Nov. 13 to Jan. 1. Parades, tree lightings, wreath nights, carols, and a few ways through the dark. This list grows all season. Times come from each event's own page, so check before you go.
Up here Christmas ran long. Old Christmas, January 6, was the holiday by the old calendar, and some mountain families kept it long after the rest of the country moved on. Folks said that at midnight on its eve the cattle kneel in prayer. These days the mountains are Christmas tree country. North Carolina ranks second in the nation in Christmas trees harvested, Fraser fir is nearly the whole crop, and Ashe, Avery, and Watauga are among the state's top counties.
All season
Tweetsie Christmas. Tweetsie Railroad, Blowing Rock. Select nights from Fri. Nov. 27 through Dec. 30, from 5 p.m. A Wild West Christmas town: steam train ride, Santa in his Gingerbread House, lights, shows, rides and fire pits for s'mores.
Nov. 14
West Jefferson Christmas Parade. Downtown West Jefferson. Sat. Nov. 14, 2–4 p.m. Floats, music and lights, put on by the Rotary Club of Ashe County.
Nov. 19–22
Wreath Decorating. Mill Camp, Boone. Thu. Nov. 19, 7–9 p.m. Supplies and one glass of wine are included.
34th Annual Holiday Scholarship Concert. Hayes School of Music. Fri. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. $17 general, $12 students online. Ticket money supports student scholarships.
Holiday Tree Arrival. Grandfather Mountain. Fri. Nov. 20, 11 a.m. Millie the Bear escorts the park's holiday tree up the road, with snowflake crafts, hot chocolate and candy canes.
Holiday Makers Market. Ashe Arts Center, West Jefferson. Sat. Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Handmade gifts from local artists and crafters.
Beech Mountain Resort opening day. Sat. Nov. 21, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., weather permitting. Check the resort's site for hours and tickets.
Western Piedmont Symphony: Handel's Messiah. Rosen Concert Hall, Hayes School of Music, Boone. Sun. Nov. 22, 3 p.m. With the Symphony Singers. Free to the community.
Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 27–29
Blowing Rock Lighting of the Town. Fri. Nov. 27. The kickoff to Christmas in the Park, with photos with Santa and games.
Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting. Backstreet Park, West Jefferson. Fri. Nov. 27, 5–6 p.m.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Fri. Nov. 27, 6 p.m.
Blowing Rock Christmas Parade. Sat. Nov. 28, 10 a.m.–noon.
Holiday Market & Parade of Wreaths. Buckeye Recreation Center, Beech Mountain. Sat. Nov. 28, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Local arts and crafts.
A Christmas Story. Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Sun. Nov. 29, 3 p.m. The 1983 classic.
Dec. 2–6
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas. Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Wed. Dec. 2, 7 p.m.
A Banner Elk Christmas. Ensemble Stage's annual holiday variety show, Banner Elk. Fri. Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Weekend shows run through Dec. 19.
December Festive First Friday Art Crawl. Turchin Center, Boone. Fri. Dec. 4, 5–8 p.m. Free, with the opening of Six Yards of Stories.
Small Works Holiday Gift Sale. Betty's Biscuits, Boone, hosted by the Watauga Arts Council. Fri. Dec. 4, 5–8 p.m. Locally made art as gifts.
A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas. Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Fri. Dec. 4, 8 p.m., through Sun. Dec. 6. Project Dance Foundation's High Country Holiday Spectacular.
Saturday with Santa. Ashe Arts Center, West Jefferson. Sat. Dec. 5, 8:30–11 a.m. Free, but registration is required.
Florence Thomas Art School Holiday Market. 10 S. Jefferson Ave., West Jefferson. Sat. Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Mustard Seed Annual Artisan Holiday Market. Sat.–Sun. Dec. 5–6, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Christmas Market. Mill Camp, Boone. Sat. Dec. 5, 2–6 p.m. German Christmas market style, with shopping, wine and cider.
Community Carol Sing. Banner Elk Presbyterian Church. Sat. Dec. 5, 3 p.m. Forty-five minutes of familiar carols in the stone sanctuary.
Christmas in Lansing. The Barn at Creeper Trail Park, Lansing. Sat. Dec. 5, 3–7 p.m. Free. Homemade soups, stews and desserts, a Christmas tree raffle, an ugly sweater contest and family games, then the town tree lighting and candlelight caroling with live music at 6:30.
A Small Town Christmas Parade. Main Street, Banner Elk. Sat. Dec. 5, 6 p.m. A parade of lights, from floats to pets.
Dec. 12
Boone Holiday Parade. King Street, Boone. Sat. Dec. 12, 6 p.m. Floats, marchers and performers, free hot chocolate and treats on the Jones House lawn, and Santa at the end. King Street closes at 6. Downtown metered parking is free after 3 p.m. Groups can apply to march.
Dec. 17–23
A Christmas Carol by Candlelight. Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Thu. Dec. 17, 6 p.m., with performances through Wed. Dec. 23.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. BeanStalk Community Theatre at the Appalachian Theatre, Boone. Thu. Dec. 17, 7 p.m., through Sat. Dec. 19.
Beech Mountain Christmas Parade & Santa's Workshop. Beech Mountain. Tue. Dec. 22, 4–6 p.m.
Dec. 31–Jan. 1
New Year's Celebration and Fireworks. Beech Mountain Resort. Thu. Dec. 31, 7 p.m. Free family night at the Lodge with a DJ and games, then fireworks.
TBA – New Year's Eve. Boondocks Brew Haus, West Jefferson. Thu. Dec. 31, 8–11 p.m. 21 and up after 9.
Dancing Anyways New Year's Day. Parallel Brewing, Boone. Fri. Jan. 1, 6–10 p.m. $15 at the door, with $5 of every ticket going to the Children's Council of Watauga.
Jan. 28–31
- Blowing Rock WinterFest. Blowing Rock. Thu.–Sun. Jan. 28–31. WinterFeast at Chetola on Thursday, the Artisan Ice Stroll downtown on Friday, then the Polar Bear Plunge, Chilly Chili Challenge and Beer Garden on Saturday, with the Hendrick Car Hunt running all four days. Tickets are on the festival's site.
Still filling in
Boone's tree lighting, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa events, and the New Year's Eve shows at the Boone bars haven't posted dates yet. Running one? Send it to /submit and it goes on the list.