ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — For many Asheville locals, Christmas isn’t marked by ornaments or snowfall but by the first downbeat of Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam.

What began more than three decades ago as a loose gathering of hometown musicians has grown into one of the region’s most beloved benefit concerts — and this year, organizers hope the music will help lift a community still recovering from Tropical Storm Helene.

The Christmas Jam returns to the ExploreAsheville.com Arena on Saturday, Dec. 13, featuring Warren Haynes & Friends, Stone Temple Pilots, MJ Lenderman & The Wind, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and a special all-star tribute to Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh with Haynes, Grahame Lesh, Jimmy Herring, John Molo and Jason Crosby.

Proceeds will benefit Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and BeLoved Asheville, leading local rebuilding efforts in the wake of the storm.

A jam born from camaraderie

Haynes, born and raised in Asheville, said the idea for the jam came from wanting to reconnect with local musicians who always seemed to be home for the holidays.

“It started as an idea to get all the local musicians together at the one time of year when we all seemed to be in town,” Haynes said. “It was more about camaraderie and playing music.”

The early events raised only modest amounts of money. “But it was successful and, more importantly, it was really fun,” he said. “So we said, ‘Let’s do it again next year,’ and it just grew from there.”

That growth wasn’t always graceful. In the mid-1990s, while the jam was still housed at the now-defunct club Be Here Now, chaos in the cramped venue led to a turning point: Derek Trucks’ guitar was stolen from the dressing room.

“It was such pandemonium, and we didn’t have real security,” Haynes said.

His wife, Stephanie, a longtime music-industry manager, stepped in. “She said, ‘All right, that’s it. We’re going to move it to a bigger place and make it a real event.’”

The following year, the jam shifted to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and began booking national acts.

“At that point, it had already grown into an event where people like Derek Trucks and Allen Woody and Edwin McCain were showing up on their own,” he said. “But Derek’s guitar getting stolen — that was the turning point.”

The instrument was eventually returned by a remorseful patron, “the good news,” Haynes added.

Curating the sound

Each year’s lineup, Haynes said, reflects his wide musical tastes. For a marathon show that often stretches past midnight, variety is essential.

“I want it to be very diverse,” he said. “For a show this long, it’s great to have it go in as many different directions as possible.”

Christmas Jam sets are also famously unpredictable.

“It’s a little looser,” he said. “We might have a special guest show up at the last minute. A lot of the music comes from people chatting backstage — ‘Good to see you, want to join us for a song?’ Sometimes people meet for the first time and wind up on stage together. That’s part of the spirit of the music.”

This year’s mix ranges from ’90s rock staples Stone Temple Pilots to rising Asheville indie act MJ Lenderman & The Wind and Donato’s psychedelic-tilted country. The Phil Lesh tribute will “bring the spirit of the Grateful Dead back into the fold,” Haynes said. And, as always, surprise guests are likely.

A reflection of Asheville

As Christmas Jam has grown, so too has its audience — now drawing fans from around the world.

“They all fall in love with Asheville,” Haynes said. “One person tells two people, two people tell four people. I think the spirit of the event reflects the spirit of Asheville — musically and from an everyday vibe standpoint.”

He believes the city and the concert have shaped each other. “We’ve seen the Christmas Jam and Asheville both grow in a parallel sort of way,” he said.

The power of giving back

The jam’s charitable mission wasn’t part of its early DNA. “We weren’t making much money, and we’d say, ‘What are we going to do with it?’ We’d just choose a charity and donate it,” Haynes said.

Eventually, organizers chose Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and stayed with the nonprofit.

“You can see where the money’s going,” Haynes said. “You can see houses being built. A large portion of the money goes to the actual work. And I’m a big Jimmy Carter fan. I’m sure that had something to do with it.”

This year’s support for Habitat and BeLoved Asheville, he said, aligns with the community’s urgent needs after Helene.

Looking ahead

Asked what Christmas Jam might look like in five to 10 years, Haynes hopes its core spirit remains — even as new artists push it forward.

“I hope it’s very similar to what it is now but including a lot of new music none of us have heard yet,” he said. “A lot of younger people who are maybe too young to be part of it now will be part of it — whether organizing, performing or in the audience.”

And as for its legacy? Haynes says it comes down to music and generosity.

“All we’re doing is playing music, which is what we do every day anyway, and turning it into building houses for people who can’t afford homes,” he said. “That just seems like a win-win situation.”