"Saddle Up" Cowboy Festival-Pigeon Forge Feb 25-28, 2010

Pigeon Forge ‘Sets Up Camp’ for Festival of Cowboy Poetry, Western Music, Chuckwagon Cooking

10th ‘Saddle Up!’ includes autograph session with James Drury of ‘The Virginian’

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (February 2010) – Cowboy poets, western singers and chuckwagon cooks are just over the horizon from Pigeon Forge, Tenn., preparing for the 10th celebration of Saddle Up!, a perhaps unexpected celebration of cowboy ways east of the Mississippi River.

Saddle Up!, Feb. 25-28, 2010, is the last major component of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, a four-month season of activities that started in November. The entire Winterfest celebration is on the American Bus Association’s list of the Top 100 Events in North America, and Saddle Up! is an American Cowboy Magazine “Best of the West” event, one of 101 recognized annually.

Like stars over a clear prairie sky, the entertainment lineup sparkles with Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, R.W. Hampton, Dave Stamey, Ray Doyle and Jeff Gore. Two western swing dances will get guests showing off their best two-stepping techniques.

The pop culture side of the cowboy life will be featured through appearances by James Drury and other stars of “The Virginian,” the 1962-1971 hit TV Western. “The Virginian,” the first 90-minute Western, told the story of the fictional Shiloh Ranch near Medicine Bow, Wyo.

Autograph sessions and question-and-answer opportunities are planned with Drury, Roberta Shore, Gary Clarke and Randy Boone. Drury appeared throughout the series.

A competitive chuckwagon cookoff is another Saddle Up! highlight. Teams of chuckwagon cooks will prepare an authentic trail hand lunch for guests’ enjoyment—and the critical evaluation of judges.

The closing event is Cowboy Church, a non-denominational service preceded by strong coffee and a chuckwagon breakfast.

Admission information: Concert day passes are $20 per day and $50 for the weekend (free through age 17). The chuckwagon cookoff lunch, chuckwagon breakfast and western swing dance are $5. Admission to “The Virginian” event is free.

The complete festival schedule is online at http://www.MyPigeonForge.com href="http://www.mypigeonforge.com/saddleup">http://www.MyPigeonForge.com/saddleup Information about all aspects of visiting Pigeon Forge is at http://www.mypigeonforge.com/ or by calling toll-free 1-800-251-9100.

Saddle Up! event locations:
Thursday afternoon and evening concerts at the Smith Family Dinner Theater

Friday afternoon and evening concerts at the Grand Majestic Theater

Friday and Saturday Western swing dances at the Grand Resort Hotel

Saturday “Virginian” reunion at the Grand Resort Hotel

Saturday Chuckwagon cookoff at Clabough’s Campground

Sunday Cowboy Church at Stages West

Winter Heritage Festival Townsend TN Feb 4-7,2010

Winter Heritage Festival February 4-7, 2010 - Townsend TN - The Great Smoky Mountains

A celebration of the history, people, and traditions of Townsend TN, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Don't miss the Kick-Off on Thursday, Feb. 4 from 7--9pm, with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker at Tremont! Call 865-448-6709 for reservations.

The Winter Heritage Festival has received an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History, and has been designated a "Top Twenty Event" by the Southeast Tourism Society.

See below for schedules of events for 2010! Most events are free, but there are charges for the Kick Off, the Barn Dance, Miss Lily's Banquet Hall lunch programs, and the Cades Cove Heritage Tours.

Advance Registration Required! Download the schedule and form:Winter Fest Schedule 2010 Winter Fest 2010 Registration And the full program booklet:Winter Heritage Booklet 2010Call for more information or if you'd like to be sent the schedule and registration form by mail or email: 865-448-6134. Complete the registration and send to Townsend Visitors Center 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Townsend, TN 37886.

jhilten@smokymountains.org Highlights of Programs at the Townsend

Visitors Center:

A "Mountain Craft Showcase" on Saturday morning in the Exhibit Room with artisans demonstrating their skills.

"The Prehistory of Tuckaleechee Cove" with Dr. Boyce Driskell, University of Tennessee Archeologist.

Mountain Music and Mountain People program by Bob Fulcher, Cumberland Trail State Park and Tennessee folklorist.
Discover Life in America's biodiversity project in the Smokies, with Director Todd Witcher.

A presentation about the Park's natural history collections, by Curator Adriean Mayor.

Programs about key people in the formation of the Park: Horace Kephart, by Butch McDade and Ann Davis, by Robin Goddard.

A performance by TNT Dulcimer Trio.

Naturalist-led hikes to Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse and Walker Sisters Homestead with Butch McDade, Elkmont with Herb Handly, and other historic and scenic places.

Friday evening Volunteer Appreciation Open House with refreshments and music by the Woodpickers

Highlights of Programs at Other Locations:
Thursday, February 4: Kick Off evening program at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont: "Mountain Voices" with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. Charge: $10 per person. Call Tremont for reservations, 865-448-6709.

Cades Cove Preservation Association presentations and exhibits at Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.

