October 2006 Archives

Halloween is a festive time when people from all walks can go a little crazy with creative costumes, wild parties, intricate pumpkin carving contests, and candy, candy and more candy! Trick-or-treating is by no means the only fun thing to do at this time when excitement runs high and the chill in the air at dusk makes your spine tingle with thoughts of spooky adventures to be had. Here are some fun local Halloween events to participate in:

October 28: The Gatlinburg Recreation Department is hosting its annual free Halloween Carnival in Gatlinburg Community Center on Mills Road for children in pre-school through eighth grades. Kids can look forward to a costume contest, free food, games, face painting, and more. Call 865-436-4990 for more information.

October 28: The Sevierville Civic Center is the place to be at 7 p.m. for the frighteningly entertaining “Howl”oween Bash and Costume Ball! A night of chills and thrills with a $500 first place costume prize is set to benefit the Sevier County Humane Society. A $50 per person donation is requested to raise support for the local charity. The evening offers heavy hors d’ oeuvres, unlimited champagne, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages, live music, a silent auction, and costume contest. Contact Kris Spencer at 865-453-7000 for more information.

Leaf season has arrived, and the Great Smoky Mountain tree foliage has transformed from summer's lush greens into the dramatic red, orange, and yellows that characterize fall in the Smokies.

Some might wonder why do the leaves change, and what weather is best to bring about this autumn transformation? Well, the cool days of fall and evenings when temperatures are chilled, but not freezing is the best recipe for beautiful foliage. If daytime temperatures are too warm, the color intensity of the foliage suffers. Additionally, frost slows the production of anthocyanin, which turns the leaves a deep red color. Water and wind also play an important role in the perfect autumn foliage. Typically a wet spring and a less windy fall period create the best conditions for beautiful fall foliage that lasts through the season.

The Boyds Bears are hanging in there. Originally scheduled to be closed by the end of October, the Pigeon Forge Boyds’ Bear Country retail store will not close until after this year’s holiday season. The delayed closure is a welcome change to many fans and collectors of the Boyds Bears merchandise. Boyds Collection corporate offices have reportedly received “thousands” of phone calls from customers, leading to the decision to keep the store open through the holidays. The 115 employees to lose their jobs just before the holidays may now continue to work through the holiday season.