News

HOLIDAY BRIEFS: Santa, parade, concerts, greenery

Runners take off from the Turkey Trot starting line in this Lightning file photo from 2014.

By Lightning Reports, Published: November 22, 2022

Hendersonville's Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, the downtown tree lighting and nighttime Christmas parade, Fletcher's Christmas in the Park, letters to Santa, holiday sales of books and greenery and more highlight numerous holiday events in the coming weeks.

The city of Hendersonville is sponsoring these events in the coming weeks:

• Turkey Trot: The city’s Wellness Committee hosts the annual Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving morning. This year marks the Turkey Trot’s 10th anniversary, along with the city’s 175th anniversary. The 5k run/walk event starts at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall at Fifth Avenue East and King Street. A street closure of 5th Avenue from King to Church will occur to accommodate the race. The course travels through downtown and motorists should stay alert for race participants during the event. Registration for the race is closed; however, unregistered runners are still invited to participate on race day. Additional details are available at hendersonvillenc.gov/turkey-trot
• Holiday Tree Lighting: All are welcome to gather on the Historic Courthouse Plaza to sing Christmas carols, sip hot cocoa and watch for the man in red appear on Friday, Nov. 25, from 5 to 8 p.m. Kick off Small Business Saturday early by visiting downtown merchants and dining at one of the many excellent restaurants.

• Hendersonville Christmas Parade: On Saturday, Dec. 3, Hendersonville’s Christmas parade organized by the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association take place on Main Street. This year’s parade will take place in the evening, starting at 6 p.m. with the theme of ‘Christmas Lights.’ The parade route stretches from Five Points to the southern end of Main Street at Caswell Street. No parking will be allowed on Main Street after 4 p.m. The streets will reopen following the parade ends and attendees have dispersed. Parade staging will occur along Oakland Street. A map showing the staging area and additional street closures is posted at bit.ly/3zf7wOO

Boys & Girls Club collecting new toys

The Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County is collecting new, unwrapped toys for club members, ages 6-11, through Dec. 14. All toys will be given to children through the club’s annual Santa’s Workshop holiday gifting program.
So far this year the Club has served over 1,000 youth, 91 percent of whom qualify for free or reduced lunch. With this, the gifts given to members at Santa’s Workshop are especially treasured.
However, it can’t happen without the help of the local community. “We work constantly with partner agencies to make sure that children in need have resources for adequate food and clothing, but because toys are not viewed as a necessity, they often become an afterthought,” said Club staff member Bonnie Gibson. “Individuals and businesses in our community make the holidays happen at our club every year, and we are so grateful for their support.”
To donate a new, unwrapped toy or make a monetary donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County, please call 828-693-9444 or bring your donation to 1304 Ashe Street. The deadline for toy donations is Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Sheriff will send Santa letters to the North Pole

Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin is excited to announce that the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has once again formed a special task force with the magical agency located at the North Pole for the 2022 Christmas Season.
The purpose of this special task force is to make sure children living in Henderson County can easily send Santa Claus a letter in time for Christmas. The Jolly Old Elf himself has agreed to reply to each child who sends a letter.
Making your wishes known to Santa is as easy as stopping by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office (100 North Grove Street), finding the sleigh red mailbox located at the front entrance and dropping in your letter. Express shipping to the North Pole is included free of charge!
Sheriff Griffin wrote to Santa asking him to travel safe as he visits Henderson County, as Henderson County deputies will be watching for any erratic driving and criminal activity throughout the holiday season, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
In his letter, Sheriff Griffin only had two wishes:
1. That all of the law enforcement officers and first responders in Henderson County remain healthy and complete their assignments safely over the holidays.
2. That everyone have a blessed holiday season and a very Merry Christmas.
Sheriff Griffin has also instructed his officers to be on the lookout for the Grinch who has recently made threats to return to Henderson County again this year. If officers locate the Grinch in Henderson County he will once again be taken into custody and dealt with accordingly.
Letters must include a valid return address, child’s name, age and gender. Drop them off at the Sheriff’s Office no later than Dec. 15 in order to give Santa enough time to reply. No letters will be mailed to anyone outside of Henderson County.
Christmas in the Park
scheduled for Dec. 3
Town of Fletcher will kick off the holiday season with the annual Christmas in the Park featuring food trucks, live music, a vendor village, an ice skating rink,
inflatables and Santa from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. The event will be held at Bill Moore Community Park, 85 Howard Gap Road. For more information visit www.fletchernc.org or the Fletcher Parks and Recreation Facebook page.

