National Park Rangers Offer 2 Guided Hikes on Black Friday in the Smokies! #OptOutside on Nov. 25th

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is celebrating Black Friday #OptOutside on November 25, 2016 with 2 Hikes led by Park Rangers. Visitors to the national park in Tennessee and North Carolina have an opportunity to enjoy an autumn hike and explore the Smoky’s fascinating history.

This time of year, when trees are shedding their leaves, you can really see some amazing artifacts in the forest like stone walls, chimneys, and foundations from early settlers’ homes. Each of the free, guided hikes begins at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 25, 2016.

“The Thanksgiving holiday weekend offers a perfect opportunity for people to build memories with friends and family along a trail,” said GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Take some time to enjoy the serenity of these special mountains to recharge on your own or to reconnect with your loved ones.”

Since the weather can be quite unpredictable in autumn in the Smokies, remember to dress in layers, bring a rain coat or poncho, and wear sturdy shoes. Park Rangers recommend that hike participants bring a sack lunch, snacks and plenty of water for either of these adventures:

Smokemont History Hike near Cherokee, NC
Meet at Smokemont Baptist Church Parking Area @ 10:00 am*

Join a Park Ranger for a visit to the historic Smokemont Baptist Church before you begin a walk along a bit of the Oconaluftee Turnpike, once an 1830’s wagon road over the mountains used by troops during the American Civil War. The walk includes a stop at the Bradley Cemetary. Learn more about Smokemont’s rich history of farming and commericial logging in the days before the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with photographs and stories during this free, guided tour.

*The Smokemont Baptist Church is near the entrance to Smokemont Campground which is located on Newfound Gap Road 3 miles north of Oconaluftee Visitor Center and 5 miles north of Cherokee, NC.  Turn at the sign for Smokemont Campground. The parking area is on the right after crossing the bridge.

Old Sugarlands Trail near Gatlinburg, TN
Meet at Sugarlands Visitor Center @ 10:00 am
4.5 miles round-trip (approximately 4 hours)
Join a Park Ranger for an out-and-back hike on Old Sugarlands Trail which meanders through the once bustling Sugarlands Community, so named for the abundance of Sugar Maple trees that once grew there. Hikers will pass an old rock quarry that was used to build the first paved roads through the mountains. You’ll also get to explore the ruins of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp while enjoying the natural wonders of these historic mountains.


For more information on other great ranger-led hikes and programs, visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These guided hikes may be cancelled due to inclement weather; please call 865-436-1200.

6th Annual Santa Hustle 5K and Half Marathon in Sevierville on December 11th!

Lace up your shoes and get ready for the 6th Annual Santa Hustle 5K and Half Marathon in Sevierville on December 11, 2016 at 7:30 a.m. The run/walk will begin and end at Wilderness at the Smokies Resort and Waterpark.

All along the race course, runners and walkers will enjoy holiday music, candy and cookies, and a couple of surprises too! Each participant receives a Santa Hat and Beard, a lightweight performance hoodie, and finisher medal. Awards and medals will also be given to the top three finishers male and female in each age group. The overall top three finishers will also recognized. After the race, guests are treated to a fun post-race celebration. Registration for the 5K is $50 per person; registration for the half marathon at $70 per person.

Be sure to bring an unwrapped toy to the event since the United States Marines will be there collecting for “Toys for Tots.” The 2016 Santa Hustle Smokies has also partnered with local non-profit Keep Sevier Beautiful for proceeds from this year’s event to benefit the local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.

For more information and to register online, visit Santa Hustle Smokies.

National Parks Quilt Exhibit at Arrowmont through January 14 | See Over 25 Stunning Art Quilts!

Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Gatlinburg is hosting a juried exhibition of fiber arts that highlights stewardship of America’s National Parks. Visitors can view Piecing Together a Changing Planet through January 14, 2017 at the Sandra J. Blain Gallery at the school. The exhibition features over 25  Stunning Art Quilts featuring the natural beauty of America’s National Parks.

As part of the National Park Service’s Centennial Celebration this year, Piecing Together a Changing Planet quilt exhibition has traveled to nine other national park venues to share the message of climate change awareness. The project is a collaboration between Biscayne National Park and Studio Art Quilt Associates Florida chapter.

