At 4 p.m. on Friday, December 4, two holiday markets open their doors at the same time in different parts of Black Mountain. An hour later the Black Mountain–Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce starts Holly Jolly downtown. By dark the next day, the town will also have held its Christmas parade down State Street and lit the loop around Lake Tomahawk.
Most of Black Mountain's holiday calendar fits into that stretch of about a day and a half. It also happens at six different addresses, starting with a Saturday routine that changes before December arrives. The rest of this guide covers the order things happen in and where to be for each one.
The Saturday Market Moves First
The Black Mountain Tailgate Market has met every Saturday since May 2 from 9 a.m. to noon at First Baptist Church, 130 Montreat Road. The market's 2026 schedule lists November 21 as the last main-season Saturday at that spot.
In December the market changes its location and its hours. The holiday markets move to Foothills Grange at 120 Broadway Ave. and the Old Town District at 110 Black Mountain Ave. They run in the afternoon and evening, not the early morning. At the Foothills site, vendors set up in spaces the market calls the "Cherry Pit" and the "Corridor."
| Market date | Hours | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | 9 a.m. to noon | 130 Montreat Road, last main-season market |
| Friday, Dec. 4 | 4 to 8 p.m. | Foothills Grange and Old Town District |
| Saturday, Dec. 5 | Noon to 4 p.m. | Foothills Grange and Old Town District |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Noon to 4 p.m. | Foothills Grange and Old Town District |
| Saturday, Dec. 19 | Noon to 4 p.m. | Foothills Grange and Old Town District |
If you've spent the year doing your shopping at First Baptist before 9:30, the Friday, December 4 market is the change to plan for. It opens in the late afternoon, an hour before Holly Jolly starts.
You'll get a preview of that split this weekend. On Halloween, Saturday, October 31, the Tailgate Market holds its Halloween market from 9 a.m. to noon at 130 Montreat Road. That evening from 5 to 7 p.m., Black Mountain Recreation & Parks runs Halloween on Town Square, with candy, toys and games at more than 20 booths. It's free. Holiday weekend follows the same pattern of a morning market and an evening downtown event, on a bigger scale.
Thursday, December 3: The Monte Vista Starts Early
Deck the Trees opens one day before everything else. According to Black Mountain Live's listing, it runs from December 3, 2026 through January 1, 2027 at the Monte Vista Hotel, 308 W State St. Local businesses, nonprofits and community groups each decorate a themed tree. Visitors vote for their favorites, and the voting money goes to local nonprofits.
The trees stay up for the whole month, so you don't have to see them on the busy weekend. A Tuesday in mid-December works just as well. The listing still shows viewing hours and this year's participants as TBD.
Friday, December 4: Three Openings In Two Hours
Friday evening has the most going on at once. Here's the order:
- 4 p.m. The Tailgate Market's holiday market opens at Foothills Grange and the Old Town District and runs until 8 p.m.
- 4 p.m. White Horse Black Mountain, 105c Montreat Road, opens a Holiday Market – Holly Jolly session.
- 5 p.m. Holly Jolly begins downtown.
White Horse calls this its 4th annual Holly Jolly market series. Explore Asheville lists the series from December 4 through December 19, 2026, with "various times."
The Chamber hosts Holly Jolly. Black Mountain Live describes it as the evening that kicks off the town's holiday season: downtown shops stay open late, storefronts are decorated, carolers and live entertainment fill the streets, and Santa visits for the kids. The event is free. The same listing says it is "deliberately paired" with the parade the next afternoon, which makes the first weekend of December the busiest of the town's holiday calendar.
It helps to think of Friday as three separate places you could be. At 4 p.m. you can choose between Broadway Avenue, Black Mountain Avenue and Montreat Road. By 5 p.m. downtown is open too. With markets running until 8 p.m. and shops open late, you can probably fit in more than one stop. The order matters more if you have kids who want to see Santa, since the Santa time hasn't been posted yet.
Saturday, December 5: From Morning To After Dark
Saturday is longer and takes you farther across town. Here's how the day lines up:
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | White Horse Holiday Market – Holly Jolly | 105c Montreat Road |
| Noon to 4 p.m. | Tailgate Market holiday market | Foothills Grange and Old Town District |
| 2 p.m. | Parade lineup begins | Downtown |
| 4 p.m. | Holly Jolly Christmas Parade starts | State Street |
| After dark | Circle of Lights | Lake Tomahawk Park, 401 Laurel Circle Dr. |
The Chamber's parade listing on Eventeny has lineup starting at 2 p.m. and the parade starting at 4 p.m. This year's theme is "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas," and floats are judged on it. Participants can include elves, reindeer and Grinches, but the listing is firm about one rule: "THERE IS ONLY ONE SANTA!" Its reason is that extra Santas can confuse the youngest believers.
The parade runs along State Street, and State Street closes for it. Black Mountain Live warns that parking will be difficult and suggests arriving early and parking at the edges of downtown. The noon-to-4 Tailgate Market ends right as the parade starts. If you shop at Foothills Grange in the early afternoon, you'll already be downtown with your car parked before State Street closes.
After the parade, the day heads to Lake Tomahawk. The Town of Black Mountain runs Circle of Lights at Lake Tomahawk Park after dark. It's a walking loop lined with lights that reflect off the water. The loop is under half a mile, about a 20-minute walk. The listing also says the park lot may be busy on parade day, and it hasn't posted parking details yet.
Still To Be Announced
Organizers still list several parts of the weekend as TBD:
- The start time for Circle of Lights
- Holly Jolly shop hours, plus the time and location for Santa
- The full Holly Jolly entertainment lineup and downtown parking plans
- The exact window for the State Street closure
- Viewing hours for Deck the Trees
The Chamber's Holly Jolly page and the town's site will post these as December gets closer. One thing to watch for: the Chamber's older Holly Jolly page still shows last year's "Friday, December 5" schedule. This year, Friday falls on December 4.
After The Weekend, The Evenings Stay Busier
Once Saturday ends, things slow down. The Tailgate Market holds its two remaining holiday Saturdays on December 12 and 19 from noon to 4 p.m. White Horse's series also runs through December 19. The Monte Vista keeps its trees up through New Year's Day.
There are also more places to go on December evenings than last year. Both new spots are at 400 East State Street.
The Swan opened July 13, 2026. The Valley Echo describes it as a plant store, gathering spot and bar founded by Kristen Oxtoby, with dozens of tropical plants on the floors, along the walls and hanging from the ceiling.
The Cheeseboard is a board game cafe that Zac and Anna Hardy plan to open in November in the former La Tapas space. It will serve food like grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese boards. In Black Mountain News, Anna Hardy explained the idea this way: "there's not too many things after like 6 p.m." for people who don't want to drink or go out for live music. As of the September report, the plan was a November opening, with no specific date announced.
So the weekend of December 4 and 5 packs the town's holiday traditions into about a day and a half. The rest of December gives you more ways than last year to spend an evening on State Street after the decorations go up.
If you're hosting family for Holly Jolly weekend and want a few ideas for the quieter December days, Joellen Maurer is happy to share her favorite Black Mountain spots. If you've been wondering what your home might be worth before the new year, you can also get your free home valuation anytime.
