Smoky Mountain News and Events

Celebrate with Pigeon Forge and the Smokies as we honor our Military Past and Present. Discounts are available year round and in the month of August throughout the city of Pigeon Forge and through out.

Ripley’s Sips & Sharks

Here’s something new that would inspire some of the adults-who-are-kids-at-heart-but-like-something-harder-to-drink to get out of the house and come to the Aquarium: Ripley’s Sips & Sharks. From the main Ripley’s website: “Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies will be hosting Sips & Sharks events! Sips & Sharks is an adult (21+) sleepover that gives guests overnight access to the Aquarium. This experience includes drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a behind the scenes tour, movie, continental breakfast, and much more!” This event is scheduled for…

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New Bee Species Discovered In The National Park

As the title indicates, the Smokies are all “a’buzz” with a new bee species that has just been discovered in our park! From WBIR’s news segment on it: “It sure doesn’t have a catchy name, but the Epeolus inornatus is a big catch for Dr. Will Kuhn; the Director of Science and Research at Discover Life in America. “It’s always really fun to find a new record and to take up our numbers of new records and new species for…

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Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade 2020

Announcement from Gatlinburg regarding the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade for 2020 (no, it’s not a cancellation!): “On December 4, the 45th Annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade rolls through downtown Gatlinburg in celebration of the holiday season and the beginning of Gatlinburg Winter Magic. Floats will be decorated with one-of-a-kind displays of LED lights, marching bands, large balloons, dancers, and holiday characters. Members of rock-n-roll royalty Lynyrd Skynrd and 38 Special will take the spotlight during Gatlinburg’s 45th Annual…

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Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass Festival

While a slightly more low-key event than many of the other Winterfest traditions we come to look forward to each year in the Smokies, the Pigeon Forge Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass Festival is a great item to consider for visitors who come here for the holiday spirit and crave a regional music performance at the same time. We don’t have much in the way of music festivals during this season, and that makes the Christmas in the Smokies Bluegrass…

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Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff and Winterfest Kickoff Returns!

In less than a week, the city of Gatlinburg will be some of the most active it’s ever been concentrated in one spot with the highly anticipated return of the Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff! The city of Gatlinburg writes this for this year’s Winterfest kickoff festival: “For over 30 years, Gatlinburg has celebrated the kickoff of Smoky Mountain Winterfest with the annual foodie festival, Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff Presented by Bush’s Chili Beans. On November 12, 2020, the tradition continues with live…

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Tennessee Crafts Week & Hands On Gatlinburg

A surprise new event popped up in our info boxes over the weekend and we wanted to share it with you. From October 2nd to October 11th, 2020, Gatlinburg will be celebrating Tennessee Crafts Week and Hands On Gatlinburg back-to-back. From their official event page: “The 2020 Hands-On Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Weekend provides arts and crafts lovers the opportunity to own a beautifully crafted piece of artwork made with their very own hands. Take a look around your house…

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Upcoming Events in Townsend at GSM Heritage Center

See what’s going on at the Great Smoky Mountain Visitor Center in Townsend throughout this month and next: Now – August 16th * Reba Rhyne and Robin Greenlee Book signing, coasters and cutting boards. August 24 – August 29 * Maxine Falls Art and jewelry. August 28, 2020 * Elizabeth Rose and Sam Venable Tall Tales of Tennessee: An Evening of Storytelling September 1, 2020 * Jeff Ross “Informal and informative social coffee-talk on a variety of subjects of interest…

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Smoky Mountain Fudge Shops

Fudge Shops In The Smokies

Want to know what some of the most varied unsung heroes of Smoky Mountain tourism are? Smoky Mountain Fudge Shops. From downtown Gatlinburg to midway through Sevierville, the main connected road has more than a few cocoa confectionary places with a variety of flavors to suit tastes, along with sugar-free fudge available at many of the stores. Most fudge that can be purchased come in candy stores that offer even more taste-tackular options for the sugar-craven. Here are some fudge…

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Where To See Snow in the Smokies

Now that the Winter Holidays are done for another 10 months or so, we enter a quieter season of the other half of Winterfest in the Smokies. Don’t think that there isn’t anything worth coming to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Wears Valley, though, with the special events no longer the big focus of the season, there are different things that these Winter months provide visitors and locals alike. And the biggest one of them is snow. Although we do often…

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