Blount County Historical Museum open house in Maryville, TN.
Cades Cove Thompson-Brown House Museum exhibits.

Friday and Saturday lunch programs at Miss Lily's Banquet Hall with guest speakers Mary Fanslow (Friday) and Ila Hatter (Saturday). Charge: $12 per person. Call 865-448-1924.

Cades Cove Heritage Tours: guided trips around the Cove in a 19 passenger van with an expert leader. Call 865-448-8838.

Myers Lane Book-signing at Mary Tippitt Library.
Saturday, Februrary 6: BBQ Supper and Square Dance with "The Lost Hounds of Pumpkin Hollow" old time string band, at The Barn Event Center, Townsend, TN. Charge: $25 per person. Call The Barn for reservations, 865-448-3812.

Little River Railroad Museum talks and tours, Townsend, TN.
Ranger-led interpretive programs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Salamander foray and history walk at Tremont.

All programs require pre-registration. Most are free; events with food will have a charge, so call the host businesses to make reservations.

For more information, call the Townsend Visitors Center (865-448-6134 or 800-525-6834). Schedule is subject to change. Please call and check back on our website for updates.In addition to our sponsors, the Winter Heritage Festival is supported by these host businesses and organizations: Cades Cove Preservation Association, Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Little River Railroad Museum, Cades Cove Heritage Tours, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, The Barn Event Center, Valley View Lodge, Townsend IGA

Click here to view our Smoky Mountain Festivals website!

2007 Smoky Mountain Convention & Visitors Bureau
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Pwy., Townsend, TN 37882
Photo from
http://www.blounttoday.com/

Great Smoky Mountain Quilters Road Show - Townsend TN Jan 9, 2010

Quilters Road Show - Townsend TN Jan 9, 2010

Townsend, TN – Smoky Mountain Quilters is once again teaming with sponsor Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to present the fourth annual Quilters Road Show at Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center In Townsend TN on Saturday, January 9, 2009, from 10 AM – 5 PM.

The event provides quilters and quilt lovers the opportunity to see quilts in the making, to have quilts evaluated by quilt history professionals, to learn quilting techniques, to have their quilts photographed and to exchange stories and ideas with other quilters.

Returning for their fourth year are Merikay Waldvogel and Becky Harriss who will informally evaluate quilts on the Center’s auditorium stage. They will offer preservation tips and discuss quilt age and patterns.

New in 2010 is a scheduled bed turning at 3:00 PM in one of the Heritage Center’s historic cabins. A bed turning is a process where multiple quilts are put on a single bed, just as a single quilt would be placed on one’s bed at home. Beginning with the top quilt, Merikay Waldvogel will explain its design and its probable history. She will then “turn” the first quilt down, revealing a second quilt which she will comment on just as she did the first. Each quilt is then pulled back, or “turned,” one at a time until each quilt has been shown and described.

Waldvogel is a nationally known quilt authority, an author, curator and lecturer on quilts and the lives of women who make quilts. Her books include Quilts of Tennessee: Images of Domestic Life Prior to1930 with Bets Ramsey, based on their statewide quilt search; Soft Covers for Hard Times: Quiltmaking and the Great Depression; Patchwork Souvenirs of the 1933 Chicago World's Fair; and Southern Quilts: Surviving Relics of the Civil War.

Quilters of all levels are invited to participate in helping make quilts during the day for Quilts of Valor which will be presented to veterans and current armed services personnel. Kate Meyers, Sevier County, is area coordinator for the national Quilts of Valor program.

Quilting demonstrations, introduced at the 2009 event, will feature: “Hand Applique,” Jane Dunham; “Hand Piecing,” Cindy Blackberg; “Machine Quilting,” Debbie McMurray; “Penny Rug Making,” Nancy Jones; “Needle Punch Embroidery,” Darlene Bakos; and “Trapunto,” Linda Roy.

Visitors are also invited to view display quilts provided by the Foothills Quilters Guild of Blount County.

New in 2010: Knoxville resident Allan Glazer will take photographs of participants’ and visitors’ quilts during the day. A limited number of times are available, and appointments are encouraged. Call Glazer at 671-5775 to schedule a time on January 9. Walk-ins are also welcome as long as times remain available.

Knoxville MEDIC Blood Center’s mobile unit will be on-site all day to conduct a blood drive.

The Quilters Road Show is free, though regular admission rates will apply to the museum experience. For information, call 865-448-0044.

Info from Seymour Herald

Wow Wilderness Wildlife Week - Pigeon Forge Jan 9-16,2010

ESCAPE WINTER’S DOLDRUMS WITH WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK

Pigeon Forge event highlights Great Smoky Mountains National Park

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – After the excitement of December’s holidays, you need an antidote to the inevitable winter blahs, and Pigeon Forge has the answer. It is Wilderness Wildlife Week, Pigeon Forge’s annual tribute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Dates are Jan. 9-16, 2010, for the eight-day extravaganza of seminars, workshops, photography classes, hikes and excursions that relate to the park and other outdoor topics. This is Wilderness Wildlife Week’s 20th year.

