Gatlinburg in the Great Smoky Mountains is a beautiful place all year long, but wintertime in Gatlinburg is an especially delightful season. Christmas lights are being hung, and people are bustling from store to store, wrapped in their scarves and mitts, preparing for the holidays. It’s the perfect time to cuddle up next to a crackling fire in a cozy cabin, or bundle up and enjoy a nice cup of…chili. Maybe you were thinking cocoa, but chili is so much more filling! And at the Winter Magic Kickoff and Chili Cook off in Gatlinburg, delicious, hearty chili is in no

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My favorite place to spend the winter is the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee! After succumbing to the cold winter air, the hospitality of a crackling fire and a kind smile warm both the body and spirit. And my family and I cannot get enough of the abundant light displays! But that’s not all that makes Gatlinburg great in the winter time! Here are a few events you may also find interesting: Trolley of Lights: For only $5.00, you can enjoy all the beautiful lights that Gatlinburg has to offer in a cozy Gatlinburg Trolley. November 9 – January 30,

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Haunted houses and ghost walks in Gatlinburg are a lot of fun for older kids and adults at Halloween. But if your crew includes a few tiny tots, you will probably need to find some activities that are a bit less frightening for young children. Luckily, there are lots of things to do for even the smallest ones of the family. Try some of these fun Halloween ideas that are sure to be a treat for all of your little ghosts and goblins while visiting the Smokies. Pumpkin Patches –Pumpkin carving is one of my favorite parts of Halloween. Even

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On the fourth weekend of each month, from April through December, the North Gatlinburg Merchants Association hosts A Walk on the North Side to encourage foot traffic and excitement on the north side of town. The upcoming event will occur on October 21st and 22nd between traffic lights 1 and 3 in Gatlinburg. This event, which features shopping, activities for kids, skill demonstrations and live entertainment, is free and open to the public. This is a great event for both locals and visitors. There will be food, games, music, art and much more. Here are just a few things you

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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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