings a seasonal twist with workshops to create Christmas countdown calendars and gold leaf tree ornaments.
Teen Cuisine: Gingerbread Cookie Bars – December 1 and 22, 6-7:30 p.m.
Tempie Avery Montford Community Center (34 Pearson Ave.)
$10 | Ages 13-18, advance registration required
Always-hungry teenagers learn culinary skills as they make easy, delicious meals. On the menu December 1 is teens’ choice night and December 22 is gingerbread cookie bars.
Holiday House Building – December 12, 5-7 p.m.
Harvest House Community Center (205 Kenilworth Rd.)
$5 | Ages 5 and over, advance registration required
Who doesn’t enjoy a creative afternoon making delicious and festive edible houses?
Holiday Cookie Contest – December 13, 1-2:45 p.m.
Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center (285 Livingston St.)
FREE | All ages
Utilize your baking skills to create the best holiday cookie in a friendly competition with prizes for the top three contestants. Complimentary hot chocolate and apple cider for spectators, too.
Holiday Luncheon – December 14, 12-3 p.m.
Harvest House Community Center (205 Kenilworth Rd.)
$5 | Ages 18 and over, advance registration required
Celebrate the first day of winter with a luncheon party and holiday entertainment.
Holiday Gift Making for Kids – December 19, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
$10 | Ages 5-9
Make creative gifts that family and friends will love using Stephens-Lee’s vast supply library.
Festive Fun & Games
Fall Harvest Bingo – November 9, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Harvest House Community Center (205 Kenilworth Rd.)
FREE | Ages 18 and over
Celebrate fall at Harvest House with everyone’s favorite game. Looking for more bingo? Check out additional dates and locations.
Holiday Bingo & Festive Fun – December 1, 2-4 p.m.
Grove Street Community Center (36 Grove St.)
FREE | All ages
Show your holiday spirit and win prizes for bingo, as well as other festive contests. Looking for more bingo? Check out additional dates and locations.
Candy Cane Flashlight Hunt – December 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Carrier Park (220 Amboy Rd.)
FREE | Ages 10 and over
Search for candy canes and more — in the dark! Bring your own flashlight. This event is designed for teens and adults, but kids ages 10-12 are welcome with an adult.
Holiday Trivia for Young Adults – December 8, 6-8 p.m.
Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center (285 Livingston St.)
FREE | Ages 18-39
Do you know your holiday facts? Bring a team of friends or come solo for friendly competition!
Toddler Discovery Time: Merry Grinchmas – December 12, 10-10:45 a.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
$5 | Ages 2-5 with adult, advance registration required
Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more. So if for no other reason, let’s get together to celebrate the season! Crafts, games, and special activities are part of the fun. Additional Toddler Discovery Time dates include November 14, November 28, and December 5.
Jingle Bell Toddler Party – December 15, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
$5 | Ages 2-5 with adult, advance registration required
Jingle bells, reindeer magic, and a snowball toss are part of the celebration in the magical Castle on the Hill packed with inflatables, toys, activity stations, and festive refreshments.
Holiday Bingo – December 16, 12-2 p.m.
Burton Street Community Center (134 Burton St.)
FREE | All ages, advance registration required
Good old-fashioned fun with great prizes! Looking for more bingo? Check out additional dates and locations.
Minute to Win It Holiday Game Night for Young Adults – December 19, 6-8 p.m.
Stephens-Lee Community Center (30 George Washington Carver Ave.)
FREE | Ages 18-39
Meet new people and have a blast competing in silly games with a holiday twist.
Asheville Parks & Recreation
With its oldest parks dating to the 1890s, Asheville Parks & Recreation manages a unique collection of more than 65 public parks, playgrounds, and open spaces throughout the city in a system that also includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, Riverside Cemetery, sports fields and courts, and community centers that offer a variety of wellness-, education-, and culture-related programs for Ashevillians of all ages. With 10 miles of paved greenways and numerous natural surface trails, its complete portfolio acts as the foundation of a vibrant hub for the people of Asheville to connect with their neighbors and explore the natural beauty of a livable and walkable city.
Driven by the promise that Asheville is a better and safer place when everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be supported, healthy, and successful, Asheville Parks & Recreation was the first nationally-accredited municipal recreation department in the United States. For latest updates, sign up for Asheville Parks & Recreation’s monthly newsletter, follow the department on Facebook (@aprca) and Instagram (@ashevilleparksandrecreation), or visit www.ashevillenc.gov/parks.