My favorite place to spend the winter is the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee! After succumbing to the cold winter air, the hospitality of a crackling fire and a kind smile warm both the body and spirit. And my family and I cannot get enough of the abundant light displays! But that’s not all that makes Gatlinburg great in the winter time! Here are a few events you may also find interesting: Trolley of Lights: For only $5.00, you can enjoy all the beautiful lights that Gatlinburg has to offer in a cozy Gatlinburg Trolley. November 9 – January 30,

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Haunted houses and ghost walks in Gatlinburg are a lot of fun for older kids and adults at Halloween. But if your crew includes a few tiny tots, you will probably need to find some activities that are a bit less frightening for young children. Luckily, there are lots of things to do for even the smallest ones of the family. Try some of these fun Halloween ideas that are sure to be a treat for all of your little ghosts and goblins while visiting the Smokies. Pumpkin Patches –Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite parts of Halloween. Even

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On the fourth weekend of each month, from April through December, the North Gatlinburg Merchants Association hosts A Walk on the North Side to encourage foot traffic and excitement on the north side of town. The upcoming event will occur on October 21st and 22nd between traffic lights 1 and 3 in Gatlinburg. This event, which features shopping, activities for kids, skill demonstrations and live entertainment, is free and open to the public. This is a great event for both locals and visitors. There will be food, games, music, art and much more. Here are just a few things you

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Fall is creeping in slowly but surely! Scorching days and still-hot nights are quickly melting away into cool afternoons and breezy evenings. It will soon be time for all things pumpkin (think bread, muffins, lattes and pie!), hot chocolate and changing leaves. There are few places as beautiful as the Great Smoky Mountains in the fall, and there are few places with as many awesome seasonal things to do. Corn mazes are a popular family activity during this time of year. They are an exciting challenge for the whole family, and a great way to get out and enjoy nature!

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If you come to Gatlinburg for the music, art, culture, shopping, or crafts, then you will want to spend some time at the 36th annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair. Voted into the top 20 events in the Southern U.S. by the Southeast Tourism Society, the Craftsmen’s Fair will offer an expansive blend of music and art from vendors both local and across the nation. The Gatlinburg Convention Center will be home to this splendid showcase from October 6th-23rd. Throughout the year, Gatlinburg plays host to a number of fairs, but this one is unique in that there will be artisans from

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Aside from Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love pumpkin carving, bags of candy, fake spider webs stretched across door frames, and all of the costumes, from the cute to the outrageous. But my favorite part of Halloween, the part that sends excited shivers down my spine, is the haunted houses. Each year, I spend hours planning out which haunts I will visit, thinking about how absolutely scared I will be running through each one, and deciding how I can ever-more-tightly hold on to the back of my husband’s t-shirt. One haunted house that I know I don’t want

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For the Halloween enthusiasts who crave the creepy and swoon for the scary, Gatlinburg’s Horror Weekend 2011 is the place to be on October 1st and 2nd. This weekend at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, fans of all things freaky can meet dozens of celebrities from their favorite horror films, check out vendors, participate in costume contests, and go to several themed parties. Stars from some of the best horror films will be on hand to sign autographs, take photos, and answer questions. Here are just a few of the celebrities who will be in attendance: Bill Moseley – The Devil’s

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Gatlinburg is a city with a deep and rich cultural history. German food and music are a big part of that. Because of this, Ober Gatlinburg celebrates each year with Bavarian style festivals during the entire month of October. Oktoberfest features traditional Bavarian food, music and beer, and is always a load of fun for visitors and locals alike. This year, Oktoberfest will be the 201st anniversary of the original festival held in Munich, Germany. Although the very first Oktoberfest was not actually a festival, but the wedding celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Bavaria, it

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So you are back for more? I told you this is great stuff! I already whet your appetite for the great fall events taking place in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In the Goings-on of Fall blog I told you about the Trolley of Lights, the colorful foliage, Veteran’s Day activities, and trout tournament…and there is still MORE! But I wouldn’t want to completely overwhelm you with all the fun to be had here, so here is a second list of great fall events in Gatlinburg, Tennessee: Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival: September 15 – October 31 the best harvest festival ever will be

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The Smoky Mountains are a beautiful and exciting place to visit any time of the year, but the beginning of fall is especially chock-full of great things to do. The air is cooling, the leaves are changing, and the water is chilly but invigorating. Bears, deer and other wildlife are active, making for fascinating sight-seeing. There is always plenty of food, music, arts and crafts, and at the end of September, the Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament will be making its 12th annual splash into Gatlinburg. This is a wonderful opportunity for father and son or for the whole family to

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