After Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc throughout Western NC in late September 2024, it was a wonderful thing to see so many small towns able to reopen to visitors for Christmas.
Located about an hour north of Asheville in Yancey County, the town of Burnsville NC was one of those places that faced a seemingly insurmountable recovery.
While there’s still a lot of work to be done in the area, Burnsville is offering a slew of festive things to do for the holidays, and local businesses could really use an influx of support.
So not only is this “the most wonderful time of the year,” but it’s also a great time to plan a trip to Burnsville.
To help local businesses, the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce created a “Chamber Bucks” promotional campaign. These community-wide gift certificates are redeemable at all participating shops.
They make a great Christmas gift, for both the recipient and the local economy. We here at BRMTG are trying to do our part with this in-depth guide to fun, festive things to do in Burnsville NC at Christmas.
If you do choose to visit Burnsville this Christmas, please do so responsibly. And if you can’t visit, consider shopping online from local stores!
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Burnsville NC
Things to Do in Burnsville NC at Christmas
- A Christmas Holiday Show
- Burnsville Holiday Bazaar
- Choose & Cut Christmas Trees
- Christmas Ornament Craft Show
- Christmas Parade
- Farmer’s Market Holiday Market
- Holly Jolly Craft Show
- Merry Main Street
- Murphy’s Greenery Toy Drive
- Shop Small Saturday
READ MORE: Inside the Biltmore House Christmas in Asheville NC
1. A Christmas Holiday Show
Burnsville is a town that’s filled with art and music, so it makes sense that they should have a Christmas music show filled with holiday cheer.
On December 13 at 7PM, Burnsville Town Center is hosting A Christmas Holiday Show with singer Debbie Phillips and special guests Daryl Mosley and Brian Turner Band.
While the show is free for all to attend, they will be accepting donations for neighbors in need after Hurricane Helene.
Doesn’t that sound like a charitable way to get into the giving spirit of the holidays?
READ MORE: The 30 Best NC Christmas Events
2. Burnsville Holiday Bazaar
Hosted by the Yancey Community Resource Center Pavilion, The Burnsville Holiday Bazaar takes place on Saturday, December 7, which is the same day as the Christmas Parade.
The market will be open from 11AM to 4PM, and local farms and craftspeople will be selling all their best stuff, including some creative Christmas gift ideas!
Some of the 30+ vendors signed up for the event include Moral Bees, Fun Frolic Farm, Wood Wonders, Two Sisters Fiber Art, Billy Bob’s Glass, and Unicorn Cottage Crafts.
READ MORE: The 7 Best Train Rides for Christmas in the Blue Ridge Mountains
3. Choose & Cut Christmas Trees
North Carolina’s High Country is famed for its many Christmas tree farms (which supply 20+% of the real trees in the US), and Burnsville has not missed out on the trend.
Established in 1982, Yeater’s Christmas Tree Farm grows Fraser fir trees and makes fresh wreaths.
They offer choose-and-cut trees on Fridays and Saturdays from 9AM to 5PM, until all their trees run out.
Yeater’s Christmas Tree Farm is located between the mountain towns of Burnsville and Spruce Pine at 489 River Walk Drive, just off of Hwy 19.
READ MORE: The 28 Best NC Christmas Tree Farms to Visit
4. Christmas Ornament Craft Show
Another holiday happening at the Burnsville Town Center (6 South Main St), the Christmas Ornament Craft Show runs from 9AM to 3PM on Saturday, December 7.
Not only is it a perfect place for finding some Christmas spirit, but some of that spirit can come home with you to dangle on this year’s tree!
In addition to hand-crafted ornaments for sale, this craft show will have seasonal treats to enjoy and a welcoming community that is happy to invite visitors back to town.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Places to See Christmas Lights in North Carolina
5. Christmas Parade
This year’s Burnsville Christmas Parade is happening on Saturday, December 7 at 1 PM, and it will be a sweet moment for a community that suffered a bitter Autumn.
As always, the event will have local family floats, marching bands, fire trucks, and a crowd-pleasing appearance by Santa Claus.
The Christmas Parade is held on the same day as many other community events, such as the Christmas Ornament Craft Show and Burnsville Holiday Bazaar.
So it’ll be easy to make a jam-packed getaway for celebrating Christmas in Burnsville.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Christmas Parades in North Carolina
6. Farmers Market Holiday Market
For those who can’t make it to Burnsville for the Christmas Parade, Holiday Bazaar, and Christmas Ornament Craft Show on December 7, the beloved Yancey County Farmers Market will be open every other Saturday leading up to Christmas.
This homespun farmers market takes a decidedly spirited lean into the holiday season. Vendors sell unique gifts, local foods, and other artisanal goods.
It’s a fantastic way to celebrate the season and show up for a community that’s working hard to come back from a devastating natural disaster.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Christmas Towns in North Carolina
7. Holly Jolly Craft Show
On Thanksgiving weekend, the Burnsville Town Center will be transitioning with a full head of steam into the Christmas season with the Holly Jolly Craft Show.
The shopping will kick off at 10AM on Friday, November 29, and continue until 3PM. Then it’ll get started again on 9AM on Saturday, November 30.
Hand-crafted trinkets, Christmas decorations, tasty treats, and other gifts (all crafted by local vendors) will be for sale, making this year’s celebration both holly and jolly.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Places to Celebrate Christmas in NC
8. Merry Main Street
Sponsored by the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce, Merry Main Street takes place on Friday, December 13, from 5:30 to 8:30PM.
This is a huge community gathering that includes a tree-lighting ceremony on the Burnsville Town Square, as well as horse-drawn carriage rides around town.
Santa and the Grinch usually come to town (wink, wink), and local shops extend their hours later into the night with special promotions and giveaways.
It’s a great night to come to town, eat, drink, make merry, and support the beloved Burnsville community.
READ MORE: Winter Lights at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville NC
9. Murphy’s Greenery Toy Run
Murphy’s Greenery is a family business and with a long tradition that dates back 100+ years.
It centers around an evergreen plant called Galax, with heart-shaped foliage, but it extends into other floral greens, including boxwood clippings, which are customarily used to make holiday wreaths.
Every year they host a toy run to help ensure local children get holiday gifts at Christmas. Locals and visitors alike are welcome to attend the Murphy’s Greenery Toy Run on December 6, beginning at 1PM and closing at 7PM (or when toys run out, whichever comes first).
Donations of toys and gifts are welcomed, as are monetary donations. Interested parties should contact Angie Murphy at 828-682-5404.
READ MORE: 20 Awesome Things to Do for Winter in North Carolina
10. Shop Small Saturday
In addition to the Holly Jolly Craft Show on Saturday, November 30, Burnsville is inviting visitors to participate in Shop Small Saturday, supporting local businesses.
Burnsville has a great collection of shops in a very walkable town, including Barn Charm, the Burnsville Candle Company, Something Special Gift Shop, and The Music Box, all of which offer unique gift ideas.
While you’re in town, why not check out some of the great Burnsville restaurants?
Our favorites include Appalachian Java, Hog Hollow Wood Fired Pizza, and Pig & Grits BBQ. If you love good beer, the Homeplace Beer Company is also a fantastic place to spend an afternoon. –by Jonathon Engels; featured photo by ImagesbyNancySmith.com