More than 150 experts—nature photographers, biologists, raptor rehabilitators, social historians and just plain folks who grew up in the Smokies—donate their time to present daily programs and a range of outdoor activities.

There are more than 230 programs and activities. Program topics vary daily, and admission is free to all activities. Topics include bears in the Smokies, the elk reintroduction project, the Smokies’ logging history, fire towers in the Smokies, close-up photography, trout fishing, fly-casting and birding by ear. Several programs are designed especially for children.

Almost 60 hikes and excursions into the national park complement the indoor programs. In 2009, more than 1,000 hikers from 18 states logged a cumulative 4,656 miles.

“The week is extremely flexible. You can attend one lecture or take one hike, or you can participate day after day,” said Leon Downey of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. “It’s a great way to introduce people to the outdoors.”

Wilderness Wildlife Week began 19 years ago as a half-day program on a January Saturday. January hasn’t been the same since then in Pigeon Forge. The Southeast Tourism Society has chosen it 10 times as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast.

Wilderness Wildlife Week information, including a full list of programs and hikes, is available online at MyPigeonForge.com/wildlife or by calling toll-free to 1-800-WINTERFEST. #

Celebrate the New Year In Gatlinburg Or Pigeon Forge TN

New Year's Eve Ball Drop & Fireworks In Gatlinburg TN
Date: December 31, 2009

Gatlinburg welcomes the arrival of 2010 with a street party that begins around 11 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. An estimated crowd of 40,000 revelers gather in the streets of downtown Gatlinburg. At the stroke of midnight, the sky will light up with a fireworks and music show. The event is free to the public and features music and party favors.

Other New Years Eve Celebrations will be at various venues throughout Pigeon Forge, call 865.453.8574 for more details..

Stunning Synchronized Christmas Light Display In Sevierville TN

Stunning Synchronized Christmas Light Display - Sevierville, TN I-40 Exit 407 at the Smokies Baseball Stadium. Light Shows -Nightly 6:00 - 10:00pm till January 2, 2010

This holiday season, make sure that a night out at Smokies Park is in your entertainment plans. No, we're not talking about baseball. Rather the very best Christmas light show in all of East Tennessee! Join Shadrack Watersports & RV for their annual Christmas Wonderland light show as they look to help feed the hungry this holiday season!




The Christmas Wonderland is an award-winning drive-through and light show that is the largest of its kind in the country. Featuring hundreds of thousands of LED lights dynamically synchronized and dancing to the music, this experience is sure to be something you and your family won't soon forget! The show will consist of six (6) programmed songs and will be approximately 25 minutes in length. It is drive-through only as there will not be any place within the route to get out of your vehicle. There will be pull-offs though to sit and watch from your vehicle.

The Christmas Wonderland show is now here to experience at Smokies Park. The show will also be opening in Bristol on November 13 and in Knoxville on November 19. The show will be open nightly from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at all three locations through January 2, 2010. The show here at Smokies Park is located right off I-40 at Exit 407.

Admission for the show here at Smokies Park is as follows: $10 per car Monday-Thursday, $15 on Fridays and Saturdays. Activity vans are $20 (daily) and buses are $65 (daily). If you plan on coming on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and/or New Year's Eve, those dates will be weekend (Friday-Saturday) rates.

For additional information, please contact Shadrack at (423) 652-0120 or visit the company's Christmas Wonderland page HERE.

Santa & Performing Groups Join Duggar Family For 20th Anniversary of Pigeon Forge Winterfest

Santa, Reindeer, Performing Groups to Join Duggar Family for Kickoff of 20th Anniversary of Pigeon Forge Winterfest

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (October 27, 2009) – The kickoff event for the 20th anniversary of Pigeon Forge Winterfest on Nov. 5 (Thursday) will feature multiple special guests.

In addition to the expansive Duggar family from TLC’s “18 Kids and Counting” TV show, the kickoff event in Patriot Park will feature Santa Claus—complete with reindeer and a photographer—plus choral, band and dance groups, the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus and bluegrass music from Jimbo Whaley and Greenbrier.

“This is the start of a great time of year for Pigeon Forge that is acknowledged far and wide. In fact, the 2009-2010 Pigeon Forge Winterfest is a Top 100 Event in North America, according to travel professionals assembled by the American Bus Association,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

Activity begins at 4 p.m. with entertainment from several community groups. Comments from civic leaders and introduction of the Duggar family will precede the ceremonial flipping of the switch to turn on the city’s five million Winterfest lights at about 6 p.m.

The Duggars—Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 18 children, plus one on the way—will be in Pigeon Forge for the second time this year. They visited in May for production of two episodes of “18 Kids and Counting.”

Bob Fowler, the Pigeon Forge Special Events Volunteer of the Year, also will participate.

The evening’s featured entertainment, the Pigeon Forge Community Community Chorus followed by and Jimbo Whaley and Greenbrier, will cap off the stage presentation.

Santa Claus and his reindeer will add to the festivities. A professional photographer will take pictures of guests with Santa and deliver complimentary photos on site.

