Appalachian Bear Fest promises to be a “Beary Good Time!”

 

Appalachian Bear Fest promises to be a “Beary Good Time!”  A good time is waiting for your entire family at the Appalachian Bear Rescue’s first “Appalachian Bear Fest” on Saturday, June 3, 2017 from 2pm-7pm at Trillium Cove Shops (121 Trillium Way) in Townsend, Tennessee. Admission to the event, concerts and parking are all free!

Entertainment will include Laurel Wright (from Maryville) of The Young Fables, and the musical talents of Eli Fox, Jared Hard, Chris Long, Lucy Rose George, Pacer Fisher and Joe Ferguson.
Local authors, Richard Way, Sonja Hill, and Mark and Fran Smith will be on hand to sign copies of their books, and area artists and artisans will offer unique hand-made merchandise for sale.

Kids will love the opportunity to meet Charles the famous pig, appearing at his first book signing event, and learn the amazing story of how he survived the Gatlinburg wildfires. Charles will be available for photos and kids can also take home a “hoofsigned” copy of his inspirational book of survival.

A bear den hike with Joey Holt begins at 9 a.m. You may pre-register for this event by visiting abrTN.org. Information on bears and other wildlife found in the Great Smokey Mountains will be available at booths manned by staff from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and Appalachian Bear Rescue.

Youngsters, ages 7-12, can earn a Junior Curator badge from ABR curators and take home an ABR ear-tagged cub by participating in one of two Junior Curator classes scheduled at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Pre-register for these classes (which requires a $20 donation to ABR cubs) by visiting abrTN.org.

A kids carnival will offer a variety of games for youngsters and adults can enjoy an antique tractor display.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and spend the afternoon and learn all the “bare facts” about bears while listening to great music and enjoying food provided by some of Knoxville’s finest food trucks.

Firefly Campout at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

Firefly Campout at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. A firefly campout is designed for youngsters whose early bedtimes might make it difficult for them to stay up late enough to see the amazing twinkling display of hundreds of synchronous fireflies which typically don’t appear until well after 8 p.m.

The event is the brainchild of the staff at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a nature and conservation school that has hosted the camp for the past three years. Education Director John Didiego said the event, designed for 4-9 year olds and their parents, offers the flexibility of one to three night stays, and the option of a parent remaining with the child at camp which is slated July 4-7 2017 . Only a few slots remain open on July 4, 2017.
The overnight camp for a child (ages 4-9) and one parent is $96 and each additional person is $48. For more info on the camp and a complete list of other Tremont child and adult programs, visit www.gssmit, or cll 865-448-6709.

Sevierville hosts 13th Annual Bloomin’ Barbecue and Bluegrass

Sevierville hosts 13th Annual Bloomin’ Barbecue and Bluegrass. Pack up the family and head to downtown Sevierville May 19-20 for the 13th annual Bloomin’ Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival. More than 50 barbecue teams from as far away as Nebraska, Florida, Ohio, Georgia and Virginia will vie for the winning trophy in this official Tennessee State Barbecue championship. A $15 ticket allows visitors to sample and vote for their favorite pulled pork in the People’s Choice Tasting Contest. Advance tickets are available by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 865-453-6411.

Come for the ‘cue and stay for world-class bluegrass headlined this year by 14-time Grammy-Award winner Ricky Skaggs who was also named Entertainer of the Year in 1985 by the Country Music Association. Admission to the event and all the concerts is free. A late night jam on Friday May 19th, scheduled from 10 p.m to 2 a.m. and presented by The Dixie Stampede, will be held at Courthouse Donuts in downtown Sevierville. Led by four-time National Banjo Champion Gary “Biscuit” Davis, the jam will provide bluegrass musicians a chance to “show their stuff.”
Special children’s events are also planned, and a Mountain Soul Competition will feature contestants (in two categories-13 and up and 12 and under) performing some of the more than 3,000 songs penned by Sevierville’s favorite daughter, Dolly Parton.

More than 37,000 visitors attended the last two festivals which was awarded the Grand Pinnacle Award in 2015 by the International Festival and Events.

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Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival on Thursday, May 11th!

Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival on Thursday, May 11th! No food is more comforting to a Southerner’s heart and stomach, than a heapin’ helpin’ of beans and hot cornbread. On Thursday, May 11, 2017 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. you can fill your tummy and warm your heart at the annual Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival presented by the Smokies’ beloved Bush Brothers & Company. The competition, which includes local businesses, restaurants, and caterers, will offer new ideas on preparing the best traditional and innovative beans and cornbread recipes. Bush’s Best beans are featured in all the dishes offered.

The Gatlinburg Beans& Cornbread Festival, named by Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event, will be held downtown Gatlinburg on the Parkway between traffic lights #3 and #8. Entrance to the festival is free; an unlimited sampling spoon can be purchased for $10. Entertainment for the festival will be provided by some of the musicians from the ever-popular Jody Medford and Cash Creek. The two have teamed up for the “Moonshine Angels Tour,” and are nominated for the ICMA Mainstream Group / Duo of the Year. Their new single and EP is called “The Hard Way.”

Join the City of Gatlinburg and Bush Beans & Company for a wonderful family event which celebrates the food, music, culture and heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian region. For more information, call the Gatlinburg CVB at 800-588-1817 or 800-430-4148.

If you would like to discover more about the special heritage and history of Bush Beans & Company in the Smoky Mountains at the Bush’s Visitor Center, General Store, and Cafe in nearby Chestnut Hill/Dandridge TN. Visit Bush’s Visitor Center for more information.

The Dolly Parade is Ready To Roll!

The Dolly Parade is ready to roll! For 32 years, Dolly Parton has returned to her beloved Smoky Mountains to ring in the spring season with her millions of fans. Each year, Dolly has delighted parade-goers with her amazing grand marshall float and a matching outfit. This event is always incredible and 2017 will be no exception. The parade will host over 100 participants as the American icon rides atop her new float with beautiful Mount LeConte as the backdrop. About 60,000 visitors will attend this special event. If you can’t make it in person you can still join the fun on Facebook!

The 32nd Annual Dolly Parade will begin at 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, May 5, 2017 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The parade route begins at traffic light #6 on the Parkway and travels to traffic light #3. This is expected to be biggest Dolly Parade ever and it should last about two hours!

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