December 2009 Archives

Gatlinburg's New Years Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks - Gatlinburg welcomes the arrival of 2010 with a street party that begins around 11 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31. An estimated crowd of 40,000 revelers gather in the streets of downtown Gatlinburg. At the stroke of midnight, the sky will light up with a fireworks and music show.There will be a live DJ and this is said to be the "Best New Year's Eve Show in the South"  The event is free to the public and features music and party favors. See the excitement for yourself!  Ripley's 9th Annual New Year's Celebration - Guest will have the opportunity to explore the undersea world of the aquarium while they party with 10,000 exotic creatures, including 12 foot sharks. The New Year's Eve party will feature heavy hors d'oeuvres all evening, champagne toast, souvenir photo and the Gatlinburg fireworks at midnight. You can dance, eat and party throughout the aquarium form 9 until 1 a.m. Learn More...

PigeonForge.com would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas! We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday! If anyone is in the Pigeon Forge area and are looking for things to do this Christmas weekend, you are in the right place! There are plenty of open restaurants and shows on Christmas day!  2 of our favorites would be the Country Tonite Theatre and the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant which will both be open Christmas day. The Country Tonite Theatre has added an 8 P.M. show on Christmas Day called "Sounds of Christmas" that will be fantastic!  Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant will also be open on Christmas day serving up a traditional Christmas feast, but reservations are required, so make sure you do that first!  And who could forget Winterfest? Some of the most beautiful Christmas lights you'll see, and it doesn't cost a thing! Just take a nice drive through the city and enjoy!

Again, we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and if you are spending it in Pigeon Forge, we hope your Christmas with us will be all you have expected and more! If you are not spending it with us we sure hope you visit soon or plan your next vacation to Pigeon Forge! Merry Christmas!

We want to take the time to wish you all a merry christmas. Have a great holiday and a happy new year! Drive safely and enjoy time with your family.

Some of the different ways "Merry Christmas" is spoken around the world.

China = Sheng Tan Kuai Lob
Haiti = Joyeux Noël
India = Merry Christmas
Italian = Buon Natale
Korean = Sol tan ul chuka hamnidah
Lithuanian = Linksmu ventu Kaledu
Philippines = Maligayang Pasko
Puerto Rico = Feliz Navidad
Switzerland = Schone Weinachten
The Netherlands = Prettig kerstfeest en een gelukkig nieuwjaar
Thailand = Suk San Wan Christmas
South Africa = Re le lakaletsa mahlohonolo a Kerismese a matle
Scotland = Merry Christmas and Happy New Ye ar
Wales = Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
England = Merry Christmas
Swedish = God Jul
Finnish = Hyvää Joulua ja Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
Romanian = Crâciun Fericit si La Multi Ani
Russian = Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i s Novim Godom
Hungarian = Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket és Boldog Újévet
Malta = Il-Milied It-Tajjeb U Is-Sena T-Tajba
Vietnam = Giang Sinh Vui Ve
Danish = Gldelig Jul
French = Joyeux Noel
China = Sing Dan Fai Lo
Greek = Kala Xristougenna Kai Eytyxismeno to Neo Etos
Catalan = Bon Nadal I Feliç Any Nou

May God bless everyone!

Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge appeals to outdoorsmen and nature lovers, but its also a great event for children. The eight day event, scheduled for January 9-16, 2010, pays homage to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is the events 20th year and the activities are all absolutely free.

Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge appeals to outdoorsmen and nature lovers, but its also a great event for children. The eight day event, scheduled for January 9-16, 2010, pays homage to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is the events 20th year and the activities are all absolutely free.

New Year's Eve is right around the corner and we would love to spend it with you in Pigeon Forge! There are plenty of fun New Year's Eve festivities that everyone can enjoy. James Rogers will be in concert at the Music Road Hotel & Convention Center, 303 Henderson Chapel Road, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  The concert will start at 9:30 pm and there will be limited seating.  Concert info and tickets or call 1-800-429-7700.  There will also be a New Year's Eve Fireworks Show and Ball Drop in downtown Gatlinburg.  This will be at the Space Needle at traffic light #8.  There will be a live DJ and this is said to be the "Best New Year's Eve Show in the South" Call 1-800-568-4748 for more info.  Along with these great events you can find top of the line hotels, cabins and accommodations for your New Year's Eve celebration! We hope to ring in 2010 with you in Pigeon Forge!  

Looking for something to do in Pigeon Forge on Christmas day? Well you are in luck because Country Tonite Theater has added an 8 p.m. Christmas Day show.

The show will be a special presentation called "Sounds of Christmas," and will feature guest entertainers including ballroom dancers Norm and Heidi Lucky from Chicago. "Sounds of Christmas" will be hosted by Patty Waszak, who stars in her own morning variety show at Country Tonite. The show will also feature the "Rock 'n' Roll Crooner" Quentin Flagg from South Bend, Ind., and "Harmonica Mike" who performs regularly with the Country Tonite evening show.

If you have never been to the Smokies for Winterfest then make this the year to join us in our 20th Anniversary Celebration. Check out our calendar of events to help with your vacation planning.

Wannetta Johnson returns to the Smokies every December to bring the current Park Rangers a red poinsettia, as a symbol of her gratitude for those who pulled her son out of chest deep snow 35 years ago. 

Eric Johnson and Randy Laws, both Eagle Scouts, went into the park during Thanksgiving weekend 1974 to hike a stretch of the Appalachian Trail. They were stranded at the Tricorner Knob Shelter along the trail when a storm dumped several feet of snow and whipped up drifts approaching 5 feet. When the boys' parents discovered the storm had closed the Newfound Gap Road and prevented them from meeting the boys, they turned to park rangers to help find their sons.  Three days after they left for their hike they were rescued by a Chinook helicopter crew from Fort Campbell. The crew, along with rangers from the park, were able to hoist the boys into the hovering Chinook and whisk them to safety.

Every December 3 since, Eric Johnson's parents have visited park headquarters to deliver the finest Poinsettia plant that they could find to thank the rangers for their work. While Eric's dad, Harry Johnson, has passed away, his mother, Wannetta, continues the practice.

"Even though she recognizes that nobody involved in that 1974 rescue are still here, she still comes to thank the park for saving Eric and, symbolically, for saving hundreds of other lost and injured people since then," park officials said this week. "Rangers who were here for that rescue felt like it was no big deal, just part of the job. But to Wannetta it was huge."

The Pigeon Forge portion of Smoky Mountain Winterfest is on the current Top 100 Events in North America list as judged by the American Bus Association. They highlight the celebration of Winterfest's 20th year as a success story because it has transformed winter from the slowest season of the year into the second busiest. 

If you are not familiar with Winterfest, it is composed of spectacular light displays that illuminate the evening landscape of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in the four month-long holiday celebration of Winterfest.  From November 3, 2009 through February 28th, 2010 over five million lights shimmer at dusk throughout the Smoky Mountain town.  Each year Winterfest opens a world of fun with 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 and all different personalities.  Anyone can find something fun to do or see!

Some of the highlights of Winterfest include the city's trolley system who run narrated tours through Pigeon Forge in November and December.  After the holidays, Winterfest doesn't slow down! January and February there are two special events, Wilderness Wildlife Week, which salutes the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and SaddleUp!, a celebration of cowboy poetry and western music.     

The Clingmans Dome Road will be closed as the park transitions to its winter operating schedule. When the road opens back up next spring visitors will notice several changes and improvements to the road, parking area and restrooms.  In addition to road and parking improvements being undertaken as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, there are changes in the works for the restroom faclities.  Detailed information on the changes and improvements can be found on the Natonal Park Services Website.