Blog by Jason Tarr

34 Blog Posts
Jason Tarr - uncropped

Jason is the former Content Manager for ExploreAsheville.com and a former television news reporter.  He's also an avid outdoorsman who spends nearly all his free time hiking and photographing the mountains of western North Carolina. When he's not hiking or writing, you'll find him singing karaoke around town or catching a local sports game.

A young woman walks in front of the Asheville Art Museum in Asheville, NC

A Look Inside the Asheville Art Museum

In the heart of downtown Asheville, the Asheville Art Museum anchors the city's rich art and culture scene. The museum offers you a window into American art of the 20th and 21st centuries. While the museum has been a fixture of downtown's Pack Square since 1948, it recently underwent a major, three-year, $24 million renovation, leading up to a grand reopening in November 2019.

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2019 National Gingerbread House Competition Grand Prize Winner by Gail Oliver (Johnson City, Tennessee)

PHOTOS: 2019 National Gingerbread House Competition Winners

The winners have been crowned in the 2019 National Gingerbread House Competition at The Omni Grove Park Inn! And soon, you'll have the opportunity to see them on display! The display is open from Nov. 20, 2019 through Jan. 4, 2019 (*select dates) at The Omni Grove Park Inn. View the entries Sunday afternoons after 3 p.m., and Monday through Thursdays. You do

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Downton Abbey: The Exhibition at Biltmore in Asheville, NC

VIDEO AND PHOTO TOUR: Downton Abbey The Exhibition at Biltmore

Walk through the most recognizable sets from Downton Abbey , see more than 50 costumes worn by the actors and discover never-before-seen artifacts and multimedia elements. Downtown Abbey: The Exhibition is on display now at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina! The exhibition opened on November 8, 2019 and was scheduled to close April 7, 2020. However, due to

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The Winter Garden decorated for Christmas at Biltmore in Asheville, NC

PHOTO TOUR: Christmas at Biltmore 2019

Biltmore shines with holiday grandeur as Christmas at Biltmore 2019 gets underway. Red and gold trimmings provide a feast for the eyes at Biltmore, where the Christmas decorations epitomize elegance. The ornate decorations transport you back in time and showcase a tradition that dates back more than 120 years. While Christmas at Biltmore is a long-standing tradition, every year is

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Dowtown Asheville with late fall color

GRAND OPENINGS: November 2019 Brings New Asheville Experiences

November 2019 brings new Asheville experiences with several highly anticipated grand openings! Be among the first to experience Asheville’s newest cultural offerings, including a reimagined art museum, an expanded craft center, a major exhibition, a brewery in a historic location and a new downtown Asheville hotel and dining destination. As you explore, see how Asheville sparkles for

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Biltmore

Downton Abbey Exhibition Set to Open at Biltmore

An immersive exhibition featuring set recreations, costumes and exclusive multimedia from the show Downton Abbey will open at Biltmore in late fall 2019! This exhibition gives you the chance to step inside the world of the global television phenomenon and the highly anticipated feature film (coming to theaters Sept. 20, 2019).  Downton Abbey: The Exhibition opens at Biltmore November 8, 2019

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Biltmore Gardens Railway is on display summer 2019 in Asheville, N.C.

Biltmore Gardens Railway Model Train Exhibition

Exhibition Dates: March 9, 2022 – Feb. 20, 2023 Biltmore is moving full steam ahead once again with its popular large-scale model train exhibition! The Biltmore Gardens Railway will transport you to a whimsical place. In the Conservatory (located at the foot of Biltmore's Walled Garden and Rose Garden), 800 feet of track carry a locomotive and railcars through gorgeous

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Land of the Sky Video Shoot

An Asheville Anthem and Ode to the Music Scene

It's not hard to fall in love with Asheville. The mountain vistas, the Biltmore, the dining scene, the festivals, the beer and the music may all come to mind when you daydream of this Blue Ridge Mountain town. Don Clayton, a long-time Asheville resident, has been so inspired by the Asheville experience that he decided to write a song that captures Asheville’s essence—and then

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The Asheville Amadeus Festival takes places every two years.

2019 Asheville Amadeus Festival Featuring Warren Haynes

2019 Asheville Amadeus Festival Dates: March 15-24 From music to dance, from theater to beer, Asheville takes center stage during the Asheville Amadeus Festival. The Asheville Symphony hosts the 10-day festival, which runs March 15-24, 2019. While the festival is inspired by the life and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the music you’ll hear represents many genres, so the festival is fit

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A Vanderbilt House Party Costume Exhibition

PHOTO TOUR: "A Vanderbilt House Party" Exhibition at Biltmore

Biltmore Exhibition Dates: February 8-May 27, 2019 As you stroll through Biltmore's newest clothing exhibition, you'll experience what it was like to be a guest of George and Edith Vanderbilt at one of their extravagant house parties.  A Vanderbilt House Party: The Gilded Age  transports you back to the turn of the century by showcasing clothing in

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