Monday, June 29, 2015

40th Annual Gatlinburg's Summer Craftsman's Fair

Gatlinburg Craftsman's Fair 

July 17-26

Art, crafts and music lovers can find over 180 booths featuring some of the nation's finest work.

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July 17 - 26, 2015 over 180 of the finest craftspeople from all over the United States demonstrate their skill, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale.

There's even free live country and bluegrass music at the event: Dennis Lee and Band and Tim Watson, "The Fiddle Man," will perform at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day. 



The fair is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except for Sunday, which is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission for adults is $7; children 12 and under are admitted free.

The Gatlinburg Convention Center is located at Traffic Light #8 in downtown Gatlinburg.

 Country, Gospel & Bluegrass Music Shows
12, 2 & 4 pm daily - 12 & 2 pm Sundays

 Featuring: Tim Watson "The Fiddle Man" 


& Dennis Lee  & Band 

If you missed the October craftsman's fair then summer is a great time to come and catch up on what you missed. call us today or visit our website to book your stay and make plans to attend. Hope to see you soon!  

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Gatlinburg's 40th Annual July 4th First Independence Day Parade in the Nation Celebration


First Independence Day Parade in the Nation

July 3rd at Midnight

Saluting the valiant men and women of our military services, this 40th annual showcase is the “First July Fourth Parade in the Nation!” Parade starts at the stroke of midnight to begin Independence Day. 


 The 40th annual Gatlinburg 4th of July Midnight Parade steps off at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2015 to the cheers of close to 80,000 spectators.  For 40 years, the Parade has honored our nation’s Military Veterans and other U.S. Military Heroes with this classic, small town American parade.

The First Independence Day Parade in the Nation has garnered national attention and award recognition for excellence in entertainment.  The Parade was recently named by National Geographic Traveler Magazine as a “Top Ten Parade to see in the US” and recognized by Livability.com as one of the “Five Best Fourth of July Celebrations in Smaller Cities.”  Additionally, the event has earned multiple Grand Pinnacle Awards by the International Festivals and Events Association.
It is gratifying that the parade has gained this kind of national attention, said Vicki Simms, Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director.  “The sheer volume of people that come to the parade, some year after year, is a testament to the entertainment value of this event. It is such an honor to be recognized nationally for 40 years of success.  We are very grateful for the hundreds of people who volunteer to make this happen each year.” 
The 129th Army Band from the Army National Guard Unit in Nashville will lead off the parade with more bands to follow; some coming from as far away as Minnesota and Maryland.  With entries from five states, the parade will also feature floats, giant balloons, entertainment, exotic cars, antique tractors and military vehicles. Leading up to the Midnight Parade on Friday, the 129th Army Band will perform patriotic concerts throughout the City. See the schedule below. 
Stretching more than a mile, the Parade route begins at traffic light #1A on East Parkway, turning south onto Parkway at traffic light #3 and traveling the length of downtown to traffic light #10 at Ski Mountain Road.  Parade goers are encouraged to arrive early on Friday, July 3 to find a place along the Parkway to watch the Midnight Parade.

The festivities continue at Noon on Saturday, July 4 with the annual River Raft Regatta, an unmanned floatables race beginning at Christ in the Smokies Bridge on River Road and ending at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Bridge.  Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. at Christ in the Smokies.  Prizes will be awarded.

The festivities will conclude at 10:00 p.m. when visitors will enjoy the spectacular 20-minute fireworks display in the heart of Gatlinburg. The best viewing will be the area around traffic lights #3 and #5.  The 129th Army Band will play prior to the fireworks in a free concert at 9:00 p.m. on the Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza.

In addition to the July 4th events, the streets of Gatlinburg are filled with Appalachian music from Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales every night through August 1.  The City offers free Parkway Trolley service, spanning the full length of the Parkway, daily through August 15.

Here is the schedule for the 129th Army Band.
Friday, July 3:
1:30 pm: The Village – 129th Army Bluegrass Band
2:30 pm: Traffic Light 3 Plaza – Major Rush
3:30 pm: Reagan Terrace – Arsenal of Fusion
5:00 pm: Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza – Nightfire

Saturday, July 4:
2:00 pm: Elks Plaza – Arsenal of Fusion
3:00 pm: Reagan Terrace – 129th Army Bluegrass Band
4:00 pm: The Village – Major Rush
9:00 pm: Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza – 129th Army Band

Do not miss out on this fun family Independence Celebration! Call us today or visit our website and come join us in this special event! We hope to see you here! 

Friday, June 12, 2015

Pigeon Forge July 4th 25th Annual Patriot Celebration

Celebrate July 4th in Pigeon Forge! Pigeon Forge’s 25th Annual Patriot Festival at Patriot Park has music, food, fun and fireworks and is completely free! The event begins at noon with vendors and the free Kids’ Karnival. Don’t forget your lawn chairs and picnic blankets to sit back and enjoy the day’s events.
Umbrellas and coolers are not allowed in the park.
Musical events begin at 1:30 p.m. Featured musical acts include:


Biblical Times Theater Singers – Biblical Times Theater in Pigeon Forge features an award winning cast of singers that perform a variety of southern gospel, hymns and worship songs.

Pigeon Forge Community Chorus – The Pigeon Forge Community Chorus is a volunteer choral group with members from Pigeon Forge and the surrounding areas. The chorus is under the direction of Mike Gwinn.

Mae Beth Harris – With a singing style often described as “organic country,” Mae Beth is a country singer from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee.

Departure: The Journey Tribute band – Departure is the country’s most respected Journey tribute band in the nation and has been together for the past 7 years and has been voted “Best Local Entertainer” by Gwinnett Magazine for 2011, 2012 and 2014.


At 8:00 pm, the headliner Diamond Rio will be taking the stage. The Grammy-award winning group Diamond Rio is behind top chart hits such as “Meet You in the Middle” (1991), “How Your Love Makes Me Feel (1997), “One More Day” (2001), “Beautiful Mess” (2002), “I Believe” (2003) and more. Diamond Rio has been named Vocal Group of the Year by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association and has sold more than 10 million albums.
The finale of celebration is the huge firework display, which will begin at 9:30 p.m. The firework display is synchronized to music and is a great way to end America’s Birthday Celebration. This event is free to the public.

Please make plans to join us in this wonderful celebration! Call today or visit our website and make your reservations to come visit with us! We look forward to seeing you very soon!