Name: The Big Crafty Holiday Market
Start: 2026-12-05T12:00:00.000-05:00
End: 2026-12-05T18:00:00.000-05:00
Location: Harrah’s Cherokee Center

Asheville's indie craft fair returns to the arena on Saturday and Sunday, December 5 and 6, from noon to 6pm both days. About 185 artists, from juried prize winners to first-timers, sell handmade work, with food, drink and live music. Saturday is preview day at $10. Sunday is free community day.

Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville is Western North Carolina’s largest and most versatile event venue, located in downtown Asheville at 87 Haywood Street. This multi-room complex features the ExploreAsheville.com Arena with a seating capacity of 7,674, the historic Thomas Wolfe Auditorium holding 2,431 guests, and an adjacent banquet hall for up to 500 attendees. 

The center hosts a diverse range of events including concerts by major touring artists, professional basketball tournaments, trade shows, conventions, theatrical performances, and community gatherings. Opened in 1974 and managed by the City of Asheville, the venue combines modern amenities with historic charm and continues to be a cultural and entertainment hub for the region.

Locals appreciate Harrah’s Cherokee Center for its capacity to bring world-class entertainment and large-scale events to Asheville. Audiences enjoy the spacious arena’s excellent sightlines and acoustics for concerts, as well as the intimate yet grand Thomas Wolfe Auditorium for theatrical and cultural performances. 

The venue is praised for its convenient downtown location, professional staff, and accessibility features including ADA seating and ample parking options. Frequent attendees note the ongoing renovations and improvements that enhance the overall visitor experience.

Harrah’s Cherokee Center

Looking for live music in Asheville tonight? Find venues and show schedules downtown, on the South Slope, in West Asheville and the River Arts District. Almost all post shows as Scoops on Dig Local, so check a profile before you go. Downtown, The Orange Peel on Biltmore Avenue and Asheville Music Hall on Patton Avenue book touring bands, Jack of the Wood has hosted Celtic and bluegrass nights since 1997, and Hotel Eve does live jazz on Lexington Avenue. The South Slope has Eulogy on Buxton Avenue, Revival on Asheland Avenue and outdoor concerts at Asheville Yards on Coxe Avenue. Along Haywood Road in West Asheville, catch a set at The Odd, Fleetwood's or The Double Crown, or a quieter show at AyurPrana Listening Room and Story Parlor. The River Arts District has The Grey Eagle on Clingman Avenue and full album sides on vinyl at Joyful Noise. Hellbender by The Orange Peel puts outdoor shows on the Swannanoa River. Head east to Black Mountain for White Horse, Town Pump Tavern and Pisgah Brewing's outdoor stage, or north to JuneBug Retro Resort in Weaverville. For theater and orchestra, see the Wortham Center, the Asheville Symphony and free Shakespeare from Montford Park Players. For weekly jams, venue sizes and answers to common questions, see our Dig Deeper guides to Asheville live music venues and weekly bluegrass jams.

Live Music in Asheville, NC: Venues, Shows and Events

Looking for the best bars in Asheville? Find cocktail lounges, dive bars, rooftops and live music spots downtown, on the South Slope and in West Asheville. Downtown, Little Jumbo pours cocktails in an old grocery on Broadway, The Crow and Quill stocks more than 800 whiskeys behind an easy-to-miss door on Lexington Avenue, and The Workshop Lounge has jazz inside The Foundry Hotel. Capella on 9 serves drinks with mountain views atop the AC Hotel, District 42 sits on Pack Square, and Cork & Keg pours wine inside The Weinhaus on Patton Avenue. 5 Walnut Wine Bar has live jazz and acoustic sets most nights, and Fitz and the Wolfe runs three rooms on Battery Park Avenue. On the South Slope, Banks Ave. hosts drag shows and DJ nights, and Sovereign Kava pours kava on Biltmore Avenue. Haywood Road in West Asheville has The Low Down under The Hop, wine and vinyl at Potential New Boyfriend, and late shows at The Odd and Fleetwood's. Out east, The Social is a neighborhood pub on Tunnel Road, and Town Pump Tavern and White Horse anchor downtown Black Mountain. When the night's over, call AVL Ride for the trip home.

The Big Crafty Holiday Market

The Scoop