Also complimentary that evening are rides on the Fun Time Trolley system’s Trolley Tour of Lights, which showcase Winterfest light displays throughout the community.

The afternoon groups performing are the Elizabeth Williams Dance Troupe, the Pigeon Forge Middle and High School Dance Teams, the Pigeon Forge High School Choir, the Pigeon Forge Middle School Honor Band and the Pigeon Forge High School Marching Band.

Five food vendors will be on hand with a variety of offerings. They will raise money for the American Legion, Pigeon Forge High School, Relay for Life and the Salvation Army.

Information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, including Wilderness Wildlife Week in January and Saddle Up! in February—is online at MyPigeonForge.com.

The Duggars To Flip Switch - Pigeon Forge's Winterfest Lights Nov 5, 2009

The Duggars To Flip Switch - Pigeon Forge's Winterfest Lights Nov 5, 2009

The Duggar Family from "TLC's 18 Kids and Counting" will once again come to Pigeon Forge.. They visited back in May to take part in the Dollywood Parade, this time will be all about LIGHTS!! Lots and lots of lights, millions of twinkling lights.... They will be flipping the switch in Patriot Park - Pigeon Forge TN to kick off Winterfest festivities on November 5th, 2009..

The holidays are one of the most exciting and beautiful times of the year in the Smoky Mountains... much of that is due to all of the colorful lights throughout the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area.. This year will be the first year that Pigeon Forge will have ground-level fireworks during this celebration.

Plan your trip to the Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.. Check out lots of great cabins here http://www.BestCabinsByOwner.com

Guide to the Best"By-Owner"Vacation Rentals-Smoky Mtns of Tenn & NC

Dollywood & Pigeon Forge TN - Crafts Galore Oct 1-30, 2009

October Draws Craft Lovers to Pigeon Forge, Great Smoky Mountains

Two major crafts events highlight start of autumn leaf season PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (October 2009)

Scores of talented artists and craftsmen seem to take a cue from Mother Nature when the leaves start changing colors in the Great Smoky Mountains and appear in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for two major autumn festivals.

Basket makers, carvers, painters and others are on hand for the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Festival and Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Celebration.

The Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Crafts Festival (Oct. 1-30) is one of the region’s biggest crafts events, attracting almost 50 craftsmen, artists and exhibitors from more than a dozen states. It takes place under a giant red and white tent at Patriot Park. Rotarians volunteer their time to run the festival, and proceeds benefit numerous charities.

Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Festival (Oct. 2-31) complements the theme park’s regular operation with an array of traditional and contemporary craftsmen and adds scores of free gospel music concerts to the entertainment lineup. Among the featured crafts are spinning, weaving, sorghum making, fiddle making, rug hooking and woodworking.

Both events take place against the backdrop of Pigeon Forge’s Harvestfest season, which continues through Oct. 31.

During Harvestfest, businesses throughout the city erect fanciful fall displays of hay bales, scarecrows, cornstalks, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, mums and other symbols of the season.

The Pigeon Forge Travel Planner and information about all aspects of the city are available online at MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100. The travel planner includes the Pigeon Forge Value Card, which offers more than $300 worth of discounts.

Tom Adkinson, APR615-341-3640

Help Sevier County Humane Society Win $1 Million Dollars - Vote For Miss Ellie !!

How easy could it be to help the Humane Society in Sevier County TN? Just Vote for Miss Ellie and the Sevier County Humane Society Could Win $1 Million Dollars. They need your help and it doesn't cost you a thing! If Miss Ellie, star of The Comedy Barn Theater in Pigeon Forge, wins the $1 Million Prize, she will donate 100% of her prize to The Sevier County Humane Society.

Go to: Cutest Dog Competition Find Ellie's picture by searching in the Search Box for Miss Ellie and click on "Vote Cute." Vote Once Everyday- Get Your Friends To Vote August 30th through September 5th. Please limit one vote per household or office per day. If Miss Ellie makes the top 12 Finalists The Comedy Barn Theater will donate $1 for every vote placed to the Sevier County Humane Society.

VOTE MISS ELLIE NOW! Send an email to: SevierHumane@AOL.com and say I Voted For Miss Ellie! This signs you up to be notified of contest progress.
______________________________________________________________________
Easiest way to find Miss Ellie is to click on “Cutest Gallery” at top of page, then search for “Miss Ellie”. You have to register before you can vote but they don’t ask for anything except your email address and for you to set up a password. Please vote daily!

Vote Miss Ellie for the Cutest Dog Competition - Remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder and just think how much help this will bring to homeless dogs in Sevier County !!

Shades Of The Past & Grand Fall Rod Run In Pigeon Forge - Sept 2009

It's almost that time again! Time to admire hundreds of classic cars, antique trucks and souped up rods. September is the month for Shades of the Past and the Grand Rod Run in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Just plan to enjoy the crowds and backed up traffic. Check out the scenery - lots of incredible cars and the beautiful Smoky Mountains in the background!


September 11-12 2009 - Shades of The Past Rod Run XXVII - National Parks Resort Lodge & Smoky River Ranch; Fax (865) 995-9097 or Fax (865) 429-0159.




