Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a favorite of travelers for a number of reasons. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most beautiful and most visited parks in the world. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have more shows and family entertainment than you can fit into a week, and the outlet malls are close by and full of great deals. But one of the best parts of Gatlinburg, and the thing that keeps locals happy and visitors coming back for more, is the food. At the 15th annual Taste of Autumn, visitors and locals alike can keep both their stomachs and their hearts full, by giving back to the United Way of Sevier County, while enjoying all the delicious food that area vendors will be serving.
On Thursday, September 27, the Taste of Autumn will return to the Gatlinburg Convention Center to once again please guests with live music and plenty of food from participating restaurants. The $25 tickets can be purchased at www.uwosc.org or you can stop by Ripley’s Aquarium or Gatlinburg Welcome Centers on the Spur to pick some up. Children 7 years old and under get in free, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the United Way of Sevier County. You can also make table reservations, and a silent auction will be held to help raise even more money for the cause.
The Taste of Autumn will be a virtual culinary trip through Gatlinburg, allowing attendees to try a little bit of every taste that the city has to offer. Smoky Mountain Brewery, The Melting Pot, Calhoun’s and Mellow Mushroom are a few of the previous favorites at the event, and you can wash all that down with an ice cold Coca-Cola product from one of the Taste of Autumn’s regular sponsors. The Smoky Mountain Winery has also provided a variety of both red and white wines for the event in past years.
Of course, a day of food tasting wouldn’t be complete without live entertainment, so after you get your fill, you can sit back and relax. Karen Johns and Company is just one of the past acts that has kept the Taste of Autumn jazzy. Each year, along with a variety of music, around 20 different restaurants provide food for the day, so the Taste of Autumn is a great place to spend the day with your family (and your empty stomach), soaking up some of Gatlinburg’s best food and fun.