We track 1 display in Asheville. Every one of them is free to visit.
When to go
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Asheville that means about 5:18 PM in early December and 5:19 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:47 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Asheville typically drop to around 26°F.
Date
Sunset
Fully dark
Dec 1
5:18 PM
5:46 PM
Dec 15
5:19 PM
5:47 PM
Dec 25
5:23 PM
5:52 PM
Practicalities
Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Asheville cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 1 public car park and 4 public toilets. Nowhere nearby for a hot drink — bring a flask.
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.