Events Calendar

On exhibit Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 4 p.m., Rocky Cove Railroad is a G-Scale (garden scale) model train that demonstrates the coming of trains to western North Carolina at the turn of the 20th century. The exhibit is located below the Grand Promenade. Please note, Rocky Cove Railroad will not operate in rainy or wet conditions.

Returning 2021 – Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:

• campfire marshmallows
• coloring station
• temporary tattoos
• trick or treating
• bouncy house (weather permitting)
• wagon rides

And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.

Downtown trolleys add to the excitement and enjoyment of Greenville’s Main Street experience. The red and blue open-air trolleys offer a vintage look and feel complete with a cow catcher on the front and wooden bench seats inside. Trolleys are wheelchair accessible and are equipped with bicycle racks.

Manzanar: The Wartime Photographs of Ansel Adams consists of fifty photographs taken by famed Western landscape photographer Ansel Adams of the Manzanar Relocation Center between 1943 and 1944. The controversial period in American history is depicted in authentic black and white photographs by the skilled Adams and presents a moment in time when Japanese American citizens were denied their freedom and rights due to their Japanese ancestry.

Adams presents an intimate look at daily life in Manzanar through portraits and images of daily life. This series is a departure from his usual landscape photography. Concentrating on the internees and their activities, Adams photographed family life in the barracks; people at work – internees as welders, farmers, and garment makers; and recreational activities, including baseball and volleyball games.

In addition to Adams’s work, the exhibition features photographs by Dorothea Lange and Toyo Miyatake. Miyatake, a Los Angeles portrait photographer and internee at Manzanar, fashioned a camera from parts he brought with him in his luggage. Both Adams’s and Miyatake’s photographs present a positive view of those interned at Manzanar. In contrast Lange’s photographs reflect the upheaval of evacuation and the bleak conditions at the camp.

The Soldier Bishop: Ellison Capers, a special exhibit created by Faith Memorial Chapel, Cedar Mountain, NC, now on display at the Upcountry History Museum, presents the unshakable faith of Rt. Reverend Ellison Capers and how his fortitude created a lasting legacy.

Though he lost loved ones and survived many of his own near-death experiences in some of the most horrific engagements of the American Civil War (1861-1865), Capers’ trust in God and the path before him never faltered. In 1865, at the age of 28, he was promoted in the military to Brigadier General receiving recognition for his leadership and distinguished service. After the war Capers was elected Secretary of State for South Carolina. Even so, his calling to Christ was overpowering. The Governor told him, “You can be a Governor, Senator, or anything you like. You will be a fool to give all this to become a preacher.”

In 1866, Capers accepted a call to Christ Church Episcopal in Greenville, South Carolina, where he served for 20 years. He was consecrated as bishop of the State of South Carolina in 1893 and moved to Charleston. To escape the summer heat, he purchased a plot of land in Cedar Mountain, NC, and erected a cottage. This inspired in Mrs. Capers a dream to erect an Episcopal chapel for the local population. In 1894, this dream became a reality, and “Faith Chapel” was built.

“Faith Chapel” fell into disrepair following Capers death in 1908. In honor of his enduring influence and guidance, a disciple of Capers, the Reverend Dr. Alexander Mitchell from Greenville, began a movement to rebuild the chapel and dedicated the new church, “Faith Memorial Chapel,” in Capers’ memory in 1941.

The exhibit shares the story of Ellison Capers and the history of Faith Memorial Chapel. Historical artifacts, including Capers’ original military sword, the musket balls that nearly killed him, his war diaries and handwritten letters to his wife from the battlefield, and the preserved renderings for rebuilding the Chapel dedicated to his memory, highlight key moments of Capers life’s journey through war, faith, and salvation.

Autumn at the Opry

Come join Peppa on an exciting camping trip in the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunchboxes packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and friends are excited about their outdoor adventure, full of singing, dancing, games and surprises. Little piggies everywhere will love this 60-minute live musical experience!

MEET AND GREET

Join Peppa and Daisy to jump into a very special muddy puddle! You and your family will have the opportunity to take a family photo with Peppa and Daisy in an extra special curated scene featuring set pieces from the live show! Here’s how it works: Meet and Greet Experience ticket purchasers should go to the Will Call window at the Box Office on the show day to pick up the Souvenir M&G passes and after-show instructions. Each adult and child (age two and up) in a group must have a M&G Ticket in addition to your show ticket. The M&G Experience will start shortly after the end of show.

Please make sure to bring your camera, as you will want to capture every moment!

Parents, please note that while most children are excited to meet their favorite characters up-close, others can feel frightened. If your child is scared or hesitant to meet Peppa and Daisy, we recommend moving to the back of the line; This will allow your child the extra time they may need to warm up to the characters and see how they interact with other children present.

**Admission to the performance is not included in the Meet & Greet Experience ticket. This is a separate ticket that must be purchased in advance.
Meet and Greet Tickets Click Here
**Children age 12 and under must be accompanied by a Parent/Guardian. Each Child, Parent or Guardian must have a show ticket as well as a M&G Experience ticket to attend.

LAP POLICY: It is the tour’s policy that children under 2 years old do not require a ticket to sit on a parent’s lap, but all other customers do.

SENSORY NOTICE: this show contains Flashing Lights, Haze and Confetti

Returning 2021 – Guests will hear a narration of Schulz’s “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the train travels to the Pumpkin Patch. Upon arrival, passengers will be greeted and have a photo opportunity with Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy. During your 1 hour and 30 minute layover, your activities to enjoy at The Great Pumpkin Patch will include:

• campfire marshmallows
• coloring station
• temporary tattoos
• trick or treating
• bouncy house (weather permitting)
• wagon rides

And kids, don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! There will be plenty of PEANUTS™ merchandise at the GSMR Gift Store and Train Museum! Each child will also select their own pumpkin from The Great Pumpkin Patch to take home.

Join us for a guest artist recital by Heather Jones, a South Carolina-born and Brooklyn-based mezzo soprano who performs classical and crossover repertoire with “mischievous freshness and enthusiasm.” This season Heather placed 4th and won the Sherrill Milnes American Opera Award in the American Traditions Vocal Competition.

Hey, kids! Put on your cutest costume for the Zoo’s popular Halloween spook-tacular.

Details Coming Soon

Hey, kids! Put on your cutest costume for the Zoo’s popular Halloween spook-tacular.

Winter Lights returns to the gardens November 19-January 1

Tickets are now sold PER VEHICLE, not per person.

We are thrilled to announce that the 2021 Winter Lights holiday event will welcome members and guests back into the gardens as it returns to the traditional outdoor walk-through open-air show format. The famously tall 50-foot lighted tree and the Quilt Garden will be back, outfitted with new designs in lights, while throughout the gardens, popular arrangements will mingle with ones never seen before.

You can find everything you need to know about Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition at the tabs above, and be sure to secure your tickets now.

We hope you will join us this holiday season!

Winter Lights is the Arboretum’s largest annual fundraiser, and supports many parts of its mission driven programming.