Gatlinburg TN Area Information

Get wild at KidsFest this year at Dollywood! It will be held from June 12 until August 2. This family centered event happens every year. Many acts and shows will occur during KidsFest to further your child’s knowledge and maybe even your own. Get out to KidsFest this year to see what makes it so great! You might even run into Cas and Walker, Miss Penny and the Scarecrow, and/or Trapper and Baxter Bear the roaming characters of KidsFest while you’re out exploring the park. Stop and talk to the characters, take a picture or listen to their funny stories.

The highlight of KidsFest will be Chris and Martin Kratt of Zaboomafoo, the PBS show. These guys really know a lot about animals. They’ll bring along many of their animal friends to show off and talk about. They will have mammals as well as reptiles for you to get acquainted with. They’ll be doing many shows during KidsFest.

Another event for you to enjoy with your kids is the 4D Journey to the Center of the Earth adventure. Ride through while the professor (Brendan Fraser‘s character), his son, and their guide take you on a educational 4D ride to the center of the earth. Beware of “close calls” though! This is a journey to discover a lost world. It’s an indoor family fun ride that will have you thinking you’re really on the journey too!

Kamp KidsFest is another fun indoor event that will be at Dollywood’s Valley Exhibition Hall. This Kamp is full of animals that you can get up close and personal with. Handlers from the Knoxville Zoo will have many animals on hand for all guests to take a look at, pet, hold and inquire about. It’s an educational event that will be occurring throughout KidsFest. Take a look at Kamp KidsFest to learn about many different kinds of mammals, reptiles and bugs.

Wander over to the Train Depot in the Village while at KidsFest as well. Sandscapes will be displaying many three dimensional sand sculptures that have won awards 12 years in a row. They use 75 tons of sand for this display and will be creating many more right in front of your eyes. Sand castles aren’t just for the beach, they’re for Dollywood KidsFest too.

KidsFest is a great event for the kids. If you’ll be traveling to Pigeon Forge between June 12 and August 2 you should make a day trip over to Dollywood. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy KidsFest, you just need to be a kid at heart.

The annual Dumplin Valley June Fest will be held during the weekend of June 11 - 13. Kodak, which is very near Pigeon Forge TN, is where the bluegrass event and concert will be held. Dumplin Valley June Fest will play host to camping, games, and great bluegrass music. Don’t worry about camping equipment--this event is set up to handle RV’s. This is one event all bluegrass fans should consider attending.

There will fun from sun-up to sun-set at this years June Fest. Beside ballgames and dancing, you will hear some of the best bluegrass music around. Some performers include James King Band, Bluegrass Brothers, Josh Williams Band, Gibson Brothers, Jimbo Whaley and Greenbriar, Steep Canyon Rangers and Nothin Fancy. The best part about this event is they will happen rain or shine.

Ticket prices to this event varies. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased for individual days at rates ranging from $20 - $30 per day. However, you can purchase a weekend pass for $70 (this price is for tickets purchased in advanced). All ticket purchases must be made prior to June 1.

It is time again for the storytelling to begin! Pack your bags and head to Pigeon Forge Tennessee for the 18th annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival. The Smoky Mountains Storytelling Festival has been moved from its original date in early February to June 4-6. With a summer date the Storytelling Festival will become even more popular than it has in recent years. School is out for the summer so that means even more visitors of all ages will be enjoying a weekend of storytelling in Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

This year young storytellers will be joining some veteran storytellers for a weekend event that will inspire you. Back again for the celebration of the 18th Annual Smoky Mountains Storytelling Event will be the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. What does this mean? It means that storytellers from 17 years and younger will travel from all across the country and participate in this event to win the new title of Grand Torchbearer. These professional storytellers have a strong bond with the Appalachian Mountain area and will be available for your entertainment during special workshops. Some of these professional storytellers will also be performing their stories in concert.

