September 2009 Archives

The fall breeze and the beautiful colors are upon us! With the temperature drop over the next week we will be seeing a definite color change in the Smoky Mountains!  This weekend would be a great time to go on a hike or picnic in the Smokies to enjoy the fall air and the beautiful changing leaves before it's too late!

The Smoky Mountains also made the list of "Top Ten Fall Foliage Destinations" by Sherman's Travel.  Read the article here.

This Sunday night at 6 p.m. East Tennessee Public Television will premier "East Tennessee Stories: The Land, Its People and the Great Smoky Mountains" and following at 8 p.m. will be a documentary titled, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" by Ken Burns.  The last installment, on October 2, of Burns' 12 hour series of the U.S. National Parks will focus on the Smokies and show clips from Knoxvillian Robert "Bob" Young, who fed a bear on his first trip to the Smokies.  Young tells about his love for the Smokies and the great memories he has of vacationing in the park as a child. 

Be sure to watch this Sunday night on PBS, it will be a very special night for all those who love the Smokies! Read the Full Story From Knox News

The peak time for fall colors in the Smokies is usually the first or second week in October, and it is looking to be around that same time this year. Currently, we are starting to see a slight color change in the higher elevations.  Also, with the amount of rain we have been recieving over the past week, the moisture may speed up the changing of the fall colors.  Stay tuned, we will keep you updated on the fall color progress throughout the season with weekly updates. 

Fall Colors in the Smokies

A Taste of Autumn will be held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center on September 24th.  This great event will benefit the United Way of Sevier County, and for only a $25 entry fee attendees can enjoy unlimited sampling from local restaurant vendors and live entertainment!  All the proceeds will go to the United Way Sevier County campaign!  There will also be a live auction to compliment the fundraising festivities. 

Make Your Reservations Now!

The Mountain Life Festival at the Mountain Farm Museum will be happening this weekend, September 19, from 10am to 4pm.  Since this year is the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the park, the event will highlight Appalachian folkways and pay tribute to the many families who lived on lands that would later become the National Park. The centerpiece of the event is the sorghum syrup demonstration, this will be much like the way they made the syrup a hundred or more years ago, using a horse-powered cane mill and a wood-fired cooker. 

Other activities will include hearth cooking, apple butter and apple cider making, blacksmithing, lye soap making, food preservation, broom making, quilting and chair bottoming.  Artifacts and historic photos will also be on display and bluegrass music will be the entertainment.

All activities are free and open to the public, the Mountain Farm Museum if located two miles north of Cherokee, NC.  For more information please call the visitor center at (828) 497-1904.    

Governor Phil Bredesen today announced that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will represent Tennessee as one of 56 new quarter-dollar coins honoring national sites. Beginning in 2010, the U.S. Mint will issue the quarters in accordance with the "America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008."

"This honor comes at the perfect time as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the park's dedication," said Bredesen in a press release. "An astounding 10 million visitors from all over the world enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains every year. Now millions more will get to share this significant piece of U.S. history whether they choose to spend it or add it to their coin collections."
Earlier this year, Bredesen submitted his preference of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to represent Tennessee. The coins will be issued from 2010 through 2022 in the order in which each site was first established as a national site. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter will be released in 2014.

The Veterans Day National Committee and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has designated Gatlinburg as an official Regional Site for the Observance of Veterans Day. This designation affiliates the Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration with National Veterans Day activities taking place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington Virginia.

The seventh annual Gatlinburg Veterans Day Celebration will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 on Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza. Activities will include a military aircraft flyover, patriotic music, recognition of veterans in attendance, remembrance of fallen comrades, and stirring words from notable veterans.