Sept 18-20 2009 - Grand Fall Rod Run- Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center; For more information call 1-800-251-4444. -Pigeon Forge, TN

If you are looking for a cabin rental in the area - check out
http://www.bestcabinsbyowner.com/
Guide to the Best"By-Owner"Vacation Rentals-Smoky Mtns of Tenn & NC


Photos by C. Gilliam

78 Yr Old Man Hikes All Trails in the Smokies- THREE Times !

A 78-year-old man finished his third completion of hiking all the trails in the Smoky Mountains ! Wow, that is unbelievable.. Cecil Rowe became somewhat of a celebrity this week, he is now the oldest person to do that.

There are over 800 miles of trails in the Smokies making this a pretty big feat.. He even helps others with their hiking.. Cecil Rowe from Knoxville said of the beautiful Smoky Mountains - "Anybody who says the scenery gets old is not paying attention".

See this entire story at Knox News online.

Photo and source - Know News

Smoky Mountain Grocery - New Service Brings Groceries To Your Door !!

Wow, what could be better than vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains?

Well, getting your groceries delivered right to your door.......no more waiting in lines at the store!! Get your vacation started immediately, no wasting time !!

Smoky Mountain Grocery just opened for business last week and they are starting off with a bang! Tim and Gina Bowers are the owners and they are ready to serve you.. Rent a Smoky Mountain cabin or hotel room, call, fax or email and they will schedule your "Pre Arrival Package".. Can you imagine having the fridge stocked with anything you can think of .......and you never have to step foot in the grocery store !!

Tim Bowers has been in the grocery biz most of his life........ His parents had stores and Tim has worked for such biggies as Kroger, HEB and Frito Lay...SO - he knows his business. He even has really, cool refrigerated trucks so that your delivery is totally........ fresh. This service is just a $15.00 delivery fee plus your purchase... You can't beat that!!

Smoky Mountain Grocery wants to be a company that gives back... They love the Smoky Mountains - like so many of us. They are donating $5.00 to Friends of the Smokies for each new fan that signs up on their Facebook page - help protect our beautiful Smoky Mountains, click here and become a Fan -

Delivery Monday-Saturday 7am-7pm Local Callers 877-4-VITTLES

You may place your order 24 hours a day!!!! 865-856-5300

Toll Free (877-484-8853) http://www.smokymountaingrocery.com

865-856-2700(fax)

We will be offering this grocery service at our pet-friendly cabins - Heavenly Cabins near Pigeon Forge Go to our Facebook Page and become a Fan and .. If you book a cabin rental with us in the next 30 days(at least 4 nights-expires 9/3/09), we will offer a free grocery delivery for up to $50 plus fee.

Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales Continues in Gatlinburg TN Till 8/8/09

Gatlinburg Tennessee - Annual Event - 4th Annual Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales™ Through August 8, 2009

All summer long visitors can meet characters, hear mountain music and learn about life in the Smokies on the streets of Gatlinburg, TN. Musicians, storytellers and cloggers perform at different locations along the Parkway every evening during this event!

Walk along the Great Smoky Mountains Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg and find the sounds of a dulcimer, strumming an upbeat mountain melody and find a group of people performing old fashioned clogging. Click to view event schedule.

These are a few of the entertainment mini-performances you will experience every evening through August 8, 2009 during your trip to the Smoky Mountains. It's Gatlinburg's Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales™ - a continuing event for 2009, featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying various time periods from the 1800s to today. Nearly a dozen acts involve the audience as they each perform in simultaneous ten-minute performances throughoutthe night.

"The goal of Gatlinburg's Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales™ is to bring evenings of entertainment surprises to the traditional summertime Parkway stroll experience in Gatlinburg," says George Hawkins, Manager of Gatlinburg's Office of Special Events. "At 5:30 p.m. each night, a horse-drawn wagon will carry the performers to their designated locations for the evening. The rotating cast of acts including storytellers, musicians and crafters will share their stories and skills during the 2-day MountainFest™ event."

Thanks to the City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee for providing all Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales™ info. Visit www.gatlinburg.com for more information on special events in the city of Gatlinburg Tennessee.

Info & Photo from http://smokymountaintunesandtales.com/

Lots of Smoky Mountain - 4th of July Celebrations!

Come to the Smokies and enjoy lots of 4th of July celebrations from Gatlinburg to Pigeon Forge!

July 1st -August 8
Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales tm – All summer long visitors can meet characters, hear mountain music and learn about life in the Smoky Mountains on the streets of Gatlinburg. Storytellers, musicians and cloggers perform at different locations along the Parkway every evening during this fourth annual event!

July 3rd- 4th of July Midnight Parade – Saluting our valiant military services, this 34th annual showcase is the "First July Fourth Parade in the Nation!" Parade starts at the stroke of midnight to begin July 4th. Floats, balloons, and marching bands pay tribute to our country.

July 4th - River Raft Regatta – Visitors can enjoy a fun, unmanned, floatable object race for the whole family. Free registration begins at 10 a.m. at Christus Gardens bridge in Gatlinburg. Race begins at noon and ends at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies bridge where prizes will be awarded in several different categories.

