Wilderness Wildlife Week - Pigeon Forge - Jan 7-14,2012

Wilderness Wildlife Week is the best way to get in touch with nature. This free event is offered every year in Pigeon Forge year and it features eight days of wilderness fun!  Jan 7-14, 2012 Music Road Hotel & Convention Center.


Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge, TN opens up with a keynote address from Peggy Callahan, the executive director of the Wildlife Science Center. During the week you’ll learn from some of the area’s experts as well as participate in hands-on workshops, seminars, and lectures.

Get back to nature on more than 50 guided walks and hikes throughout the Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. These excursions are designed for all levels of experience. If you’re a music lover, you’ll enjoy some Smoky Mountain music performed during Appalachia Fest.

Every year, nature lovers flock to Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge, TN for a week of fun, learning, and nature! The International Festivals & Events Association has recognized the event for its environmental and educational efforts.

New for 2012:

Photography Contest

Thanks in part to our wonderful friends at the Nantahala Outdoor Center,the Wilderness Wildlife Week Photography Contest has expanded. For the first time ever, the contest will feature seven divisions:

•Amateur

•Professional

•Wildlife

•Landscapes/Seascapes

•Youth & Young Adults (ages 17 and under)

•Great Smoky Mountain Landmarks

•Nature’s Wonders in Black & White

Also new to the contest is the implementation of the Judges’ Choice Award.

Cades Cove Heritage Track

Listen and enjoy as Cades Cove experts bring the history of the people and area to life.

Echoes of the Smokies!

Be prepared to relive the history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Wilma Durpo.

Smoky Mountain Heritage Track

Reminisce and experience life throughout the history of Pigeon Forge, Sevier County and the Great Smoky Mountains.

http://www.mypigeonforge.com/events_winterfest_wilderness.aspx

New Years Eve Ball Drop Gatlinburg 2012

Gatlinburg will welcome the arrival of 2012 in unique style with its 24th Annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Show around the intersection of Parkway and Historic Nature Trail at the base of the Space Needle late Saturday night, December 31.

At the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2012, the Space Needle area will shine with a red glow from the surrounding rooftops at the beginning of a music program which includes selected songs followed by a choreographed fireworks show produced by Pyro-Shows of LaFollette, Tennessee.

Leading up to midnight, popular musical entertainment will be headquartered on the balcony of the Gatlinburg Convention Center at the Historic Nature Trail/Airport Road entrance. Party favors provided by Mr. Tablecloth will be available near the base of the Space Needle on Historic Nature Trail.

“It has become a tradition for families and friends from across America to come back to celebrate the New Year here in Gatlinburg,” said George Hawkins, Special Events Manager. “We expect to have another big crowd to help us usher in 2012 with their loved ones and friends.”

The highlight of the evening is the ball drop from the Space Needle, signifying the old year is over and a new one has begun. Then music encouraging crowd participation and the fireworks show off the 342-foot structure will welcome the New Year in dazzling style.

The entire city of Gatlinburg celebrates New Year’s Eve in a big way with many restaurants and attractions offering special celebrations. Popular hotspots are right in the middle of the fireworks area below the Space Needle and offer varying packages which may include music, buffets and a champagne toast.

For information on other New Year’s Eve parties and activities as well as lodging and dining options, please call the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce at 800/568-4748, or visit www.gatlinburg.com.

Pigeon Forge Winterfest Trolly Of Lights Till Jan 12, 2012

Enjoy the Winterfest Trolley Tour of Lights.. Leave the driving to them !!



November 8, 2011 - January 13, 2012


See the Winterfest light displays and their five million shining lights on board the Pigeon Forge Trolley Tour of Lights. Your heated, enclosed trolley comes complete with its own personal tour guide who will share stories about Pigeon Forge’s history and our famous Winterfest light displays.

Park your car and leave the driving to us!

Winterfest Trolley Tour of Lights begins and end at Patriot Park. For specific departure times, call 865-453-6444.

Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Now Thru Dec 30th, 2011

Don’t miss the three-time Winner of America’s Best Christmas Event,

Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana - 11/5 till 12/30/11.  The 2011 season welcomes the premiere of Dollywood on Ice!, an ice dancing spectacular choreographed to the sounds of the season.