Some of this year’s performers will include Donald Davis, Andy Irwin, Shelia Kay Adams, Jim Taylor, Kent Rollins, Elizabeth Ross and Doug & Todd Elliott. Also, back by popular demand is the Haunts ‘n’ Haints Tales which will feature nightly family (and kid) friendly ghost stories.

The cost for passes (not including Haunts ‘n’ Haints) will be as follows: $10.00 for 18 & up; 17 & under are free. Weekend passes are $25.00 and tickets for Haunts ‘n’ Haints will be $5.00 per person. With so many storytelling activities going on you do not want to miss any of the action. Start planning your family trip to Pigeon Forge Tennessee for this yearly event.

Are you for the North or the South? The Living History Civil War Reenactment is coming up again in Gatlinburg TN. Make sure you get out to Mills Park between June 19-21 to catch their version of what happened at the Battle of Burg Hill. It’s a great educational event and is very popular with tourists and locals alike. Get out to Mills Park for one on the reenactments and cheer on your side.

There are approximately 150 people who sign up to be soldiers in the reenactment. They are dressed true to the times in complete uniform and even use similar looking guns. The performers will act out the events that occurred during the “Battle of Burg Hill”. Listen for the battle cries, rifle shots, and script for an educational outlook on the history of Gatlinburg TN.

These guys put in a lot of effort to make this reenactment true to the time period. The 2 day show will give you a glimpse into the lives of the actual soldiers in the Battle of Burg Hill. If you’re a history lover or just want some entertainment this is a great show to watch.

Have you ever been to Gatlinburg TN during the Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales event? This year marks it’s 4th anniversary and it’s back again by popular demand! If you aren’t familiar with Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales then it’s a good time to become familiar with it. During June 12 - August 8 performers and singers will put on their costumes and take to the streets. They are taken into town around 5pm in horse drawn carriages and begin to tell their stories, singing, and performing for those along the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg TN.

From June 12 - June 26 they will perform every Friday and Saturday night. Starting June 26 they perform every night until it’s ending on August 8. They are dressed in costumes portraying the 1800’s. The way the performs are dressed and their stories will definitely grab your attention. The sidewalks become their stage.

Among the performers will be “The Back Porch Cloggers” and Whittlin’ Joe. Zeno the Gatlinburg Bear will also appear each night to meet and great everyone as they walk through downtown Gatlinburg TN. Performances will be interactive, educational, and entertaining!

If you walk through town during their performance time you’re sure to see and enjoy the actors. Each performer from Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales will put visitors in touch with Gatlinburg before it became a popular tourist town. The event is free!

For more information about our Gatlinburg cabins please call our office at 1-800-684-7865. Summer season is peak season and most of our cabins have already started to book. Make your plans to attend the Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales today.

Coming back to Gatlinburg TN for the 18th time is “Family Fest in the Smokies.” Celebrate Southern Gospel Music with Bill and Gloria Gaither along with many of their performing friends. On May 23-25 get the family together to go listen to the harmonious voices and evening worships. There will be many singers and speakers for you to enjoy. There will be 5 different services held to celebrate Southern Gospel in Gatlinburg TN and the Smoky Mountains.

Family Fest runs for 3 days. Friday will begin at 7:00 pm and Saturday will have two services, one at 10 am and another at 6 pm. Sunday will have a 10am and 6pm service. Many Southern Gospel vocalists will be performing such as the Gaither Vocal Band, Gordon Mote, Lynda Randie, Janet Paschall, Jeff and Sherri Easter and many other talented singers. Speakers for Family Fest will include Steve Brown and Paul Young.

This is a family event so it’s great for any age. The performances and services will be held at the W.L. Mills Conference Center in downtown Gatlinburg TN. Tickets can be purchased at entrance or you can pre order tickets from their website, www.gaither.com. It will be a great day of celebration and family fun. This year is expected to have more than 4,500 people in attendance. Be sure you join in on the fun on your trip to Gatlinburg TN.