Festivals happen all year in the Smoky Mountains area of Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, and hundreds of thousands of people plan their visits according to particular events and seasonal activities. Here’s a calendar of seasonal festivities to help you plan your stay…Read more »
Each year starting in March and going into April, Dollywood stages its month-long celebration of world music, food, culture and entertainment known as Festival of Nations. Reminding us that around the world, “we all smile in the same language,” Dollywood seeks out and hosts top talent acts from different countries in a lavish smorgasbord of… Read more »
Springtime in the Smoky Mountains is a nature lover’s paradise. Two major events occur in April and May, centered around Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These are the annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, based in the national park close to Gatlinburg, followed by the annual Wilderness Wildlife week, based in Pigeon Forge…Read more »
2023 INFO: A Mountain Quiltfest this year is June 5-8. Most everything is free and open to the public but many things require registration at the website (see below). Registration this year opens March 7. Every year in the latter part of March – now in June – the city of Pigeon Forge plays host… Read more »
The springtime period after Easter marks the magical time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park when millions of wildflowers bloom for a brief time, one step ahead of the trees blooming, which will cover the skies above with foliage and plunge the forest floor back into deep shade. The annual Pilgrimage offers expert programs to explore this time…Read more »
The Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass Festival is an annual street festival in the fun town of Seviervile, just up the road from Pigeon Forge. Happening in the latter part of May, it’s a very family-friendly event with kids activities,championship barbecue and world-class bluegrass music. The festival takes place in Sevierville’s historic downtown, and it’s Free… Read more »
Every spring the city of Maryville, TN plays host to one of the most unique events of the year: the Scottish Festival and Games. Held on the historic campus of Maryville College in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, this one-of-a-kind festival is a celebration of all things Scottish. It’s fun for the whole… Read more »
You’ll have a hot time in the summertime when visiting Tennessee and that’s because the Smoky Mountains are “smokin’ hot” for two weeks starting in late May with the savory flavors of barbeque and the sizzling sounds of bluegrass at the Dollywood theme park. For two weeks, it’s all aboard for visitors on a nonstop… Read more »
Every year in May, Pigeon Forge hosts a week of programs known as Wilderness Wildlife Week. Free and open to the public, the event offers hundreds of experts presenting workshops, seminars, children’s educational and fun activities, and guided hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s a celebration of the abundant diversity of the area, its… Read more »
2023 INFO: The Park Service provides updated information here. The Lottery for a parking pass to view the Synchronous Fireflies is open April 28-May 1 of this year, and you can register for the lottery here. The Firefly Viewing dates are June4-11. Every spring you have a chance to see thousands of fireflies light up… Read more »
Independence Day is such a special occasion that it deserves more than one day of celebration, and for over 40 years the town of Gatlinburg has been treating residents and visitors to a Fourth of July event that kicks off at the stroke of midnight on the night of the 3rd. The First Independence Day… Read more »
One of the most engaging attractions of summer in Gatlinburg is the annual street-performing Tunes & Tales event, which runs for almost two months and features musicians and performers at large on the streets of Gatlinburg, entertaining downtown Parkway strollers with bluegrass music for free every evening. Tunes & Tales usually starts in late June… Read more »
The annual Smoky Mountain Songwriters Festival happens in Gatlinburg, TN, to bring songwriters, music professionals and enthusiasts together to Celebrate “Celebrate Our Appalachian Musical Roots” with numerous free concerts, songwriting workshops, auditions, mentoring programs, song competitions and ticketed shows.… Read more »
Every fall on the first weekend after Labor Day, thousands of visitors flood Pigeon Forge for the annual Shades of the Past Hot Rod Roundup at Dollywood’s Splash Country. Some of the greatest cars ever built in America are on display, as well as some of the wildest custom modifications…Read more »
In spring and fall each year, Pigeon Forge fills up with visitors, classic cars and hot rods to enjoy the Rod Run, a gathering of car enthusiasts and owners competing for cash prizes in the the thousands of dollars, showing off paint jobs, and joining in the great American pastime of Cruising the Strip…Read more »
One of the least known festivals, with some of the best bluegrass music in the world, happens each year at the Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival at Kodak, just up the road from the bustling towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg…Read more »
Winter in the Smoky Mountains offers a dazzling display of fun and celebration for the festive holiday season. The neighboring towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville declare a four-month period of November through February to be their winter festival time, calling it Winterfest in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, and Winter Magic in Gatlinburg. Starting… Read more »
We know there are literally many millions of winter lights in the Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge area, but how about a set of synchronized Christmas lights you can drive through? That’s right, it’s perfect family fun when everyone of all ages can pile in the car and motor over to Sevierville to enjoy the legendary… Read more »
The Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge area of the Smoky Mountains puts on a fabulous light show each Christmas, with many millions of lights to see, marking the time of Winterfest and Winter Magic. From driving tours through the towns to stage shows to spectacular fireworks, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get in… Read more »
New Year’s Eve celebrations in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer two great venues bringing the long-anticipated excitement of free concerts, live and DJ music, specials in local restaurants and theaters, crowds of revelers, millions of seasonal lights and massive fireworks to ring in a brand-new year at midnight. Millions of people everywhere are outdoors and… Read more »