4th of July Fireworks Show – Join the celebration in downtown Gatlinburg to mark our nation's "Independence Day" with a magnificent fireworks show. The City of Gatlinburg lights up the mountain skyline downtown at 10:00 p.m. Sat July 4th with this grand display.

July 4th - The 19th Annual Patriot Festival - Patriot Park, Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge, TN –

Pigeon Forge’s 19th annual Patriot Festival celebrating the Fourth of July has an entertainment lineup designed to please the “Greatest Generation,” nostalgic Motown devotees, rock ‘n’ rollers and fans of country music. Fireworks booming over the adjacent Great Smoky Mountains will cap off a day of entertainment.

The cast of “Swing Time,” a Pigeon Forge show that highlights the Big Band music of the 1940s, will set a patriotic tone for the day with a tribute to America’s military and a stirring rendition of the national anthem.

More mellow music will come from the Temptations Revue, Pigeon Forge’s newest show, which celebrates the Motown Records success of an act that recorded more than 50 albums.

Three performance spots are reserved for country music. John Berry (“Your Love Amazes Me,” “Standing on the Edge of Goodbye” and dozens more) will fill Patriot Park with his rich voice, and festivalgoers will get to know two new artists—Sarah Darling, who just released her first album on Black River Music, and Knoxville native Homer Hart.

The pre-fireworks act is the Classic Rock All-Stars, a superstar group that includes Pete Rivera from Rare Earth, Dennis Noda from Cannibal and the Headhunters, Jerry Corbetta from Sugarloaf and Mike Pinera of Blues Image, Iron Butterfly and Alice Cooper.

Members of the Classic Rock All-Stars have been part of songs such as “I Just Want To Celebrate,” “Land of a Thousand Dances,” “Get Ready” and “Green-Eyed Lady.”

Other Patriot Festival entertainers include the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus (more than 40 members) and the Twirling Medallion Majorette and Drum Corps from Elkton, Va. This performing group is widely traveled and even has opened a show for Billy Ray Cyrus.

Entertainment begins at 1 p.m., and the fireworks will start about 9:45 p.m. WIVK-FM will broadcast the patriotic soundtrack to the fireworks show for observers throughout the city.

There is no admission charge for the Pigeon Forge Patriot Festival, a community celebration presented by the City of Pigeon Forge. Guests are invited to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets for festival seating.

The festival schedule is online at www.MyPigeonForge.com/patriot. The toll-free phone number of Pigeon Forge information is 1-800-251-9100.

Contact: Tom Adkinson tadkinson@bohanideas.com 615-341-3640

The "Little Greenbriar School" Still Teaching in the Smoky Mountains

The "Little Greenbriar School" is Still Teaching in the Great Smoky Mountains !!




The small log structure built in 1882, housed the "Little Greenbriar School". Children from nearby families attended this school for more than 50 years..










Though formal classes ended in 1935, teaching and learning did not.... The school still serves local children and Smoky Mtn Park visitors....




The Little Greenbrier School is located in the Greenbrier area between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Wears Valley area.


The building served as both a school and the Primitive Baptist Church until 1935.


Inside you will see the types of desks the students of that time used. The Greenbrier cemetery is in front of the school, which is another interesting stop to make during your time in the Smokies.

Go to the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area either by Lyon Springs Rd in Wears Valley or from the Park. Walk across the bridge to the Metcalf Bottoms Trail - 0.6 mile to the Little Greenbriar School. You can also continue 1.0 mile to the Walker Sister's Farmstead on the Little Brier Gap Trail - starting at the barricade up the hill from the school..

See more historical aspects of the park, hike the little Greenbrier Gap hiking trail(follow signs) that is 2.8 miles round trip. The trail begins near the school and leads you by the Walker sisters cabin. The trail runs from Wear Gap road to the Laurel Creek Falls Trail.

To reach the school by car, drive on up the road close to a mile and a half and you will see a sign saying Wears Cove straight on or Little Greenbriar School right.

Turn right........ This is a small, gravel, one lane road, but not one way! So pay close attention to oncoming traffic and any wide spots you may need to back up to in order to pass. When you reach the school, about a mile and a half, the road forks take the right fork down into the gravel parking area and enjoy a few minutes at the old school house.

Slow Down in the Smokies - Part 2 Townsend TN

Slow Down in the Smokies - Part 2


If you have not been to Townsend TN yet, you will definitely want to check it out -It's been labeled the "peaceful or quiet side of the Smokies"…


I love this sleepy little town !! Take Hwy 321/Wears Valley Rd away from Pigeon Forge. Travel down the mountain(about 6-7 miles from Wears Valley; 15 miles from PF), through several curves and as the road straightens out you will look over beautiful pasture land out to the mountain peaks beyond.


As you cross the bridge over the Little River to Townsend's only stoplight. You can rent tubes and float down the river in the hot summer or just try your hand at trout fishing(check with the local convenience stores in Townsend for fishing licenses).

