Christmas At Biltmore Begins With Annual Tree-Raising Ceremony

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Biltmore!

Biltmore’s iconic tree-raising—one of the most beloved holiday traditions in the South—took place yesterday, marking the beginning of the Christmas season, not just in Asheville, but across the country. 

After months of planning and anticipation, 50 staff members successfully hoisted the 35-foot, 3,000-pound Fraser fir into its spot in the Banquet Hall, where it will reside as the estate's grand holiday centerpiece.

The annual arrival of the tree via horse-drawn carriage has historically been a popular event for visitors. For the past two years, however, the event was closed to the public due and streamed online due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, the estate hosted a media-only event before opening hours. A short documentary about the tree-raising premieres this evening, Thursday, November 3rd at 6 p.m. EST on Biltmore's Facebook and YouTube pages. 

This year's Christmas at Biltmore will begin November 4 and runs through January 8. Visitors can choose between two magical experiences: the Christmas at Biltmore Daytime Celebration house tour (ticket prices start at $99) and the Candlelight Christmas Evenings nighttime house tour (ticket prices start at $119).

Guests on both tours are invited to enjoy Biltmore's world-class décor featuring 67 hand-decorated Christmas trees, more than 14,000 ornaments, 45,000 holiday lights, 250 candles, 1,000 feet of garland, 150 traditional poinsettias, and so much more.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Biltmore.com/Christmas.