Downtown Asheville Blog

Dec. 31st, 2009 The Junior League of Asheville’s 3rd annual Diamond Ball community benefit is a New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, 2009 at the Biltmore DoubleTree Hotel. The black-tie evening kicks off at 9 pm with the music of locally-grown national sensation Kat Williams, who will play until 1 am. Tickets to the event are $100 per person and are now on sale. Guests will enjoy complimentary food, a cash bar, a silent auction, and a complimentary midnight champagne toast to ring in the new year. Wick & Greene Jewelers is the title sponsor for the event. The local, community-minded family-owned jeweler has donated a 1 karat Lazare diamond as a raffle fundraiser, and the winner will be drawn during the event. Tickets to enter the diamond drawing are $25 each, and individuals need not be present to win. Proceeds from The Diamond Ball support the Junior League of Asheville’s mission to improve the community, promote voluntarism, and develop the potential of women. To learn more about the Junior League and its positive impact on the Western North Carolina region; to view a list of all sponsors who are helping make this event possible; and, to purchase event or raffle tickets, visit juniorleagueofasheville.org or call 828-254-6508.

Dec. 31st, 2009 Spend your New Year’s Eve at the Crowne Plaza Resort where you can be taken back to the 1930’s with live big band music, beginner swing dance lesson and performances by international dance champions. The headlining musical act for the evening will be a local favorite, the Nouveau Passe Orchestra showcasing it’s 1930’s style classy big band sounds. The energy will only be further ignited by the participation of hundreds of jitterbugs reacting to the orchestra’s vintage rhythms. The evening climaxes in a Lindy Hop Dance Show featuring the event’s top talent - instructors and performers showcasing thrilling and eye-popping dance routines.

Dec. 31st, 2009 Celebrate a New Year as package holders enjoy a dinner designed by our resident Executive Chef, an open bar, lavish decorations, a midnight New Year’s toast and party favors. You’ll start the year off right with our Brand New Year Breakfast Buffet and a late checkout. What better way to start a new year than with laughter? Weekend resort guests will receive complimentary tickets to a comedy show featuring Tammy Pescatelli on Saturday night. Other activities include guided history tours, live music throughout the resort and more. New Year’s package holders will be treated to a fantastic night of dancing with two incredible bands—The Scat Springs Band and The Doug Burns Band—after dining on a lavish dinner. The celebration lasts into the new year with an open bar, a midnight champagne toast, and party favors. Grove Park Inn

Jan. 1st, 2010 2010 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Join an extraordinary journey through the stories of this remarkable route and the region through which it passes. Discover the opportunities the 75th Anniversary presents! This yearlong celebration will include events all along the 469-miles of the parkway, from Virginia to North Carolina. Check the Web site often as new events are added.

Happ New Year! 2010

Dec. 23rd, 2009 Christmas buffets, live holiday music, festive decorations, the National Gingerbread House Competition display and our historic ambiance (think roaring fires and carols) combine to make a wonderful family Christmas. Activities include visits from Major Bear and Santa Claus, history tours, a scavenger hunt, caroling around the fireplace, a yule log lighting ceremony and much more! Grove Park Inn

Dec. 24th, 2009 It’s all about the little ones! Join us for interactive fun just for preschoolers led by museum facilitators. Your preschooler will have a blast in this special program! For more information, please visit www.thehealthadventure.org.

Dec. 25th, 2009 Merry Christmas!

Dec. 27th, 2009  Jitterbugs from around the globe converge yearly on Asheville for a five day swing dance party culminating in a New Year’s Eve extravaganza. All week long international champion swing dancers teach workshops in the original American social dance– The Lindy Hop — to hundreds of would-be swingers from every walk of life. The workshops and the event celebrate under the moniker Lindy Focus and every year, the top artists in the swing dance field spend one week focusing on many consider to be the true golden age of American pop culture: the Swing Era. The entire event is open to the public and come New Year’s Eve, you will find the happiest feet in town tearing up the dance floor in Asheville’s Crowne Plaza Resort, host of the event.

Dec. 17th, 2009 Galen Kipar Project and Jen and the Juice are co-billing the Grey Eagle on Thursday December 17th. Theses two fantastic Asheville based acts are alternating two sets each that evening with a projected backdrop of silent films during the music. Galen Kipar Project is currently working on it’s fourth release in four years at Echo Mtn. Studio in Asheville to be released this spring. The new release will showcase Jeremy Young- drum kit, Jon Morrow-8 string guitar-bass, Camellia Delk-viola/ vocals and Galen Kipar-vocals, classical / steel guitars & harmonica. It will also feature Aaron Ballance (Dehlia Low)-lap steel/ dobro, and Aaron Price-piano. Jen and the Juice wow audiences with a singularly hipster mix of swingy, bluesy, refreshingly original funk and folk. Together in Western North Carolina for more than five years now, their second CD “Meet the Hooligan’s of Bohemia” in 2007 hit a home run with fans and earned a juicy spot in WNCW 88.7 FM radio’s top 10 regional albums of 2007. Now the Juice is heading into wider territory with a recently released CD “Fruit”, an even more dynamic cast of characters and a step up to regional and national touring. There will be plenty of options for holiday gifts at the show as fans can buy the pre-sale special edition of Galen’s new album at the show as well as Jen and the Juice’s latest album, “Fruit”. There will also be a few asheville artists setting up their wares as well.