All of the quilts were made by members of the association to create awareness of the fragility and beauty of our natural environments due to climate change. These beautifully designed, intricate works are art are sure to inspire! Be sure to see the art quilt with lovely Pink Lady Slipper orchids found in the forests of Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

There will also be quilts on display from Arrowmont’s permanent collection of almost a thousand works of art. These quilts have been created by past students and instructors and share the history of arts and crafts in America.

Gallery hours are from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. For more information on upcoming classes and programs, visit Arrowmont.org or call 436-5860. Be sure to check out Studio Art Quilt Associates on Facebook!

Yama-Con 2016 in Pigeon Forge December 2-4! Gamers and Geeks Unite!

Yama-Con 2016 in Pigeon Forge is almost here! Mark your calendar for December 2-4, 2016 and head to the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! Get your cosplay on and show the Smokies what you love about Manga and Anime!

With a slew of celebrity voice actors, musicians and authors, Yama-Con 2016 just gets bigger and better each year! A few of the celebrity guests are Johnny Yong Bosh and his band Eyeshine, Charlet Chung, Kyle Hebert, and David Vincent who are well-known for their voice work. You’ll also meet artists such as Dan Parsons, Scott and Callie West and the Chalk Twins: Lexi and Devon.

The Yama-Con 2016 Cosplay Contest has only 90 slots for entries, so guests are asked to arrive early for pre-judging to guarantee your spot in the contest. Awards will be given for Best in Show, Best Group, Best Prop, Most Accurate, Most in Character, Craftsmenship, Best Youth (12 and under) and Judge’s Pick. No costume will receive two awards.

Be sure to visit the Silent Auction benefiting one of our favorite local charities Pets Without Parents. The auction raised $2,800 for the local “no-kill” animal shelter last year and they hope to beat that amount in 2016 with lots of great items from dealers and artists!

Oh, the guilty pleasures of Disney Karaoke…and then there’s gaming, lots of gaming. No matter if you love role playing games or classic arcade video games. The adrenaline junkie in you will have your passion fulfilled. There’s also an Anime Music Video (AMV) Contest to be judged by convention attendees.

For the over 18 crowd, Yama-Con 2016 presents Senpai Central at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center at the Ramada Inn South in Pigeon Forge. Cosplay After Dark let’s you strut your stuff on stage. Senpai Speed Dating and Friends gives you the opportunity to meet your cosplay dream guy or girl. And the Freaks & Cheeks Burlesque and Variety Review features nerdy, geeky, and pop culture acts you’ll have to see to believe. It is the perfect way to wrap a great event. Senpai Central requires advance reservations which can be made at yamacon.adultprogramming@gmail.com.

Check out HeySmokies video of last year’s Yama-Con at LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge!

For more information on tickets and for a complete schedule of events, visit Yamacon.org.

CANCELLED! Titanic Museum’s Annual Thanksgiving Fireworks Spectacular and Steampunk Parade!

CANCELLED DUE TO EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS – It’s the Titanic Museum Attraction’s 4th Annual Thanksgiving Fireworks Spectacular and this year guests will be treated to a fun and fanciful Steampunk Parade led by Titanic’s own Fantasy Princess! It all begins at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 24, 2016. Go early though and enjoy all the holiday sights and sounds of this magical museum full of amazing stories!

You are familiar with fireworks, right? And you’re probably familiar with Steampunk too even if you don’t know exactly what it is. Think “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” or Scorsese’s film “Hugo” from 2011. That’s Steampunk. It’s a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy that often combines 19th Century British Victorian history, when steam-powered mechanics was exciting and new, with science fiction/fantasy. (There’s also the whole Steampunk thing with the American Wild West, but that’s for another day.)

Titanic was considered the “ultimate steam machine” in 1912 and today she is regarded as an iconic symbol of Steampunk culture. So get ready to enjoy a fabulous parade of fanciful Steampunk revelers on Thanksgiving evening at Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge!

Make plans to arrive early and tour the museum as it’s beatifully decorated for the holiday season. Titanic Museum will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. For ticket prices and more information, visit Titanic Museum Attraction or call 800-381-7670.