Top 10 FREE Things To Do In Gatlinburg

Check out our list of these Top 10 FREE things to do in Gatlinburg (but there are many more!).

1. Walk on the Parkway where you'll find more than 200 unique shops, dozens of restaurants and attractions for all ages.


2. Stroll along River Road that runs along Little Pigeon River one block off the Parkway.


3. Jump in your car and explore a collection of historical sites on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.


4. Drive to Greenbrier for tubing, swimming, hiking, sunbathing, wildlife watching, a nature hike or mountain biking.


5. Visit Sugarlands Visitor Center located at Great Smoky Mountain National Park's main northern entrance two miles south of Gatlinburg.


6. Enjoy Cades Cove, a western valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park where historical cabins, farmhouses and churches are maintained.


7. See Gatlinburg from a bird's eye view from the two overlooks in the National Park.


8. Indulge in a little culture as you browse the galleries of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.


9. Take a trolley (the brand new all-day Trolley Pass is only $2.00!) or your car and visit the eight-mile loop of the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community.


10. Stroll the Parkway and take in the free and fun collection of personalities and performers at Gatlinburg's 3rd annual Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales™.

August 16 & 17, 2008 - Dolly Parton brings her 2008 "Backwoods Barbie World Tour" to her Dollywood theme park

Dolly Parton brings her 2008 Backwoods Barbie World Tour to her Dollywood theme park on Aug. 16 (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and 17 (2 p.m.) with three concerts to benefit her Imagination Library program. Tickets are available ONLINE ONLY on the Dollywood website. (No mail or phone orders accepted.) Limit 6 tickets per person.

Tickets for all three concerts are on sale now exclusively to Dollywood season passholders.

Remaining tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Monday, June 23.

Ticket Prices: $35, $60 and $75*

Click here for MORE INFORMATION!

*$30 of each ticket purchased is tax deductible.

Dollywood Hosts Thrills in the Hills Event June 6-8

First-time event welcomes coaster enthusiasts from across the country.

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Roller coaster fans from across the country will converge on Dollywood this weekend for the theme park’s first-time Thrills in the Hills event set for June 6-8.

“Thrills in the Hills is a much-anticipated opportunity to see some very unique rides from a really up-close perspective that isn’t ordinarily available,” said Matthew Lambert, American Coaster Enthusiast member, “but everyone is really looking forward to enjoying the warm Southern hospitality that Dollywood is known for.”

Approximately 70 attendees will enjoy exclusive ride time and behind-the-scenes tours of the park’s coasters, including Thunderhead, twice named the best wooden coaster in the world by the Golden Tickets Awards, and Mystery Mine, Theme Park Insider’s 2007 best new themed attraction, as well as the Tennessee Tornado and Blazing Fury.


Participants also will see two of Dollywood’s award-winning stage shows—the 2006 international Heartbeat Award winner Dreamland Drive-In and the 2007 winner, The Great American Country Show. The weekend’s itinerary also offers opportunities to visit Dollywood’s Splash Country and Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede dinner attraction.

“It’s an honor for Dollywood to host Thrills in the Hills and showcase all that our properties have to offer,” said Pete Owens, Dollywood Public Relations Manager. “We hope Thrills in the Hills is the first of many events of this type.”

Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open nine months a year (March 21, 2008-Jan. 3, 2009), Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.

Dollywood's new season opens new Timber Canyon River Battle ride, walkway & shows!

A 750-foot walkway connects Craftsman's Valley to the Timber Canyon River Battle, a $5 million ride located in the park's new Wilderness Pass arean Expansion to the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, where a new gallery for bird viewing has been added

See Press Release

The new River Battle will have a ride capacity of 800 passengers an hour, armed with powerful soaker guns. Nine rafts holding eight passengers each follow a 500-foot channel.

"When I was a kid, me and my brothers and sisters used to sneak away and start a river battle of our own, but I never dreamed that kind of childhood fun would end up creating a great ride like my new River Battle," Dolly Parton said in a statement.

With soaker guns, passengers will be able to take aim at each other and more than 100 targets that include talking skunks, otters and bears. Watch out, as some targets will shoot back. Riders may also shoot water at observers, part of the park's ongoing effort to bring families together, according to Owens.

