Upcoming Winter Events in the Smokies
With the holidays are behind us, that doesn’t mean you’ve run out of ways to have fun in the Smoky Mountains this winter. There are still plenty of fun-filled activities on the calendar for January and February. So pack your bags and get ready for some good times with friends and family this winter in the Smokies!
Special Olympics Tennessee Winter Games
January 31–February 2, 2016
Head to Ober Gatlinburg for the traditional Opening Ceremonies of the 31st Special Olympics Tennessee Winter Games from 6:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on January 31. The public is welcome to witness the March of Athletes, the Special Olympics Oath, a welcoming speech, and the presentation of the colors. The next morning at 9 a.m. will be the traditional lighting of the Special Olympics flame, and then let the games begin! More than 150 athletes with intellectual disabilities will compete in a variety of winter games, including Alpine skiing, snowboarding, and speed skating. You can find more information about Ober Gatlinburg here. For more information about the Special Olympics and this exciting Smoky Mountain event, visit the Special Olympics website.
The Back Porch Concert Series
Various Dates
Sugarlands Distilling Company in downtown Gatlinburg is home to some of the finest moonshine and whiskey you’ll find in the South. But besides quality products, they’re also offering FREE live music to visitors and guests of the Smoky Mountains. Their Back Porch Concert Series regularly features a variety of artists from all over the nation. A few of their shows coming up in January include:
- The Hooten Hallers (a blues, soul, and rock n’ roll group from Columbia, MO) on January 8, 2016, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Red Honey (featuring a rockin’ surfabilly sound out of the Western North Carolina mountains) on January 9, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Joe Fletcher (singer-songwriter out of East Nashville, TN) on January 15, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Andrew Leahey & the Homestead (American rock & roll band from Nashville, TN) on January 16, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
To read more about these artists and to see a full list of the concerts coming up, visit the Sugarlands Distilling Company’s “Happenings” page.
Saddle Up!
February 17–21, 2016
On Wednesday February 17, Saddle Up! in Pigeon Forge will kick off, celebrating the true spirit of the American West. For the 16th year in a row, Saddle Up! will feature cowboy and cowgirl entertainers, a chuck wagon cookoff, workshops, seminars, a cowboy dance, cowboy church, and more. This event’s wide variety of activities and entertainment will be held at multiple locations, including the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, the Pottery House Café and Grille at the Old Mill Square, and Mama’s Farmhouse. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased along with the Special Saddle Up! Concert Pass that includes all 3 concerts in the LeConte Center. For more information about this event, click here.
February Freeze 5K Run and Walk
February 20, 2016
If your New Year’s resolution was to get back into shape or lose a little weight, then let us help you by giving you a goal. The February Freeze 5K is a perfect opportunity to get you motivated for your resolution, and it’s the perfect event for beginners! You can run, walk/run, or walk only. In other words, you don’t have to be a marathoner to complete the course. The race begins at the Old Mill District in Pigeon Forge and takes you through the local streets and down the riverside greenway for beautiful scenery while you run. Be sure to register before February 15, 2016. The cost is $20, but that includes your official February Freeze 5K long-sleeve t-shirt. And all the money raised by this event will go to the Sevier County Government Relay for Life Team, which benefits the American Cancer Society. So join hundreds of other runners in Pigeon Forge this year to take care of your body and support cancer research for a healthier you in 2016!