Asheville and Lake Lure Craft Fairs & Festivals

The festivals don’t stop with the start of the school year in Asheville, where arts and crafts fairs keep drawing hundreds of people during the fall to celebrate the arts in all its forms.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild sponsors the twice-a-year Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. The fair is the preeminent event to showcase artistic talent from across the Appalachian Mountains, so expect everything from pottery and jewelry to furniture and fiber arts.

The guild also sponsors a Heritage Weekend, to celebrate the crafting tradition of the Appalachian Mountains. Don’t miss the World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition on Saturday.

The Lake Eden Arts Festival, is a popular stop for its Folk Art Extravaganza and impressive music lineup ranging from old time and bluegrass to funk and swing.

And for a festival with (more than) a touch of mischievousness, don’t miss The Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival sponsored by Arts 2 People. Why? The group says it best.” If there is any day to wake up and throw on your feather boa and checkered shoes and head on into town, this would be the day!”
Don't forget about the rich artist communities of Weaverville and Black Mountain. Both towns host craft tours that take you to the artists studios. Wander through Black Mountain and Swannanoa for the East of Asheville Studio Tour. Venture north to Weaverville and the surrounding area for the Art Safari.

Asheville and Lake Lure Holiday Shopping

Christmas shopping should be fun! In Asheville, you can avoid tension, bad attitudes and long lines by strolling our pedestrian-friendly shopping districts and visiting independent, locally-owned boutiques and galleries. Find one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone on your list from the outdoor adventurer to the eclectic collector to the farm-to-table foodie.

For lodging you can plan a Lake Lure Holiday Vacation instead of staying in overpriced and crowded hotels. Many are available just a short drive from Asheville and Biltmore.

The Holiday Season at Biltmore

Biltmore's Christmas tree is truly a spectacle each year. Last week, Biltmore raised a 35-foot Fraser fir inside the Vanderbilt mansion. The 25-year old tree was delivered by horse and carriage, just as it would have arrived when the Vanderbilts lived here. Using a system of ropes and pulleys, crews hoisted the majestic giant with ease before decorating with holiday ornaments.

http://christmas.biltmore.com

A cost effective way to visit Biltmore in the holiday season is to rent a Lake Lure Vacation Home and stay there instead of an overpriced hotel. Enjoy a "home away from home" as you make the most of this holiday season.

Fall Color Drives

Road trips are especially memorable in the fall. Here are some great ideas for fall road trips in the Lake Lure and WNC area. If your trips are going to take more than a day, a great idea is to plan a Lake Lure Vacation and spend the night(s).

Chimney Rock Park

Chimney Rock Park, located in Hickory Nut Gorge, offers expansive views of the gorge and Lake Lure. The quickest way to Chimney Rock Park from Asheville is via I-26 East to US 64 East to the park.

Reems Creek Valley

Follow US Highway 19/23 north to the New Stock Road exit. Turn right at the light and left at the next light, onto US 25. Follow this highway less than one mile to Reems Creek Road and turn right. Drive five miles to Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace State Historic Site, site of a working 1830s-era farm once owned by North Carolina’s Civil War governor, Zebulon Vance. From Vance Birthplace, turn left and travel half a mile to Ox Creek Road, winding through the picturesque community to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn south on the Parkway. You may want to shop for mountain handicrafts at the Folk Art Center and drive a little further south to the North Carolina Arboretum before returning to Asheville.

Hickory Nut Gorge to Black Mountain

From Asheville follow I-26 South to US 64 East and into Hickory Nut Gorge. Continue on to Chimney Rock Park, the setting for the movie “Last of the Mohicans.” Take in the views of Lake Lure, where Patrick Swayze danced in the film “Dirty Dancing.” Head back to Bat Cave and pick up NC 9, a true mountain road with spectacular views of the cliffs around the Lake. Wind your way to Black Mountain and explore the many galleries and artisan boutiques that make this small town worth the stop. From Black Mountain, take US 70 through the Swannanoa Valley back to Asheville.

Kimberly Avenue, Asheville

Located just north of downtown Asheville, Kimberly Avenue will be canopied by the orange tint of sugar maples. A drive offers views of the historic Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa perched on the hill above the street. From downtown Asheville, take the Charlotte Street exit off I-240 and proceed north on Charlotte. Turn left onto Edwin Place and follow through the light as it turns into Kimberly Avenue. Follow Kimberly to Beaverdam Road. Turn right and drive through the scenic Beaverdam Valley before circling back to Asheville.

North Carolina Arboretum 

Surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest, the North Carolina Arboretum is nestled amidst one of the most beautiful natural settings in the US and is a great place to see Mother Nature’s fall color finale. The Arboretum is located south of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 393, or take I-26, Exit 33 (formerly Exit 2) and proceed 2 miles south on Highway 191/Brevard Road.

North Carolina Mountain Fall Colors

It's fall and the leaves are gonna change. This is a great time to get out of town, get up to the mountains and take in some fresh mountain air. The view this time of year is amazing. Lake Lure Cabins are great places to stay and check out the fall colors. Lake Lure vacation cabins are an inexpensive and fun way to experience the Lake Lure Area.