July 2006 Archives

They say that in the summertime, living is easy. That may be true when you’re vacationing in Pigeon Forge, TN, but there’s nothing easy about sweltering under a hot summer sun. Fortunately for visitors to Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains, there’s no shortage of ways to keep cool in spite of the soaring temperatures.

Dolly Parton. When you hear her name, what comes to mind? Music, movies, amusement park rides, parades, spectacular Christmas displays, fashion, sequins??

The truth is, Dolly is an American icon, extremely diverse in talent and entrepreneurial endeavors. Read all the details and, "All About Dolly", on the www.PigeonForge.com Dolly Parton page! If you are a huge fan, or if you have never experienced Dolly's creations, you can check out classic Dolly works (music, movies, and her book Coat of Many Colors), available for purchase on the Dolly page.

The last month has seen two incidents involving contact between black bears and humans in the Pigeon Forge area. In Gatlinburg, one individual was hospitalized after he was swatted by a mother bear defending her cubs. A second individual shot a bear to death on his porch after encountering a bear looking for food. Both incidents were preventable, and although neither resulted in serious injury, any encounter with a bear has the potential for grave consequences. The importance of being “Bear Aware” cannot be underemphasized for visitors and residents of the Pigeon Forge area.

Next Generation Ministries presents the 10th Annual Jesus Rally, a time where speakers, musicians, and any interested ears can gather and be encouraged by the gospel message. The rally begins July 12th and lasts through the 15th. Each evening programs run from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Riverbend Campground (just off the Parkway at traffic light #1) in Pigeon Forge.

The rally is free and everyone is welcome to attend! Listed below are the speakers scheduled for this year's event.

On July 7th and 8th, Cosby, Tennessee is the place to be for the Red, White & Bluegrass Celebration! Hosted by Treasures of Appalachia, the arts and crafts festival includes music, food, and the region's best artisans and crafters.

You will be able to learn about bandsaw lumber milling with Larry Lindsey of White Pine; Tony Holt of Del Rio will present a Smoky Mountain honey display complete with live bees; at 10:30 Saturday morning you can attend a hand-forged knife making demonstration by Len Landrum of Cosby; at 2 p.m. Friday and 12:30 and 3 p.m. Saturday Landrum will show visitors how to make copper roses by heat treating; a scrapbooking workshop will be held on Friday and Saturday ($2 fee); and the Red Cross Lakeway are a chapter will provide information on heat stroke and how to avoid heat-related injuries. River rafting equipment will also be on display for any curious water lovers!

The festival will be held on the grounds of Treasures of Appalachia, a non-profit art and craft gallery in Cosby, Tennessee. The address is 3892 Highway 321, located just north of the Jones Cove Road intersection. For more information, call 423-487-3111 Monday-Saturday.