Stop. What do you hear this very moment? Perhaps someone is talking in the next room, the kids are laughing, birds are chirping, a tree branch is brushing against the window, the dog is snoring, a storm is brewing, or a plane is flying overhead. Now, listen to what’s happening around you. Everything sounds more intense and in depth, right? Listening should never be taken for granted and always be appreciated. Sounds are surrounding the planet right now, webbing with each other to connect us all. Hence, the creation of World Listening Day in 2010.
Annually celebrated on July 18, this harkening holiday honors the work of R. Murray Schafer, a famous composer, music educator, and author who aided in the fundamental development of acoustic ecology in the 1970s. What’s acoustic ecology, you ask? In a nutshell, it’s the study of how human beings relate to the environment through sound — a link between us and our world. How should YOU celebrate? A grand place filled with live music, nature-centric notes, and belly laughs, book your cabin rental and come enjoy the sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains in celebration of World Listening Day!
2019 Theme: Listening With
“Listening with an awareness that all around you are other life-forms simultaneously listening and sensing with you – plant roots, owls, cicadas, voles – mutually intertwined within the web of vibrations which animate and surround our planet.” – Annea Lockwood (internationally acclaimed sound artist)
SOUNDS OF THE SMOKIES
Beautiful Bluegrass Beats in Town
With deep roots in the Great Smoky Mountains, bluegrass is a unique musical genre that will have your feet tapping and head bopping in no time. And live performances are the way to go! Groove and boogie to bluegrass beats and lend your ear to fascinating stories along the streets of Gatlinburg during Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales, an annual event featuring daily summer performances.
Sounds of Nature in the National Park
Cool breezes rustle the whispering leaves, critters scamper about in the brush, birds tweet in the treetops, streams trickle down rock formations, and the ground pats as you walk through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails abound here, and your ears will be tickled pink at all the intriguing sounds of nature.
Babbling Creeks & Rushing Rivers
Soothing to the heart and mind, the sound of water flowing softly or swiftly is peaceful and almost trance inducing. Browse the Old Mill district and head down to the water wheel on the Little Pigeon River, where you can dip your toes, cast a line, and listen to the water’s song. Or head to Cades Cove, where you can picnic between 2 babbling creeks: Abrams Creek and Green Branch.
Laughter at Comedy Shows
A lovely sound to be sure, laughter is catching and easy to come by at comedy shows in the Smokies. Root for your favorite family at the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud, slap your knees at The Comedy Barn Theater, bust a gut at the Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Dinner Show, or grin from ear to ear at the Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre.
Screams at Amusement Parks & Haunted Attractions
Prepare to scream (or giggle at others’ bouts of horror or amazement) at amusement parks and haunted attractions in the Smokies! Holler aboard adrenaline pumping roller coasters at Dollywood, shout to the heavens as you soar through the trees on the duel ziplines at Anakeesta, and screech in the creepy halls of the Mysterious Mansion or Ripley’s Haunted Adventure.
Chitter-chatter & Pitter-patter at the Cabin
A great place to chat and listen to a friend, your cabin rental in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg is a haven for sound! Songbirds serenade as you sip morning coffee on the deck, bacon sizzles on the stove in the fully equipped kitchen, scoreboards light up and beep as you take top spot on the arcade unit, kids splash in the private indoor pool, movies boom in the theater room, rocking chairs squeak as you sway with a glass of lemonade, the outdoor hot tub churns and bubbles, and your spouse snores in the king-size bed as you flip the pages in your favorite book series.
Flow in the rhythm of World Listening Day with a cabin rental in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, brimming with man-made and natural tunes to your ears’ and soul’s delight.