At the stoplight in Townsend, if you turn left - you will be headed into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and then on to Cades Cove. Also to the left, you will pass Smokin’ Joes BBQ restaurant - it sits on the Little River with a screened in porch for dining in the summer… GREAT ribs, BBQ and chicken....... Yum- and don't even get me started on the desserts ! Wonderful blackberry cobbler or the very special - pecan cobbler.




Just past here is the new Smoky Mountain Heritage Center The Center highlights the history of Native Americans and mountain life from periods 3000 B.C. (Native American) to 1930 (settlers).
The center is 17,000 sq feet on a 3-acre site and includes an additional 10 historic structures on site. The museum features displays of native artifacts showcasing the history of the Native Americans and many examples of pioneer artifacts such as tools and materials used in daily lives.

At the light in Townsend, if you turn right - there is a really nice local convenience/grocery store - The Village Market on the right - less than a mile.. They don't have a huge selection but do have a deli and bakery.. See the Townsend Visitor Center across the street....


There's a great walking or bicycle trail(wide sidewalk) all the way through Townsend across the street from the river. It is mostly flat with a few slightly rolling hills, you can rent bikes around town...

The Little River Railroad and Lumber Company Museum is just past the Village Market in Townsend....... It tells the story of the area's logging history with hundreds of photographs, restored equipment and interpretive exhibits.


Railroad buffs enjoy seeing one-of-a-kind locomotives and logging machinery and visiting with volunteer staffers rich with the knowledge of the old railroad's operations. In the early 1900's, a busy railroad operated in the Smoky Mountains, bringing tourists to the area and taking thousands of trees out. See the website for more info Little River Railroad

See Slow Down in the Smokies - Part 1

Slow Down in the Smokies- Part 1 Wears Valley & Townsend Tennessee

I really hate to admit this but I suppose the "older" you get, the less patience you have for the crowds and traffic congestion of the larger tourist areas of the Smoky Mountains..



Granted, I do love the convenience of a Super Walmart in Sevierville, various shopping outlets, fun, entertainment and lots of restaurant choices in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area........... but I also love slipping away from all of that to relax in the Wears Valley community just outside of Pigeon Forge TN.

I have found that I truly appreciate a slower, less hectic pace - particularly during vacation and it's only about 10 miles from all the action!! That's why I wanted to enlighten some of you that have not ventured over to the "peaceful or slower" side of the Smokies into Wears Valley, Townsend or Cades Cove TN. You really need to make the trip and SLOW down just for a while!

“Wears Valley” really begins just a couple miles after turning at stoplight # 3 – Hwy 321/Wears Valley Rd off the main Parkway in Pigeon Forge. The heart of the community really begins about 7 miles out… You will begin to see cows grazing by the creek and beautiful meadows with a backdrop of Cove Mountain in all its splendor..... Yes, Wears Valley has become a hot spot for lots of new cabin rental developments but it still has that special country charm for now..

You can have a great country breakfast at Grandmothers Kitchen in Wears Valley, big fluffy biscuits and pork tenderloin. If you are an antique or “junktique” lover, stop by Wears Valley Antique & Craft Gallery about 7.8 miles out on the right or visit the website Wears Valley Gallery. There are other antique stops there also..

One of the great secrets in Wears Valley is the little known access into the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. About 9 miles from Pigeon Forge, turn left onto Lyon Springs Road, follow this road into the GSMNP (a couple miles). You will cross the Little River bridge at the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area.

This is a beautiful shady picnic spot by the river. You can also take a short hike and step back in time to the "Little Greenbrier School" and the "Walker Sisters" home place.



Park at Metcalf Bottoms and walk across the bridge. Take the Metcalf Bottoms Trail 0.6 mile to the Little Greenbrier School. If you wish, you can continue 1.0 mile from the school to the Walker Sister's farmstead on the Little Brier Gap Trail. The Little Brier Gap Trail starts at the barricade uphill from the school.

Try this Route from Wears Valley to Gatlinburg – Scenic !
***If you come via Lyon Springs Rd to the stop at Metcalf Bottoms, you can turn left and follow the River Rd for a scenic drive to Gatlinburg through the National Park(right will take you to Cades Cove-scenic/longer**). This route will bring you out at the end of Gatlinburg(stoplight #10) at the Sugarland Visitor Center, hook a left to go into town about a 25 – 30 minute drive depending on traffic.



**A shorter drive to Cades Cove from our cabins or the heart of Wears Valley is to follow Hwy 321/Wears Valley Rd all the way to Townsend (about 6-7 miles), at the light in Townsend, turn left – follow signs to Cades Cove.

Traveling on Hwy 321/Wears Valley Rd about another mile past Lyon Springs Rd, you will pass Happy Hollow Rd on the right (which leads to Glimpse of Heaven and Inspiration Point cabins).



Just a short distance further, you should surely slow down for the Rocky Top Country Store on the left, if you are a chocolate lover...... Fresh homemade FUDGE takes top billing here !! They have every imaginable flavor. They also have gifts, local jams and jellies....... but who can resist that fudge …



Just a short distance past Rocky Top Store, you will find another historical treasure, Headrick Chapel Church –See the blog entry here about Headrick Chapel Church in Wears Valley.