Click here for full story.

Dollywood Christmas 2007 - Be SURE To Take Your Camera!

Enjoy a family holiday like no other with a heartwarming lineup of Christmas shows, holiday foods, and thrilling rides. Make this a Smoky Mountain Christmas you and your family won’t soon forget!

We go every year and ALWAYS find something NEW! This year we particularly enjoyed the Appalachian Christmans show at the Back Porch Theatre. As ususal, I took along my tiny Kodak V570 digital camera to record a few memories in stills and short videos.

I took all of the photos below "hand held" as I did not want to be burdoned with carrying lots of "stuff" if we went on any rides. If YOU want to take photos there, be sure to learn the basics about your camera before you start shooting.

My Best PhotoTip: Turn OFF your flash . . .and raise the ISO (Film Speed) to 400. There's almost always enough stage lighting to get a decent shot with available light. AND the photos will look more natural than the typical flash shot.

A little girl looks for an angel; three shepherds follow a star. They all find their way to the heart of “The Christmas Story.” 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007. This is in an open air pavillion and it's easy to get up close for a nice picture.

Again . . .adjust your camera settings. Here we actually lowered the ISO (film speed) so that we didn't freeze the water coming off the old mill.

Celebrate an acoustic Christmas at the Back Porch Theatre with Appalachian Christmas. Let the beautiful sound of the music take you back to a simpler time. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

The Robert F. Thomas Chapel hosts worship services at 5:30 p.m. each Sunday throughout Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. 2007 Season Dates: November 10 - December 30, 2007

For more Dollywood Christmas photos (2006) - Click here!

Pigeon Forge Music Scene Expands With Addition of Dick Clark's American Bandstand Music Complex

Pigeon Forge, already home to almost 20 shows in more than a dozen theaters, has a major new entertainment venue with a name inseparably linked to American music, Dick Clark.

The multi-faceted Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Music Complex is in development, and its first venture is an outdoor concert series. The Dick Clark's Bandstand attraction has been a major hit this summer in Pigeon Forge. Artists for the series include Crystal Gayle (June 23), Diamond Rio (July 6), America (July 11), Tony Orlando (June 29, July 18-19), Creedence Clearwater Revival (July 22), Little Anthony & the Imperials (July 27), “Weird Al” Yankovic (Aug. 2), Air Supply (Aug. 17) and Chubby Checker (Aug. 31).

Performances are being held in a 3,900-seat outdoor venue being created at what originally was the Boyds Bear Country building (149 Cates Lane at the south end of Pigeon Forge). Riptide Entertainment bought the 130,000-square-foot, five-story, barn-shaped building in May.

More than 20 dates have been set and many more artists are to be scheduled. Tickets will range from $19.95 to $49 (children age 11 and younger starting at $10.99). Concert tickets will be available through 1-800-933-3066 and online at http://www.bandstandtickets.com/ .

The concert series is just the start of the building’s redevelopment. The building will house the theater’s box office, the Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Grill and a collection of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia.

Also discover the new American Bandstand Grill and enjoy a unique selection of everyone’s favorite All American foods. From the best hotdogs and hamburgers to fresh salads, wraps and speciality items, you will find a variety of lunch and dinner selections that will please everyone in your family.

Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountains , Pigeon Forge

June 8th Marks The Start of Gatlinburg’s Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales

Gatlinburg's Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales™ the city’s newest summer-long street performance event featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying time periods as far back as 1800, will begin in downtown Gatlinburg on June 8.

The 84-day event will run through September 3. A collection of personalities and performers arrive nightly at 5:30 p.m. via horse-drawn wagon in the center of town. Visitors witness a magical transformation of sidewalk to stage as the characters disperse along the downtown Parkway for an evening of entertainment and storytelling until 10:00 p.m.

Fifteen to 20 nightly acts involve the audience as they each perform in simultaneous 15-minute productions throughout the evening.

