Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season
Where: North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, North Carolina
When: November 15, 2025 - January 4, 2026
Hours: typically dusk – 10 PM
Cost: free
nightly walk-through garden light showQuilt Garden and Bonsai Exhibition Gardeninsect-themed lantern exhibitThomas Dambo troll sculpturesattraction
The NC Arboretum's nightly Winter Lights transforms its nationally known gardens, including the Quilt Garden and Bonsai Exhibition Garden, with displays celebrating native butterflies and wildlife. This season adds an insect-themed lantern exhibit alongside Thomas Dambo's troll sculptures.
Best time to arrive. Sunset in Asheville is around 5:19 PM in mid-December, fully dark by about 5:47 PM. A typical December night here bottoms out near 26°F, so dress for standing around outside.