Bullington Gardens sets holiday greenery sale

Bullington Gardens, a horticultural education center and public gardens, will hold its 18th annual Holiday Craft and Greenery Sale 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 2 and 3.

Greenery and locally-grown holiday plants including cyclamen, amaryllis and poinsettia are available. Wreaths and swags enhanced with botanicals gathered on the Bullington Garden grounds and created by volunteers are ready to take home.

The Holiday Craft Sale features nature-themed, handcrafted items including ornaments, textiles, botanical beauty products, honey from Bullington’s hives and holiday decor. Bullington’s evergreen gnomes add a whimsical touch to the holidays.

The Holiday Greenery Sale features premium freshly-cut Fraser fir trees ranging in height from five to eight feet. The native trees grown in the Western North Carolina mountains are wrapped for protection during transport. Also available are premium garlands in a 25-foot length, plus unadorned 12-inch wreaths. Holiday greenery must be ordered by Monday, Nov. 21.

In partnership with local veterans and volunteers, Bullington Gardens offers Veterans Wreaths. A donation to honor a fallen veteran buys a 12-inch wreath, decorated with a red bow, that will be placed on a gravesite at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain.

Bullington Gardens is located at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail in Hendersonville. For more information, visit www.bullingtongardens.org or call 828-698-6104.

HSO performs holiday concert Saturday, Dec. 3

The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra will present “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” a concert for all ages, at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Blue Ridge Conference Hall at BRCC.
Single-seat, single-date tickets are $45 for adults and $12 for students. Good seats are still available for both performances, but they are sure to sell out. Tickets are available online at www.hendersonvillesymphony.org or by calling 828-697-5884.
“We are very excited to open the holidays for Hendersonville with spirited sounds of the season,” Music Director and Conductor John Young Shik Concklin said. “Bring the whole family and kick off your Dec. tradition with us!”
“The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” the third concert in the HSO’s 2022-2023 season, is always a favorite among holiday performances events in the region. This year’s concert repertoire will feature “The Nutcracker” and Fledermaus, traditional carols, “Sleigh Ride” and a few surprises along the way.
As always, it isn’t a holiday HSO concert without audience participation. A medley of well-known Christmas carols arranged by Arthur Harris will allow everyone to raise their voices to ring in the holidays.
Founded in 1971, the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra exists to enrich the Hendersonville and Henderson County communities with live symphonic performances and music education opportunities for youth and adults. For more information, visit hendersonvillesyphony.org or call 828-697-5884.

Santa Claus is coming to town aboard fire truck

The Mills River Fire Department, in partnership with the Mills River Parks and Recreation Department and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, is bringing Santa Claus to Mills River neighborhoods Saturday, Dec. 10.
Santa will be traveling through town on a big red fire truck bringing holiday cheer to the boys and girls of Mills River. The Santa ride along begins at 9 a.m. Santa will return to the North Pole by 5 p.m. Due to Mills River’s size and mountainous roads, the fire truck will not be able to travel up each road in town but will travel along the main roads and visit as many neighborhoods as possible.
Those not along Santa’s Route can catch a glimpse of the jolly old elf at one of the designated “Santa Stops.” Santa’s helpers will be on hand to give out candy canes to any children they see along the way.
Beginning at 9 a.m. residents will be able to track Santa live via GPS on the town’s website and on the new Mills River Parks & Recreation Facebook page. To find out when Santa will be in your neighborhood visit millsriver.org/santa.
Please remember that all times are approximate and the town cannot guarantee arrival times. The best way to know Santa is coming is to use the live tracker and listen for the holiday music and sirens and to look for the flashing lights coming down the street. For all the details on the Mills River Santa Tour 2022 visit millsriver.org/santa or call 828-890-2901.

Books for Good holds holiday sale this week

Books for Good, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization in Fletcher that sells items to benefit donor-specified charities, is holding its annual holiday sale on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26.
More than 45,000 used adult and children’s books, CDs, and DVDs will be available at a 30 percent discount. Gift cards are excluded from the sale. Sale hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Since it opened in 2014, Books for Good has raised more than $263,000 for over 100 charities, most of which are local. “More than 40,000 hours have been logged by our faithful volunteers since 2014,” says BFG founder Lynn Vorys.
The store is located at 50 Heritage Park Drive in Fletcher behind the Subway at the intersection of Butler Bridge Road and U.S. 25. Regular store hours noon-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information about the annual sale, contact Books for Good at (828) 989-4655, or visit its website, www.booksforgood.net.