Stay Tuned for Slow Down in the Smokies - Part 2

Storytellers Gather in Pigeon Forge-Storytelling Festival June 4-6,2009

Storytellers Galore Ready to Spin Yarns at Pigeon Forge Festival Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival promises three days of tall tales June 4-6

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.

Expect truth to be in short supply June 4-6 at the 18th Annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., but also expect a counterbalancing dose of entertainment, enchantment and, dare we say, education.

You’ll hear from a genuine possumologist, a keeper of Cherokee creation stories, a middle school principal who uses storytelling in the classroom and a cowboy poet whose Oklahoma retelling of “Ben Hur” inspires him to wear a watermelon and a bra on stage. (It’s something you just have to see to understand.)

In addition to the festival’s world-traveling, professional storytellers, you’ll also hear some of America’s budding tale-telling talent at the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. The showcase has attracted youngsters, none older than 17, from as far away as Utah, Texas, Maryland and Florida.

Many of this year’s storytellers will focus on stories that relate to Appalachia and the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. That’s one reason the festival is on the official calendar of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The festival also is on the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” list for the fifth year in a row.

Three late-night programs (9:30-11 p.m.) augment the regular sessions. A Haunts and Haints ghost story session is Thursday, a tribute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Friday and a memorial to legendary mountain storyteller Ray Hicks is Saturday.

The Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival is co-hosted by the City of Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association.

Featured storytellers:

+ Lloyd Arneach—A Cherokee storyteller who learned his first legends from two storytelling uncles on the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina.

+ Donald Davis—A native Appalachian storyteller who performs nationally and teaches workshop that focus on family-based storytelling.

+ Doug Elliott—A storyteller, herbalist and naturalist who sings about catfish, pontificates about possums and plays a mean harmonica.

+ Todd Elliott—Doug’s son and a two-time participant in the National Youth Storytelling Showcase who now is following in his father’s footsteps.

+ Andy Offutt Irwin—A Georgia public radio show host who says he used to have real jobs before becoming a professional storyteller.

+ Kent Rollins—A genuine cowboy from Oklahoma, who also is a poet, chuckwagon cook and humorist (he’s the one with the watermelon and bra).

+ Elizabeth Rose—Principal of Cherokee Middle School in Roane County, Tenn., who blends southern folklore with fairy tales, ghost stories and international legends.

If You Go:The Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival is June 4-6 (Thursday-Saturday). All sessions—concerts, the youth performances and workshops in which you can learn storytelling skills—are at the Belz Outlet Mall in Pigeon Forge.

Admission for the entire weekend is $25, and one-day admission is $10 for everyone age 18 and older (free for age 17 and younger). The three late-night programs are $5. T

he festival schedule is at www.MyPigeonForge.com/storytelling <http://www.MyPigeonForge.com/storytelling> , and complete visitor information about Pigeon Forge is available at www.MyPigeonForge.com <http://www.mypigeonforge.com/> or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100.

About Pigeon ForgePigeon Forge, located in East Tennessee near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is one of the country’s top tourism destinations, drawing more than 10 million visitors each year.

With more than 40 family-friendly attractions along its five-mile Parkway, Pigeon Forge offers family fun for all ages. The destination city is located within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the U.S. population east of the Mississippi River.

# Contact:Tom Adkinson, APRoutbind://99-000000001D9B0EF5FC515043B8B4E8D140EDE71E84619100/tadkinson@bohanideas.com <mailto:tadkinson@bohanideas.com> 615-341-3640

TLC's "The Duggars -18 Kids" Coming To Pigeon Forge

Duggar Family of '18 Kids and Counting' to vacation and work around Pigeon Forge.

It'll take a lot of planning on their part, but the Duggar Family of the TLC series "18 and Counting" plans to visit Pigeon Forge and Dollywood next month. They'll be part of Dollywood's annual Dolly Parton parade and shoot segments of their show while on vacation. The ever-expanding Duggar family will be visiting May 5 -9 to "explore" Dollywood and shoot an episode of their show.

Pigeon Forge Mayor Keith Whaley invited the reality TV family; Their trek here will have them traveling 750 miles from their hometown of Springdale, Ark., to participate in the upcoming Dolly Parton Homecoming Parade on May 8.

The Duggar family trip to Pigeon Forge will be featured in a summer episode of "18 Kids and Counting," which airs on TLC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Each episode chronicles the lives of an Arkansas couple, Jim Bob and Michele Duggar, and their 18 natural-born children, who range in age from four months to 21 years. The family includes two sets of twins. For more information, visit TLC.com.

Details of Parton's float are a secret, but the Duggars will participate with an honorary float the City of Pigeon Forge has crafted for them.

In days leading up to and after the parade, the family will visit many Parkway attractions during their five-day stay, including seeing several live comedy and musical theaters, going to Zorb, the mountain-side free-fall inside a gigantic ball.

Info from Knox News Blog
Posted by Terry Morrow