Are you ready to speed up the fun on your summer Gatlinburg vacation? This year’s Gatlinburg event calendar is filled with exciting raft races, river runs and other fun activities for you and your family to participate in – or perhaps just spectate! Gatlinburg attractions are also speeding up the excitement with go-kart tracks, fun rides and more. So if you and your family have a need for speed during your Gatlinburg cabin vacation, check out these family-friendly and fun events!
River Raft Regatta – Celebrating the 4th of July in Gatlinburg is truly a blast, from the “Stand Here” Fireworks Show to the annual midnight parade; the small town celebrates in a big 
way. This year, the Independence Day celebration will showcase the increasingly competitive River Raft Regatta. Beginning at noon on the Christ in the Smokies Bridge on River Road, floatable objects will take to the river, racing downstream to see who can reach the finish line first. Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers in each category – Hand-Made Decorated, Floatable Object, Small Entry, Oldest Entry, Youngest Entry, Judges Choice and Ripley’s Believe It or Not Entry.
If you and your family aren’t creative or don’t have the time to enter your own floatable object, then take the time to visit the registration on the lawn of Christ in the Smokies. Fun and games galore will delight your children as prizes are given out and games are played. Beginning at 9AM, children can even have their picture taken with Sharkey from the Ripley’s Aquarium or Zeno, the Gatlinburg bear! Sponsored by the City of Gatlinburg and the Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains, this event will be fun for all!
Gatlinburg United Way Shark Race – On July 30, 2011 be at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza for this event, which will feature live music and entertainment, delicious food and lots of fun! Beginning at 3PM on the Christ in the Smokies Bridge, thousands of rubber sharks will be released into Little Pigeon River. Sharks can be purchased for $10 at the event, online, or at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. All proceeds go towards the United Way of Sevier County.
Perhaps everyone’s favorite part about the Gatlinburg United Way Shark Race is the prizes! The grand prize winner will receive a 5-day Carnival Western Caribbean all-inclusive cruise, truly a luxurious getaway that everyone needs! Additional prizes are to be awarded to the runner-ups, including a $1,000 dollar gas card, an iPad, a 6-night stay in a Gatlinburg cabin and amusement packages for the attractions in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. So if you’re in Gatlinburg on July 30, 2011 come out and have a blast – thousands of sharks in the Little Pigeon River is definitely a sight worth seeing!