Festival of Christmas Past and Holiday Homecoming in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Look out! Granny Franny has found the mistletoe! (Photo: NPS)
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts two old-fashioned holiday events in December! The Festival of Christmas Past will be held Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The Holiday Homecoming will be held Saturday, December 19, 2015 at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, North Carolina.
Festival of Christmas Past @ Sugarlands Visitor Center
Saturday, December 12, 2015
9:30 am to 4:00 pm
There’s nothing like an old-fashioned Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration with traditional harp singing and holidays stories from long ago. In addition to live mountain music, your family will enjoy fun games and activities like apple cider pressing and make-your-own Christmas ornaments and wreaths. There will also be craft demonstrations of quilting, basket making, weaving and spinning. Don’t miss one of the short guided walks in the forest!
Festival of Christmas Past Event Schedule
9:30 am – Traditional Harp Singing
11:00 am – Boogertown Gap
11:00 am – Guided Walk: Smoky Mountain Memories
12:00 pm – Stories from the Past – Panel Discussion
1:00 pm – Sparky and Rhonda Rucker
2:00 pm – South of the River Boys
2:00 pm – Guided Walk: Smoky Mountain Memories
3:00 pm – Lost Mill String Band
For more information on the Festival of Christmas Past, contact Sugarlands Visitor Center at 865-436-1291.
Holiday Homecoming @ Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Saturday, December 19, 2015
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
It’s another celebration of Christmas past with an old-fashioned Holiday Homecoming! It’s a gathering of musicians, young and old, playing tradition mountain holiday tunes and telling stories from long ago. There’ll be craft demonstrations like vintage toy making and candle making along with other fun activities for the young and young at heart. Bring your own instrument, and/or your own voice, and join in the holiday music jam from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
For more information on the Holiday Homecoming, contact Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 828-497-1904.
