If you’ve taken a trip to your local grocery store lately, you must know that Halloween is just around the corner! Aisles of delicious candy are stocked on shelves, pumpkins await carving and an array of scary costumes tempts everywhere you turn. Vacationing to the Smoky Mountains over Halloween? The city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee offers several scary haunts that are sure to thrill you and your family! Shocktober Located at the Gatlinburg Space Needle, the Iris Theater is proud to present you to Shrieks and Mind Freaks, a light-hearted look at the wonderful season of Halloween. The performance features Guy

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One of everyone's favorite time of year is just around the corner...the Tax Free Weekend spectacular! Throughout the state of Tennessee you can take advantage of this tax-free event, which includes purchases on clothing, school items, art supplies and computers. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are known for their shopping destinations and are definitely the place to be on Tax Free Weekend! Head over to Pigeon River Crossing and explore the items at their Sidewalk Sale. Enjoy discounted purchases on your family's favorite clothing items and still save the sales tax. The sales tax exemption applies to clothing and school items

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Independence Day is a very special time for the city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The Smoky Mountain town goes all-out to celebrate this holiday, kicking things off with the very first Fourth of July parade in the nation! If you're visiting Gatlinburg for this year's Independence Day celebration, you're in for quite the special treat! So what all is there to do in the Smoky Mountains on the Fourth of July? The options are endless, but we recommend starting off your patriotic activities by attending the very first Independence Day parade in the nation. For the 38th year in a row,

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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to dozens of species of animals and insects. In fact, there are at least 19 species of fireflies in the park alone. Photinus carolinus (synchronous fireflies) is one of those, and it is the only species in America that can sychronize flashing light patterns between individuals. As a part of their mating display over two weeks, typically peaking from late May to early June, the synchronous fireflies flash to make a beautiful display. The female fireflies typically stay in place, while the male fireflies move and flash to impress. The cause for

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Spring is a bright and beautiful time in the Smoky Mountains. Wildflowers are blooming, the air is warm and sweet, trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are lush and green and wildlife is stirring. The shops of downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are decorated with fresh flowers and spring décor, and the calendar is packed full of awesome events. No matter what you're traveling to the Smokies for – an anniversary, a family vacation, a church trip or a corporate retreat – there is something for everyone to do. Check out some of the upcoming events this spring:

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Within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are more than 800 miles of trails. From easy strolls to difficult climbs, there is a hike for every age and skill level. And with mild weather year-round, the park offers beautiful and unique views in every season. Winter offers unobstructed views, fall provides vivid colors in the changing leaves, and summer is warm and green. Now that spring is in full bloom, visitors can enjoy beautiful wildflowers, sunny days, cool nights, and calming mountain streams. Right now, a large variety of wildflowers is blooming in and around the park. Wildflowers are

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Every year, thousands of incredible cars (and of course, their owners) ride into Pigeon Forge for an impressive display of classics, buckets, roadsters, collectors, street machines and more. And as one of the largest collector car events in the country, the Smoky Mountain Spring Rod Run is something that both car enthusiasts and casual onlookers won't want to miss. Whether you spend your days drooling over classic cars or not, you will certainly be impressed with the amazing variety and work gathered in one place. The Parkway in Pigeon Forge is the stage for this production, while the Grand Resort

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It's the moment everyone has been waiting for - the official announcement of the winners of our 2013 Photo Contest! After receiving more than 1,200 entries, we narrowed the field down to 59, and now we are announcing the top five photos. We loved looking at all of the entries and would like to thank everyone who entered their picture in to our contest. From animal action shots to snowy Smoky Mountain mornings, children playing in the river and everything in between, we smiled, laughed and maybe even teared up as we looked at each and every one of your

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Easter is a time for egg hunts, bunnies, Peeps, woven baskets, pastel outfits, colorful jelly beans and chocolate. It is also a time for family, and Gatlinburg's Easter calendar is full of family-friendly events this year. From art and music to food and celebrations of faith, there is something for everyone. Featuring the unique work of members of the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, the Great Smoky Easter Arts and Crafts Show will be held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center March 28th through March 30th. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is the largest group of independent artisans

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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to one of the world's most biologically diverse ecosystems. The park is home to an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 species of wildflowers, trees, bears, deer, squirrels, salamanders, snakes, birds, fish, bats and more. Its diversity adds to its beauty, drawing millions of visitors each year. Along with the many species of plants and animals, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has dozens of streams and unique rock formations. Discover Life in America will be celebrating its efforts to catalog every living species in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a conference

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