November 2005 Archives

There is no better way to greet the Christmas season than Gatlinburg’s Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade at 7:30 p.m. on December 2nd. A multitude of glistening lights adorn the streets and skyline, all attentively placed in the most beautiful spots of Gatlinburg. Santa and his helpers will herald your presence with hugs and smiles as you experience the parade extravaganza. The festivities include artificial snow, sparklers, dancing, little elves, inflatable costumes, clowns, horses, costumed llamas, giant balloons and a breathtaking 30-foot Christmas tree. It is no wonder that over 80,000 visitors flock to the Pigeon Forge area for the Christmas Parade each year; the parade is designed to welcome guests and evoke Christmas cheer.

Giant helium balloons hover over illuminated floats, marking the parade route with distinctive Christmas flair. The route begins at Traffic Light 1A on Highway 321 and rambles on to Traffic Light 10 at the corner of Parkway and Ski Mountain Road.

Are you looking discounts or coupons for Pigeon Forge? Look no further! PigeonForge.com now has a Coupon and Discount Page where you can print off vacation money saving offers!

When planning your Pigeon Forge vacation, go to our Coupon Page and find great deals on cabin rentals and a fun Smoky Mountain attractions. Many accommodations are available at greatly discounted rates. And, remember, there are always more coupons to come, so keep checking our Coupon Page and save yourself some cash this winter.

It’s about that time again! Christmas season is upon us, and it’s almost time to trim trees and decorate yards with twinkling lights. Get inspired at the Gatlinburg Garden Club’s 33rd Annual Festival of Trees. Myriads of intricately decorated Christmas trees will be showcased at the Gatlinburg Convention center from November 23-26.

Admission is free, and the event is sure to evoke Christmas merriment for all who visit. Trees will be decorated by a sampling of Sevier County citizens from various church groups, civic clubs, school groups, artisans, professional designers, and business owners. The festive display will be open from 2-6 p.m. on November 23 and daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through November 26. Call 865-436-4412 for more information.

This Saturday, November 19, the Pigeon Forge Community Center will be the set of an international evening of storytelling, sponsored by the
Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association and the city of
Pigeon Forge. Tellabration! is part of National Storytelling Week, taking place globally in six continents.

Imagine the Smoky Mountain foothills teaming with wild creatures, not a billboard on the horizon, and no roads or modern developments. Once the sacred hunting grounds of Cherokee Indians, Pigeon Forge has evolved from wilderness land into a metropolis of tourism filled with exciting attractions, marathon shopping outlets, Smoky Mountain cabin retreats, Dolly Parton entertainment, mountain top weddings, country music and commerce, commerce, and more commerce.

Before bustling commerce filled the Parkway with businesses and billboards, Pigeon Forge was known as the “Lost State of Franklin”, located deep in Cherokee hunting territory. In 1781, Samuel Wear built a fort near Walden’s Creek. The Indians fought Samuel Wear for the territory, but the Treaty of Dumplin’ Creek opened the area to pioneer settlers after the Revolutionary War. Settlers from the Carolinas trekked the Great Indian Path over the Smoky Mountains in the late 1700’s and began to develop what we know as Pigeon Forge today.

An all-star cast that reads like a who’s who in the world of sports, entertainment and the great outdoors joins together to help Bass Pro Shops celebrate a spectacular Evening for Conservation, Tuesday, November 29th. NASCAR® driver Kerry Earnhardt, one of NFL’s top ten scorers of all time and former Tennessee Titans place kicker Al Del Greco, former Tennessee Titans great Frank Wycheck, former captain of the University of Tennessee football team, offensive tackle –All SEC Will Ofenheusle, TV celebrity Tina Wesson from the hit CBS show Survivor, The Australian Outback Tina Wesson, legendary fisherman and one of Tennessee’s favorite sons Bill Dance, America’s favorite fisherman and TV host Jimmy Houston, Bassmaster Classic qualifier Tim Horton, “Mr. Crappie” Wally Marshall, the University of Tennessee cheerleaders and character mascot “Smoky” are among the many celebrities attending.

"Duty, Honor, Country"... General Douglas MacArthur bestowed these sage words to the West Point graduating class of '62 as a description of what a good officer is to embody, what he is to be. Today is Veterans Day, and America has many many good officers and soldiers fighting a war far from here.

With the arrival of Winterfest and brisk autumn weather, the excitement of the holidays is beginning to buzz around town. The evening chill brings anticipation of another winter filled with seasonal parties, family fellowship, outdoor recreation, travel and celebration. A visit to Sevier County to tour the festive light displays can further put you in the holiday mood. Over five million brilliant lights glisten on the horizon each night in the cities of Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Gatlinburg, beckoning you to gaze and enjoy.

The light displays of Sevierville have been placed in the vicinity of a few streets, perfect for touring on foot or by vehicle. A highly suggested route begins on Bruce Street, passing through the historic district, circling the Fountain of Lights at the Sevierville Community Center, and ending with a stroll down the Winterfest Walking Trail.

It finally looks like fall in the Smoky Mountains! Now is the time to rent a cabin, pack your bags, and take a beautiful drive to east Tennessee! For Vol fans, the timing could not get any better. Take a drive or hike in the park to finish off homecoming weekend and look for great discounted accommodations due to the late arrival of the fall colors. With the recent turn in weather, the mid elevations are expected to be brilliant through this weekend, followed by more and more color appearing in the lower elevations as we enter next week. The park reports that colors are best between 2400 and 4500 feet with amazing shades of red, orange, yellow, and burgundy showing in every direction. A park volunteer even believes he has not seen color this remarkable in five years.

Pigeon Forge Winterfest has been named a “don’t-miss” event for 2006 by a committee of the American Bus Association; to be exact, they ranked the dazzling lights festival as one of the Top 100 Events in North America. This doesn’t surprise me at all. Each year Winterfest opens a world of fun, free things to do in Sevier County. The entire county gets involved, putting on the most impressive holiday festival in the state of Tennessee. There are attractions tailored for all ages, all different personalities. Anyone can find something fun to do or see!

It's here! The Pigeon Forge Winterfest celebration kick-off is this Thursday, November 3rd at 5:30 p.m. The evening will be filled with entertainers including Greenbriar and Louise Mandrell. Louise Mandrell will host the show, and she will partner with local Volunteer of the Year Bob Kolb to flip the switch, lighting up the brisk Pigeon Forge evening skyline with the city's display of over five million lights. After the light ceremony, trolley light tours begin, complimentary this night only. Rides are scheduled throughout the rest of Winterfest, with $5 admission. Call 865-429-7350 for more details.