"We’ve used one of Gatlinburg’s greatest assets - the walkability of the community – to create an interactive special event that everyone in the family can enjoy,” said David Perella, executive director of the Gatlinburg Department of Tourism. “Multiple mini-performances come together to create a family-oriented entertainment experience that you won’t find anywhere else.”

Click here for details

Last of the Breed Concert - Smokies Stadium August 21, 2007

Smokies Stadium in Sevierville will be host to the "Last of the Breed Concert" featuring Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price on Tuesday, August 21.

Reserved and General Admission tickets for the concert will go on-sale at 9:00AM on Saturday, June 9, 2007 at the Stadium, all “Tickets Unlimited” outlet locations, by phone at 1-877-995-9961, locally at (865) 656-4444, or via the Internet at www.concertsinthesmokies.com.

Tickets for “Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price” presented by Smokies Stadium, will be $49.00 each plus service charges for reserved seats on the field and $40.00 plus service charges for reserved seats in the seating bowl (regular baseball seats). In addition, General Admission tickets will be available on the field behind the reserved seating areas (festival seating with no chairs) for $31.00 plus service charges. The stage will be set behind second base on the grass with on field-reserved seating located between the pitcher’s mound and the stage.

For the full Merle Haggard story, click here: FULL STORY

'Magic Beyond Belief' plans opening in Pigeon Forge

Grand Opening - First Week of May! The Fee/ Hedrick Family Entertainment Group is opening a new theater featuring a magic show. Co-owners David Fee and Jim Hedrick will open the 400-seat-theater titled "Magic Beyond Belief" starring Terry Evanswood.

For the past 10 years Evanswood has been the star of Country Tonite's morning "Grand Illusion Show Located in the former Ole Smoky Hoedown Theater at 2135 Parkway, the show will open Thursday with a grand opening during the first week in May.

Throughout the preview month, new acts will be added, including the highlight illusion of a white tiger appearing out of thin air before the audience's eyes. Renovations to the inside of the theater are complete. Renovations to the outside will continue during the next month.

"We will have an intimate magic experience at our new theater and we are thrilled to have Terry Evanswood join our company," said David Fee, co-owner of the theater. "Terry has wanted to have an evening show for a long time and we know it will be a huge success.""I perform like the audience is a group of friends," Evanswood said. "What sticks with people are the personal moments we create. I try to touch people's hearts in every performance."

The magician has been performing professionally since the age of 10. Originally from Chicago, he has appeared throughout the United States.

For Fee and Jim Hedrick, the theater's owners are realizing a magical dream too. "I used to be a professional magician," Fee said, "and my business partner, Jim Hedrick, used to be a professional juggler and we have always wanted to bring a magic show to Pigeon Forge."

Both Fee and Hedrick performed at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans and were featured entertainers on Carnival Cruise Lines for over nine years. Their roots go back to being performers at Magic World in Pigeon Forge. When they opened The Comedy Barn they were performers as well as co-owners.

Show times will be 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday with 2 p.m. matinees on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Call 428-5600 for reservations.

Gatlinburg , Pigeon Forge , Attractions

Sevierville announces Springfest events

Sevierville (TN) – Located within a day’s drive of over half the nation’s population, Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains will celebrate spring with great events during Smoky Mountain Springfest (March 14 through June 10) in Sevierville, Tenn.

Click here for the complete list of events.

Gatlinburg , Smoky Mountains , Pigeon Forge

Dolly Parton To Do Benefit Concert in the Smokies

Dolly Parton will perform a benefit concert with proceeds going to the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation. The foundation is the supporting organization that will be building the new Fort Sanders Sevier Medical and Cancer Center.

When: Sunday, May 20, 2007 - 7:30PM - Gates open at 6:00 PM
Where: Smokies Stadium
Ticket Information:$150.00 / $75.00 / $33.00 + service charge Reserved tickets will be available at the Stadium and all Tickets Unlimited locations. starting Feb. 8th at 9:00 AM or by calling Tickets Unlimited at (877) 995-9961 or www.ConcertsInTheSmokies.com.
Presented by: The Dr. Robert F.Thomas Foundation
Parking info:Event Parking will be at the Stadium for $5.00 per car. Carpooling is recommended. Doors open:6:00 PM

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