Walk amid a winter wonderland of four million lights as you enjoy more than 20 rides and attractions for the entire family. Settle in for one of the park’s award-winning holiday shows, including Christmas in the Smokies and O’ Holy Night before gathering around the table for a delicious holiday meal served at one of the park’s many restaurants.

Visit Santa’s Workshop where larger-than-life toy soldiers, wagons, a dollhouse, sailboats and other classic toys will astound you! See the 18-foot Christmas tree that is the centerpiece of Santa’s Workshop. Santa is also the centerpiece and star of the Parade of Lights that will come prancing throughout the park. A Dollywood Christmas is the most holiday fun you’ll have in the Smokies.

Info and photo from Dollywood

Christmas Wonderland of Lights Till 1/8/12 - Sevierville TN

Shadracks Stunning Christmas Light Display

Opening in Sevierville 11/11/11 till 1/8/12 

New Light Displays and Lots More this year !

Santa’s Village with a free petting zoo, pony and camel rides are available including photos and plush animals, photos with Santa, a Christmas Tree lot with gorgeous christmas wreaths (after Thanksgiving), and festive refreshments including Hot Cocoa, Apple Cider, Funnel Cakes, Christmas Cookies, Pizza, Kettle Corn and so, so much more!!! Don’t miss it!!!

NEW THIS YEAR: Kids Santa’s Train, Inflatable Slide, and Ferris Wheel!

Where:  Smokies Stadium Off  I-40  Exit 407

Dates of Operation:

November 11th, 2011 – Jan 8th, 2012

Hours: 

Dusk – 10PM* Every Night, Including Holidays!

(* = or later on weekends)

See more details at the Shadrack website

Gatlinburg Christmas Parade Dec 2nd, 2011

Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade
Presented by Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies



December 2 , 2011  7:30pm
Gatlinburg’s 36th annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade will showcase Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and one of the City’s largest and best known attractions families, Ripley’s Entertainment.

Sharky and Sharkette of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies will serve as the Parade’s Grand Marshals as it travels through downtown Gatlinburg on Friday, December 2 starting at 7:30 p.m. to the cheers of an anticipated crowd of more than 80,000 spectators.

Earlier this year, Ripley’s won an International Festival and Events Association Pinnacle award for Best Sponsor for Gatlinburg Special Events. The award recognized Ripley’s continued support of all of Gatlinburg’s events and community activities.

The Ripley’s Family includes the Believe It or Not Odditorium, Guinness World Records Museum, Davy Crockett Mini Golf, Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze & Candy Factory, Ripley’s Moving Theater and, of course, the award-winning Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Today, nearly 40 years after the company arrived in Sevier County, one can find a sampling of every Ripley's venue in this family destination. In fact, Gatlinburg now boasts the largest concentration of Ripley's businesses in the world.

The “Fantasy of Lights” Parade also won a Gold designation in the International Festival and Events Association Pinnacle Awards for its television production from last year.

Distinguished entries in this year’s parade include the world-famous Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. The first Wienermobile was designed by Carl Mayer, nephew of Oscar Mayer, in 1936. The Wienermobile itself is 24 hot dogs high, 60 hot dogs long, 18 hot dogs wide and weighs 140,500 hot dogs.

The parade excitement for young and old also includes more than 100 parade entries, over a dozen marching bands from Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Alabama, and giant helium balloons taking to the streets.

Santa’s Autograph Party cranks up at 6 p.m. at Riverbend Mall, in the midst of the main viewing area for the parade at Traffic Light #3. The parade begins at Traffic Light #1A on Hwy 321 at 7:30 p.m. and ends about an hour-and-a-half later at Traffic Light #10.

Jamming sidewalks and balconies along the parade route, a large crowd will be able to soak up the illuminating glow of Gatlinburg Winter Magic, the City of Gatlinburg’s popular holiday lights program which has received a $1.5 million injection of new displays plus a 100-percent conversion to energy-efficient LED bulbs over the past few years.


To learn more about these and other events in Gatlinburg, call 800-56-VISIT (568-4748) or visit the Gatlinburg website at http://www.gatlinburg.com/.




