The hills are alive with the sound of music. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host its 4th annual Music of the Mountains festival on March 28. The festival will be held at Sugarlands Visitors Center and will showcase the evolution of mountain music over time.
There are six free concerts that will be held throughout the day. Performers include Tony Thomas, the Lost Mill String Band, Matt Morelock, Brian Vollmer, Bobby Fulcher, Boogertown Gap, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker. The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Sugarlands Visitors Centers Theater. Seating is limited to 160 people per concert and is on a first come, first served basis.
The festival will be followed by a special evening performance by Jimbo Whaley at the W.L. Mills Conference Center in Gatlinburg at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $25. Make sure to hold on to your ticket stub as there will be door prizes and other giveaways during the concert.
Jimbo Whaley is a well know bluegrass and gospel musician and singer from Sevier County. Whaley has played with notable bands such as Pine Mountain Railroad and Greenbrier.
The festival allows visitors to experience the rich traditions of mountain music.
Tags: Gatlinburg, Jimbo Whaley, Music of the Mountains Festival, Smoky Mountains
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Dollywood’s captivating Festival of Nations is back. This month long celebration features entertainment from around the world. The Festival of Nations has always been a hit with visitors to Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains and this year’s shows will not disappoint.
This year’s feature is the Le Grand Cirque as it presents Imagine. This spellbinding show by a cast of premier international performers features daring acrobats, clowns, jugglers, aerialists, high wire artists and much more. Make sure to check out this show with its lavish costumes, dynamic lighting, mesmerizing music and breathtaking feats.
The other new additions are the Czech Pilsen Brass Band, the Jennifer Roland Band, and Keona as well as crowd favorites like Calpulli Danza Mexicana, Daiava, the Royal Stiltwalkers of Merchtem Belgium and the Sambia Vocal Group.
Dollywood’s Festival of Nations will run from March 28 to April 27. To see a schedule of Dollywood’s operating dates and house, click here.
Tags: Dollywood, Festival of Nations, Pigeon Forge
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The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center has announced expanded hours for the coming tourist season. The Center will be open 7 days a week starting on April 5th. The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
The Heritage Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the history and culture of the Smoky Mountains and the Native Americans who inhabit East Tennessee. There are scores of exhibits that feature artifacts from early Native American life concerning hunting, pottery, ceremonies, medicine and more. Other curosities of the center showcase the daily life and culture of the pioneer settlers including a postal wagon, farming vehicles, a surrey, and freight wagon as well as eleven historic building on the center’s grounds.
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a great way to learn what life was like back in the early days before the park was incorporated in 1934. The cost of admission is Adults $6, Seniors $4, Children $4 and kids under 6 are free.
For more information, click here to visit their website.
Tags: Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Townsend
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Santa is coming back to the Smoky Mountains in the springtime. As part of the Celebrate Santa event, the city of Gatlinburg is hosting their First Annual Holly & Shamrock Parade. The event is expected to draw nearly 80,000 spectators to watch the fun.
The parade will features floats, wagons, giant helium balloons, high school bands, a pipe and drum corps, llamas, reindeer, an All-Santa Band and the award-winning Cyber Sleigh.
Santa’s tricked out Cyber Sleigh is definitively one of a kind and really lets Santa deliver toys in style. The sleigh has a 2500 watt stereo system, 4 amplifiers, 16 speakers, 3 jet engines that belch smoke, neon, rope and strobe lights. You won’t want to miss this amazing sleigh.
The Celebrate Santa event is a major convention for Santas to learn more about their craft. Classes will be offered on everything Santa from wardrobe techniques to how to be an effective Santa. There will also be a Holly and Shamrock Gala on March 17th that will include a silent auction that will benefit the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and Santa-America.org.
For more information on this event, please visit the Holly and Shamrock website.
Tags: Celebrate Santa, Gatlinburg, Holly and Shamrock Parade, Santa Claus
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The Southern Gospel Music FanFair is coming to town. After four years of holding this event in Chattanooga, board members felt that it was time for a change, and that Pigeon Forge is the ideal place to hold this event.
This six day long FanFare offers daily worship services at 10 a.m., daily matinees at 3 p.m. and daily concerts starting at 6 p.m. Concerts include The Goodwins, The Kingsmen, Terry Morgan, Crystal River and scores of other southern gospel performers.
On Thursday, there will be the Southern Gospel Music Fan awards to honor the legends and to recognize the favorites of the fans.
A talent search will take place on Saturday. This is a great opportunity for aspiring artists to gain exposure to music industry leaders, win prizes and share their talent with others.
The Southern Gospel Music FanFair takes place at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center and runs from March 16 to March 21st.
Tags: Pigeon Forge, Southern Gospel Music Fanfare
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