Description
Christmas at Biltmore is the biggest holiday event in Asheville by some distance: George Vanderbilt’s 250-room house decorated the way it was for the first family Christmas on Christmas Eve 1895, with a 35-foot Fraser fir in the seven-story Banquet Hall, more than 100 decorated trees, roughly 25,000 ornaments, 100,000 lights, nearly 2,000 live poinsettias and over 1,000 feet of fresh garland through the rooms.
The 2026–27 season runs November 3, 2026 through January 10, 2027. There are two ways to see it, and they are sold as different tickets.
Daytime Celebration (Nov 3 – Jan 10)
Standard Biltmore House admission during the season is the daytime visit: a self-guided tour of the decorated house with the free audio guide (recently updated, available in several languages, with an American Sign Language version), plus the gardens, the Conservatory’s holiday blooms, Antler Hill Village and a complimentary wine tasting at the Winery. Entry to the house is by reserved time slot, and Biltmore says late arrivals may not be accommodated.
Candlelight Christmas Evenings (Nov 3 – Jan 9)
The evening version is the one most people mean when they talk about Christmas at Biltmore. After dark the house is lit by candlelight and the fireplaces, and musicians play seasonal music in the rooms as you walk through. Candlelight is a separate, reservation-only ticket, and every Candlelight ticket also includes daytime admission to the estate grounds, Antler Hill Village, Winery, gardens, shops and restaurants, usable the same day or the next day. Candlelight is not offered on November 17, November 26 (Thanksgiving) or December 24.
Antler Hill Village Illumination (Nov 3 – Feb 15)
The draping lights across the trees, buildings and paths of Antler Hill Village are included with any admission and run 5 PM to midnight, November 3 through February 15, well past the end of the house decorations. Santa appears in the Village on weekends and select weekdays during the daytime season. If you only want the lights and a glass of wine, this is the cheapest way to get a Christmas-at-Biltmore evening.
What is available?
Decorated Biltmore House (self-guided, audio guide included); Candlelight evening tours with live music; Antler Hill Village lights; complimentary wine tasting and a commemorative Christmas wine at the Winery; Conservatory holiday displays; Santa in the Village; restaurants on the estate (Stable Café, Cedric’s Tavern, Bistro, Village Social, Deerpark; The Dining Room at The Inn is for estate hotel guests in November and December); carriage rides and the Backstairs Tour as paid add-ons.
Located inside of: Biltmore House and the estate grounds, Antler Hill Village (indoor house tour, outdoor village lights)
Special tips for the festival?
Book at least seven days ahead: Biltmore prices by date, the closest dates cost the most, and prime Candlelight slots around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s sell out first. Buying house admission online saves $10 per ticket over the gate. Arrive on the estate well before your house entry time; it is a big property and the shuttle from the parking lots takes a while. Plan a full day, or an afternoon that rolls into a Candlelight evening. Make dinner reservations if you want to eat on the estate.
For everything else about visiting, read our Biltmore Estate guide. For a second evening of lights see Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum, and the Asheville Holiday Parade opens the downtown season on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Location: Biltmore Estate, 1 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803
Phone: 800-411-3812 (Guest Services)
Opening Hours: House by reserved entry time; Antler Hill Village Illumination 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Dates: November 3, 2026 – January 10, 2027 (Candlelight evenings to January 9; Village lights to February 15)
Parking: On the estate, with shuttles to Biltmore House
Location of the Festival: Biltmore Estate, south of downtown Asheville off Biltmore Avenue / Hendersonville Road