Info from Gatlinburg Events

Gatlinburg To Celebrate Veterans Day 11/11/11

The City of Gatlinburg will extend a heartfelt “Thank You!” to the men and women who put service before self at the Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration. The popular free-admission event on Friday, November 11 will begin at 11 a.m. on the Plaza at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies and feature The Adjutant General of Tennessee, Major General Terry “Max” Haston, as keynote speaker.

Gatlinburg is an official Regional Site for the Observance of Veterans Day as designated by the Veterans Day National Committee, Department of Veterans Affairs, one of two cities in Tennessee and only 57 in the United States to hold this prestigious distinction. This designation affiliates Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration with activities taking place at the National Veterans Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery.


“Our veterans deserve our gratitude and coming to Gatlinburg for this event is one of many, many ways we can show our support and to thank the veterans,” said George Hawkins, Special Events Manager for the City of Gatlinburg. “While it’s very important for us to remember those who gave their lives to protect our nation, Veterans Day is the holiday dedicated to letting the surviving Veterans know how much we appreciate them.”


The Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration is sponsored by City of Gatlinburg and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

For more info click here.

Pigeon Forge Winterfest Starts Today With Verterans Parade 11/8/11

Pigeon Forge kicks off Winterfest today with veterans parade  


PIGEON FORGE  11/8/11— A parade saluting America’s veterans, local entertainers and the illumination of 5 million lights await visitors to Pigeon Forge on Tuesday for Winterfest kickoff.

Activities that day start a celebration that continues through Feb. 26, with holiday shows, light displays and award-winning special events.

Dollywood entertainer James Rogers will perform before Many-Bears Grinder, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs, helps flip a switch to illuminate the city’s array of Winterfest lights. Entertainer Phil Campbell will emcee the evening’s program.

A brief fireworks display will add a special accent to the illumination.

Winterfest Kickoff begins at 4:30 p.m. when the first Pigeon Forge Salute to Veterans Parade steps onto the Parkway. It begins at Jehu Street and will proceed north to Patriot Park, lasting approximately one hour.

After the parade concludes, Cub Scouts will present the colors and lead spectators in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor David Wear will then introduce Grinder.

A troupe from the Grand Majestic Theater will offer a special tribute to veterans, and the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus will perform before Rogers takes the stage.

Winterfest Kickoff festivities at Patriot Park include a play area for children and food vendors benefiting local charities. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs. The lighting of the Winterfest displays is anticipated soon after 8 p.m.

Some of the military vehicles in the parade will remain in Patriot Park that evening for inspection, and the city’s Fun Time Trolleys will offer complimentary rides on the Trolley Tour of Lights that night.

Article From The Mountain Press
 
Photo - Flickr Creative Commons by Old Shoe

Smoky Mountain Ziplines & Canopy Tours - Pigeon Forge TN

Ziplines are all the rage now.. You will find the
Smoky Mountain Ziplines and Canopy Tours  

just a short drive off the Parkway in Pigeon Forge. 

They have a  14-line canopy tour that allows you to work your way up to the longest and fastest ziplines in the area, and you’ll soon find yourself zipping along at speeds as fast as 40 miles per hour.

On top of that, you benefit from being outdoors,
with the wind in your hair, and you get to
immerse yourself in the beauty of the surrounding
Great Smoky Mountains. Smoky Mountain
Ziplines is your fast track to good times in Tennessee.

Several things make Smoky Mountain Ziplines the preferred choice for adventure seekers in this area. Size, location, price and accommodations combine to give you more value and fun for your money.


•You'll maneuver through the largest course in Pigeon Forge.

•Canopy tours from Smoky Mountain Ziplines let you ride longer for less money than others charge.

•Centrally located for your convenience: less than 2 miles from the main parkway in Pigeon Forge.

•Large base-camp building accommodates your group for parties and celebrations after the tour.

•The staff is totally committed to ensuring your time at Smoky Mountain Ziplines is completely unforgettable.

Reservations recommended.  Walk-ins welcome, but may be subject to waits between tours.

Smoky Mountain Ziplines



509 Mill Creek Road


Pigeon Forge, TN 37863

865-429-9004