Posts Tagged: events

September is the month in which we can truly say that Fall is coming. It’s the time of harvest celebration and the turn of the seasons reflected in the changing colors of the leaves on the trees, and in this part of the Smoky Mountains it means bluegrass festivals, auto rallies, scarecrows and pumpkins, beer tasting and lots of food, fun and festivity.

Table of Contents

• Live Music
• Fairs
• Harvest Events
• Food & Drink
• Car Shows

Image courtesy of Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival

(more…)

August in the Smokies is bustling with events, from hot air balloons to cosplay and fishing, and also with a foretaste of changes to come, with the kids going back to school, and harvest festivals peeking around the corner (but not quite here yet). Temperatures are in the high eighties to low nineties, and the evenings are pleasant.

(more…)

July is one of the best months to visit the Smoky Mountains and it’s high season in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, as well as Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding scenic area. Conventions, Fairs, music and the big July 4th Parade are among the events to watch for here in this hot summertime month.

Temperatures are generally in the high eighties to low nineties with cool nights in the sixties – perfect for every kind of mountain adventure except for snow and downhill tubing – and even in midsummer, we have that covered too!

While the towns and attractions are bustling with visitors and special events, it’s a good time to hit the higher elevations or some swimming holes to cool down, as well as knowing the back roads to avoid some of that bustle.

But read on to see just what kind of bustle is happening in July.

Images courtesy of the Craftsmen’s Fair, Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

(more…)

The month of June in the Smoky Mountains starts the bustle of summer, and opens up countless opportunities for fun in the great outdoors – from fireflies to fishing, and from festivals to free trolleys, as well as flame azaleas in the higher elevations.

The Free Trolley? Well, all the Gatlinburg trolleys are now free. We used to announce in June each year that Gatlinburg was running a free trolley up and down Parkway through summer, and that was fun news, but it’s all turned fun now, with the city’s decision to run a free system. Pigeon Forge, which covers larger distances, still charges, but the fares are still the cheapest thing in America today. See our guide to the Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge Trolleys. And read on for the insider lowdown on what’s happening in June.

The famous synchronous fireflies of June in the Smokies

(more…)

April in the Smoky Mountains around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is definitely the month of wildflowers in the millions (see below for details). April is the time when the season puts its boots on for summer, all the venues are open with special attractions, people are arriving for fun, and everything starts popping.

The snow is mostly gone by now and nights are above freezing with temperatures in the mid-forties and day times in the low seventies. The waters of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are generally rushing and giving us spectacular waterfalls, and the fishing is great. Music is in the air as festivals, fairs and other special events happen, and the sound of hot-rod engines mingles in with it all too.

April is also the time when the national park announces the viewing dates for the annual synchronous fireflies in June, and the Lottery dates for the limited parking available.

One image courtesy of GSMNP

(more…)

March in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area of the Smoky Mountains is a time when the land starts to awaken after the winter, the very tip of spring. It’s a shoulder season for rental accommodations, and a good time to visit for those who like less crowds. The spring break is often a time when families can get away for a trip to shake off winter and start to welcome the warmer days.

Images courtesy of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

(more…)

Most of the traditional annual events are coming back to the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area of the Smoky Mountains in 2021, after a year that saw most of them postponed. Here’s what’s going on for Springtime 2021 in the Smokies.

Images courtesy of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

(more…)