Dec. 18th, 2009 Rediscovering Christmas - National touring company Acts of Renewal principles Jim and Carol Anderson Shores engage the audience with a series of vignettes that invite young and old to step anew into the wonder, the hilarity, the joy of the season.

Dec. 19th, 2009 This week featuring live music from Rickie Castrillo - enjoy the downtown festivities as the Asheville City Market continues into the holiday season. Find local Christmas trees, wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, farmstead and artisan goat cheeses, handmade jewelry, candles, quilts, knitware and woodworking, local produce, trout, meat and eggs, gift soaps, preserves, handmade pasta, local honey and spicy mustards.

Dec. 19th, 2009 Celebrate the holiday season in Asheville! Fireworks light up downtown at 7pm.

Dec. 20th, 2009 Asheville’s new Conservatory makes it’s debut with a beautiful rendition of this timeless holiday classic. Performances at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm. www.dwtheatre.com

Dec. 10th, 2009 To benefit Eliada Homes for Children & Manna Food Bank with The Mike Barnes Group, Marc Keller Band, Mother Soul, A Social Function, Sons of Ralph, Lewis, & The Native Sway. Visit www.hometownholidayjam.org for more information. A Fender Stratocaster donated by Musicians Workshop and signed by Warren Haynes will be raffled off at the end of the night. It will be on dispay at Musicians Workshop in advance of the show. Tickets available at the Orange Peel box office or Musicians Workshop.

Dec. 11th, 2009 GRAMMY® Award-winning Guitarist ED GERHARD and BILL MIZE Join for Holiday Tradition Guitarists Ed Gerhard and Bill Mize join together for their Fourteenth Annual Christmas Guitar Concert on Friday, December 11 at Jubilee!, 46 Wall St., Asheville. Showtime is 8 pm. Tickets are $18.00 and are available at Malaprops and Jubilee! Call (828) 252-5335 for info. Ed Gerhard’s music has touched concert audiences all over the world, from sold out tours of Japan to festivals in Italy, and venues across the US. Acoustic Guitar Magazine writes “…his recordings and live performances have established him as one of the most exciting of the guitarist-composers.” His guitar work can be heard on CDs by Arlo Guthrie, Jorma Kaukonen and in Ken Burn’s documentaries. Gerhard won a GRAMMY® Award for his inclusion on the CD “Henry Mancini; Pink Guitar. ” Mize’s music is applauded for its craft and beauty. His fourth CD, Joyful Noise, Vintage Guitar Magazine called “… 10 songs of pure joy.” Acoustic Guitar Magazine says, “Mize’s technique is state-of-the-art and his tone is lovely…always mesmerizing.” He is the past winner of the National Fingerstyle Championship held in Winfield, Kansas. Jazziz Magazine writes “…Mize’s touch is magic and his execution remains flawless.” Join us for this very special evening with two of the country’s finest acoustic guitarists. The two will join together to perform Christmas favorites, as well as selected solo pieces of their own. Fans of guitar music and Christmas alike will want to be a part of this memorable show.

Dec. 12th, 2009 This week featuring live music from Galen Kipar and a cooking demo by Chef Tres from The Lobster Trap - enjoy the downtown festivities as the Asheville City Market continues into the holiday season. Find local Christmas trees, wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, farmstead and artisan goat cheeses, handmade jewelry, candles, quilts, knitware and woodworking, local produce, trout, meat and eggs, gift soaps, preserves, handmade pasta, local honey and spicy mustards.

Dec. 13th, 2009 The Asheville Choral Society performs “Ring in the Holidays!” at Central United Methodist Church. Led by music director Lenora Thom, the choir is accompanied by an orchestra, with songs to include beloved carols of the season with candlelight procession.

Dec. 4th, 2009 Located just outside of Biltmore Estate, historic Biltmore Village transforms into a quaint Victorian village on the first weekend of December. Horse-drawn carriages will trot along classically decorated cobblestone streets as carolers, storytellers and instrumentalists stroll the village in period costumes. Enjoy fresh-roasted chestnuts, live music performances and excerpts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol performed by the Montford Park Players. www.biltmorevillage.com/dickens_festival.htm

Dec. 5th, 2009 Downtown Holiday Shopping. Enjoy a stroll down Lexington Ave after the fireworks, all of Lexington Ave shops will be open late Saturday nights after the fireworks Dec. 5th, 12th and 19th. Shops open untill at least 8pm.

Dec. 6th, 2009 This week featuring live music from Sherri Lynn & Mountain Friends and the Evergreen Community Charter School Marimba Band - enjoy the downtown festivities as the Asheville City Market continues into the holiday season. Find local Christmas trees, wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, farmstead and artisan goat cheeses, handmade jewelry, candles, quilts, knitware and woodworking, local produce, trout, meat and eggs, gift soaps, preserves, handmade pasta, local honey and spicy mustards.