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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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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As I walked into my favorite hometown restaurant last Sunday, I quickly came to the realization that fall is upon us. In fact, I have found that in many restaurants and stores, the beginning of fall decorations- -changing leaves, scarecrows, cornucopias and the like- -have actually been completely skipped over in favor of cute kids’ costumes and black and orange Halloween decorations. I have even spotted the errant Christmas tree, tucked in a not-so-inconspicuous corner of the store! I am a consumer, and I am not fooled by this flit skip of the pure enjoyment of fall, in the absence

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Every year on September 11th, thousands of ceremonies and memorials are held all across the country for those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks and related attempts.  This year, on the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the City of Gatlinburg will be holding a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza. [caption id="attachment_700" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The Freedom Tower in NYC 8/20/11."][/caption] Beginning at 8:30AM on Sunday, this ceremony will be led by Ripley’s Entertainment Executive Terrylynn Battson. Battson’s son, Paul, was working at a building adjacent to the World Trade Centers

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The Smoky Mountains on almost any given night are going to give visitors to the area a beautiful sky gazing opportunity. The picturesque nature of the area allows for such sights to be taken in and enjoyed. On a few special nights of the year the sky becomes excessively clear and is perfect for star gazing activities. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society (SMAS) hosts events called Star Parties, which are open to any and all who are interested in taking part in absorbing the beautiful mountain night sky. The SMAS hosts start parties

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The Smoky Mountain region carries with it a rich heritage and culture. Likewise, the communities around the Smokies have helped establish the rustic, down-home atmosphere and mountain culture that hold strong throughout the region. Pigeon Forge is one such community, and with the upcoming Heritage Day event at the city's Old Mill landmark, this is one area that is showcasing some of the culture that has helped to make the Smokies such a unique place! This year the 8th annual Old Mill Heritage Day is set for September 24th. From 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening, there

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