Smokies Blog

We here at Smokies Blog hope that you had had a fantastic Christmas holiday! We got a couple of new tidbits for the new year that you may be interested in!

Wilderness Wildlife Week will be held from January 8th to 15th for the 21st year.  Held at the Music Road Hotel, this has a a wide range of different panels, classes and hikes relating to wildlife that is sure to appeal to everyone of all ages. Visit their site for more information!

On February 3 – 4, the Country Tonite Theater will be hosting the Smoky Mountain Gospel Jubilee, an entertaining gospel event! For more information call 1-800-792-4308 or visit countrytonitepf.com

If you’re thinking of getting some snow action at the height of the winter season, look not further than Ober Gatlinburg. From February 1 to the 25th (Non-Holidays), they will be doing Night Magic Skiing from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Details are scarce on what this involves, so if you’re interested in unique ski opportunities, call (865) 436-5423 for more information.

Only a couple more days until we head into the futuristic year of 2011! We’ll catch you on the flipside!

4 More days until Christmas! Before you know it, New Year Celebrations will be over with too and what will happen then? You might be bored. Fear not the boredom, for the Smokies will keep you entertained well into 2011 and beyond!

You’ve driven through all the lights in town? No problem. For the second year, Christmas Wonderland will be happening  at the Smokies Stadium on January 1st to the 3rd. This synchronized LED light show will be guaranteed to entertain kids both young and old. The attraction itself is nearly one mile! Call the smokies stadium for more info on this spectacle. Keep in mind that fees will apply per vehicle.

Also, not to be outdone by their own event, the Titanic Museum will be doing a FREE ice carving competition on January the 22. From 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  You can view the sculptures, talk with carvers/artists, see the works in progress and maybe do all three at once! Call the number 800-381-7670 for more information on this intriguing event!

Want some more? Well, we’re finding them! Keep your eyes peeled right here for now, 2011 and beyond!

Christmas time is ever-so-rapidly approaching! I still have a lot of shopping to do for family, as I’m sure you have your own preparations to get to. Why not plan to spend some time with them in smokies, with the snow clinging to the mountains in a glorious scene? Here’s some ideas to help jumpstart a potential good time!

If you haven’t seen the lights in Pigeon Forge and are itching to do so, there’s several ways to do it. Sure you can go by car and enjoy it on your own, but you can still take a trolley ride until the 14th of January! Call (865) 453-6444 for times and more information.

There’s loads of theaters doing annual Christmas shows, too! Black Bear Jamboree, Tennessee Shindig, Country Tonight, Dixie Stampede and the Comedy Barn all have festive happenings for the whole family! It’s a wide variety of entertainment to choose from that only happens once a year.

New Year’s Eve is always a time of celebration everywhere, but what better way to be spend it than in the throngs of Gatlinburg? The Space Needle is planning on having a kicking party and you’re invited! From the Pigeon Forge Calendar:

“New Years Eve Ball Drop at the Space Needle – Don’t miss out on our New Year’s Eve street party. Come bring in the New Year with thousands at Gatlinburg’s New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and Pyrotechnics Show! Celebrate and mingle with partygoers while watching the lighted ball drop bring in the New Year. This event continues to grow each year with a live band and an exciting pyrotechnic fireworks show planned right after the ball drop at midnight. Cost of admission to this event-FREE!”

If you’ve been through Pigeon Forge during the holiday season this year, you may have noticed some extra excitement happening over in the area of the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge. That’s because every Friday and Saturday night they’ve been introducing real snow as a part of their “Christmas in a Winter Wonderland” exhibit at the Titanic itself! Using equipment also found at major parks like Disney’s Magic Kingdom, they’re going to make real falling snow appear no matter the circumstances anywhere else in the smokies. They’ve also invested some time in lights and trees to brighten up one’s holiday cheer. Even with the holiday cheer all around, this will be hard to miss!

Check the Titanic Pigeon Forge site for more information regarding their festivities!

The lights are on, but the party starts now! Winterfest will begin with celebrations this afternoon! Expect big crowds for the ceremony, but this year there should be plenty of parking. If you can’t park at Patriot Park, there will be overflow parking at the “Belle Island” parking lot up the street, which Pigeon Forge now uses for overflow. A trolley service will be running all night to take people to and fro there cars. So if you seem daunted by crowds, then you shouldn’t have to worry that much about finding a parking space.

Happy winter, everyone!