January 2006 Archives

The city of Pigeon Forge will benefit the Sevier County United Way by sponsoring the thrillingly chilling "Polar Bear Plunge" at the outdoor pool of the Pigeon Forge Community Center on the second day of February.

The event opens at 4:30 and there will be hot chocolate and cider to warm chilled bodies along with fun games and prizes! Participants take the plunge at 5:30. To sponsor or participate, contact Roseann Stelzman or Tom Hollick at 865-429-7373.

Have you ever taken the plunge? Tell us about your experience!

Last week we asked our Pigeon Forge eNewsletter readers whether they prefer online vacation planning information or tangible brochures mailed directly to their residence. We are curious, what do you prefer?

Many readers noted that they love getting vacation planning information both online and in tangible brochures. Some people like all of the lovely pictures that brochures have to offer and some like to have the information at their fingertips to make the vacation anticipation more real.

Here are some responses we received from our eNewsletter readers:

Make the Great Smoky Mountains your natural playground this new year! The trails are itching to be hiked, the ground is hard with frost and the chilly weather is exhilarating on an afternoon trek through the mountains. Leave your work and problems behind, clear your head and revive your spirits in the great outdoors.

PigeonForge.com now offers even more Smoky Mountain information! Visit the Smoky Mountain pages at www.pigeonforge.com/smokymountains/smokymountains.asp to find a wide array of thrilling outdoor activities to satisfy your entertainment needs.

The Smoky Mountains are where it's at!

Have you made plans for romance on February 14th this year? PigeonForge.com is here to help! On January 31 and February 7, the two weeks before Valentine's Day, we will send you a special "Love Potion #9" e-Newsletter where you can find great Valentine's offers from 9 Smoky Mountain businesses with red-hot Valentine's activities.

Visit PigeonForge.com and sign up for the e-Newsletter today to get your very own "Love Potion #9"!

An enticing "Recipe for Love" that delivers libido stimulating effects for you and your Valentine will be featured as well. Read it to learn about some common aphrodisiacs and the history behind the holiday for lovers.

Don't sit at home this Valentine's Day; bring your love to the Smokies and delve into magical romance this year! What could be better than a romantic mountain getaway?

Head to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee this winter where the rates are low, the availability is high and the crowds have died down. But how do you go about picking the perfect cabin for your winter getaway? Here are a few tips to get you in the right direction.

For all golf enthusiasts, what could be better than playing a course on a crisp morning with the grand Smoky Mountains as your backdrop? Get lost in the fun of the sport and delight your senses while blue sky, mountains and the lime hue of endless golfing greens surround you.

Visit the Golf page on PigeonForge.com to view an array of choice courses in the Smoky Mountain area! With spring on the way, the courses will be in prime condition. Check out surrounding attractions to entertain family members who don’t share the passion for the game throughout the PigeonForge.com as well. Remember, there is something for everyone in the Smokies, and the area keeps growing with more new and exciting activities for all.

Take a family getaway, relax and play your days away in the Smokies!

Valentine's Day is just around the calendar, and already a little bit of amour has been budding among Pigeon Forge visitors. We asked our e-Newsletter audience what their "dream" Valentine celebration would include, and to say the least, we received some sizzlin' and sweet answers!

The PigeonForge.com Top 5 "dream" Valentine's Day celebrations are:

Recently a visitor emailed us asking for more information on guided hikes through the Smoky Mountains. We thought that was a wonderful question, and wanted to share the information with everyone!

The Smoky Mountain Hiking Club offers guided hikes each weekend. The leaders are different each time, but their contact numbers are always listed. Here are the hikes scheduled for the rest of January:

Sevier County is dedicating January 16th to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. The county-wide event begins with a processional at 11 a.m. from the Sevierville Community Center on Gary Wade Boulevard, ending at the Sevier County Courthouse Plaza. From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. a commemorative program will run on the front lawn of the Sevier County Courthouse.

The event is free to the public and will include guest speakers, poetic readings, musical expression in dance, church choir serenades and time for quiet reflection. Guest speakers are Alvarrene Bridgeforth, Loida Velasquez and U.S. National Park Service representative LaTonya Miller. The Reverend Carl Bragg will deliver the keynote address.

For more information on this event, contact Joseph McMahan at 865-453-4997.

Spring will soon break the chill of winter and begin a buzz of excitement as the earth rejuvenates after the winter lull. People will go outside more, and the dark nights won't be so long and imposing. Water lovers will be pleased to hear that in the next three months there will be at least five boat shows coming to the greater Knoxville area! One is coming as soon as this weekend. Here is a list of shows now scheduled:

~The Knoxville Boat Show: January 12-15. The Knoxville Expo Center will display all kinds of watercraft for boat lovers' viewing pleasure. The show opens today!

~The Fishing and Boat Show: January 19-22. This show offers the most fishing gear on display at the Jacob Building in Knoxville's Chilhowee Park.

~The Greater Tennessee Sportsman Show: January 26-29. A show for all outdoor enthusiasts, held in the Knoxville Expo Center.

~The Boat Show: February 2-5 and 9-12. This is perhaps the largest exhibition of watercraft, extending two weekends in February, held in the Knoxville Expo Center.

~Knoxville Boat and Sport Show: March 16-19. Held in the Knoxville Convention Center, this boat show always draws a crowd.

Come explore the wild Smoky Mountain wilderness at the 16 th Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week,™ January 7-15, 2006 . Headquartered in the Music Road Hotel & Convention center, there will be a full schedule of outdoor recreational activities that will unite visitors with the rustic beauty of nature in the Smokies. Nearly 100 mountain experts will guide guests on walks, hikes, seminars and lectures on topics ranging from Smoky Mountain history to plant and animal habituation. There will be many special events for children and families alike, with hikes through the Smokies ranging from serenely easy strolls to demanding, multi-mile voyages; topics vary according to the hike.

Nature is a wild, wild place! Come explore the rugged Smoky Mountain wilderness at the 16th Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week, January 7-15, 2006. Headquartered in the Music Road Hotel & Convention Center in the heart of Pigeon Forge, there will be a full schedule of outdoor recreational activities that will unite visitors with the rustic natural beauty of the Smokies.

The year 2006 is finally upon us and 'tis the season" for new beginnings, to throw off the old and herald new good things to come throughout the year. When you turn on the television, commercials for Weight Watchers, fresh bottled water, vitamins, healthy cereals and milk, exercise equipment, and many other self help sources bombard your mind from the screen, flashing the message, "You should resolve to be healthier this year!"

In the last issue of our weekly eNewsletter, we asked our readers what their New Year's resolutions were to see if they matched up with the messages the media and big businesses have been conveying. Yes, we did read that many Pigeon Forge vacationers resolve to be healthier this year; but more than that, we received some very noble responses from people who wish to help people around them and strengthen the benevolent ties Americans share.

Here are just a few 2006 New Year's Resolutions that readers sent us: