Cades Cove Loop Lope

Cades Cove Loop Lope

Cades Cove Loop Lope is a Great Smoky Mountain Special Event! The Cades Cove Foot Race (AKA – the Cades Cove Loop Lope) hosted by Friends of the Smokies and the Knoxville Track Club is scheduled for Sunday, November 4, 2018. This exciting race was originally billed as a one time event at it’s inauguration in 2010. Since then it has grown in popularity. Participation is limited to 750 total runners and all participants will be awarded a t-shirt and finishers medallion.

“We are very excited to bring this race back to such a beautiful part of our national park,” says Jim Hart, Friends of the Smokies president. “This is a unique way to experience the splendor of the Cove and raise money to protect it for future generations at the same time.“

Friends of the Smokies will provide more than $90,000 for historic preservation and wildlife management programs in Cades Cove and a total of $1.4 million for other critical park projects.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash remarked the race marks an opportunity to connect with the next generation of public lands stewards who are active in our national parks.

“We are pleased to work with the Friends to offer this opportunity that supports the park and encourages people to use the park for fitness,” said Superintendent Cash. “The park provides an incredible setting for people to improve mind, body, and spirit.”

Registration begin July 17, 2018 at RunSignup.com. Participants can choose between the 3.1 mile (5K) or the 10-mile loop routes. Each race is $75.00 to enter.

Dollywood Season Of Showstoppers

Dollywood season of showstoppers

There is a ton of fun to experience this season at Dollywood! Photo credit – Travel + Leisure

Dollywood Season Of Showstoppers in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Stars shine bright in Dollywood during the 2018 Season of Showstoppers.
Dollywood’s 33rd season kicked off with an amazing array of entertainment entitled “Season of Showstoppers” that includes extravagant fireworks and extended park hours.

Named by Amusement Today’s Golden ticket Award for Best Theme Park Entertainment for the past nine years, Dollywood is upping the ante to win for the 10th straight year with an additional $1 million investment in this season’s productions which offer exciting new acts for season pass holders or those opting to purchase the new multi-day ticket.

The year began March 17-April 9 with a Festival of Nations that honored the traditional music, dance and food and crafts from countries across the globe. It continued with Spring Mix Music series April 11-29 that spotlighted classic country talent. The park’s popular Barbecue & Bluegrass was held May 25- June 10, and scheduled more that 350 concerts during the festival.

The Summer Celebration, June 16-Aug. 5, highlights the newly extended park hours10 a.m-10.p.m., nightly fireworks and exciting new entertainment. The all new Nighttime Experience showcases some of Dollywood’s best daytime performers who bring their interpretations of today’s hottest hits in an evening production scheduled from July 25-Aug. 8, and the extended park hours provides an opportunity for families to also enjoy Dollywood’s world-class rides well into the night.

Additional attractions included America’s got Talent finalists, iLuminate, performing June 16-July 4. This inventive group features electrified glow-in-the-dark costumes and dynamic dance routines and illusions. iLuminate has toured the world from Egypt to Malaysia, and appeared on such shows as Dancing with the Stars, X-Factor and Ellen. The group has also performed with such stars as Christina Aguilera and The Black Eyed Peas.

From July 7-July 24, DRUMline Live! brings synchronized music based on the hit 2002 movie, Drumline. DRUMline Live runs in Celebrity Theater June 16-July 4. The evenings climax with an amazing fireworks extravaganza set to lively music.
One of the more unusual offerings is speed painter Ricardo Barazza and his impressive PaintJam, which runs for the entire summer celebration. Barazza uses his amazing talents to create stunning works of art on a spinning 380 degree canvas while dancing and “moving to the grooving.”

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, presented by Humana Sept. 28-Nov.3., includes an expansion of the favorite Great Pumpkin LumiNights and also features the largest Southern gospel event in America. More than 600 performances by award-winning southern gospel acts takes place during the festival and thousands of carved pumpkins will illuminate the evening with an eerie glow. Visitors will also enjoy the artistry of visiting crafters from across the country and also have a chance to sample the harvest-themed food items from Dollywood’s award winning food teams.

Christmas is special at Dollywood, honored as the Best Christmas Event at any theme park worldwide, where more than four million holiday lights and nostalgic performances provide a holiday atmosphere that is perfect for your family. Dolly’s Parade of Many Colors and traditional shows like It’s a Wonderful Life and Christmas in the Smokies are guaranteed to put your entire family in the holiday spirit!

For more information on Dollywood’s Summer Celebration, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD, or go to DOLLYWOOD.

Check out our great video of Dolly’s speed painter Ricardo Barazza below!

 

Update: Clingmans Dome observation tower closes

Clingmans Dome tower closesUpdate: Clingmans Dome observation tower closes. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower will be closed Tuesday, July 10, 2018 through Friday, July 27, 2018 to complete a rehabilitation project that began last year. Workers need to apply a final surface overlay along the tower ramp.

Park visitors will be glad to know that Clingmans Dome overlook and parking area will remain open offering amazing views of the North Carolina side of the park and the surrounding mountains. The trail to the tower, visitor contact station/store, and all trailheads will remain open during the rehab work. Construction traffic is expected to make the drive to the overlook from New Found Gap slower than normal so give yourself extra time.

Last year, contractors repaired deteriorated areas on the concrete columns and walls, stabilized support walls at the base of the ramp, and repaired stone masonry. This work has been made possible through funding received from a Partners in Preservation (PIP) grant. The $250,000 grant was awarded in 2016 to the Friends of the Smokies on behalf of the park after being one of the top nine, most voted for parks in the Partners in Preservation: National Parks Campaign.

Straddling the North Carolina and Tennessee state line at 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the second highest peak east of the Mississippi river.  The tower is an iconic Smoky Mountain landmark and is the highest point in the park. The observation towers unprecedented design is part of the National Park Service’s Mission 66 program. The program transformed park planning, management, and architecture and fundamentally altered the visitor experience in national parks. Since 1959, millions of visitors have climbed the tower and it is a regular hiking destination for the HeySmokies expeditionary team!  One of the rewards of climbing the tower is the 100 mile view on clear days! The minimal preservation work being done will ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy the tower and surrounding beauty for years to come. For more information about the Clingmans Dome Tower, please visit the park website at NPS.

Partners in Preservation is a joint effeort between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation awarding preservation grants to historic places across America. Since 2006 PIP has committed $16 million in preservation funding to nearly 200 diverse sites in eight cities across the country. The program hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Celebrates Cosby: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Cosby Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains National Park Mt. Cammerer

The view from the historic Mt. Cammerer fire lookout has a spectacular Cosby vista!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Celebrates Cosby: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!

National Park officials announced the “Celebrating Cosby: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” community programs to be held every Friday through August 17, 2018 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Cosby Campground Amphitheater.

“We appreciate this opportunity to work so closely with the Cocke County Partnership and the Cosby community in offering such a great lineup of programs this summer,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash.

“Celebrating Cosby”  honors the rich cultural and natural history of the Cosby area. The public is invited to join park staff and community members in celebrating Cosby via informative and fun programs while discovering new opportunities to enjoy this section of the park. Programs vary weekly and include mountain music, moonshiners, story telling, sunset and lantern hikes, farming, orchards, clogging, cooking, and more.

“We are so happy that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is bringing this program to our Cosby Campground,” said Cocke Country Partnership Tourist Director, Linda Lewanski. “We all know how talented our Cocke County folks are and we are delighted to be able to showcase them.”

Programs will feature artists like local banjo player, David McClary, who plays claw-hammered style banjo music. Friday, June 29, 2018 Mark Ramsey, Digger Manes and Friends will share stories about moonshining. The July and August schedules will be available at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. In the event of rain, “Celebrating Cosby” programs will move to the covered picnic pavilion adjacent to Cosby Campground. Programs will be held rain or shine. Visitors are welcome to find seating in the amphitheater or bring their own chairs or blankets.

Contact Park Ranger Katie Corrigan at 865-436-1257 for more information.

Smoky Mountain Fourth Of July Celebrations

Smoky Mountain Fourth of July Tips

The Smoky Mountain Region has all the 4th Fun!

Smoky Mountain Fourth Of July Celebrations. Celebrate the Fourth of July in these Smoky Mountain Communities!

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Get a jump start on the Fourth with a midnight parade in Gatlinburg! The first Independence Day Parade in the nation has been held in Gatlinburg for more than 40 years. More than 80,000 spectators gather along the route awaiting the stroke of midnight which signals the beginning of an iconic small-town patriotic parade featuring bands, floats and special honors for the nation’s military heroes. This unusual parade time also provides attendees the opportunity to wish the first happy birthday to America!

Gatlinburg River Raft Regatta invites you to “float your boat!” Bring your best unmanned raft, or really anything that floats, and enter the annual holiday race on the Little Pigeon River. The race begins at 10 a.m. at the bridge at Christ in the Smokies on River Road and ends at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Three prizes will be handed out in two categories, Trash (not hand crafted) and Treasure (hand-crafted). Get your creative juices flowing and vie for the Judge’s Choice Award which will go to the most innovative craft. Trophies and prizes will also honor the oldest and youngest participants. For more information call 800-588-1817 or go to www.Gatlinburg.com.

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge’s American Patriot Festival includes music, food and fireworks! The American Patriot Festival and Fireworks in Pigeon Forge kicks off mid-day with music, great street food and kid’s activities and continues well into the night. The Kids Carnival and food vendors open at noon and live entertainment begins at 1:30 p.m. This year’s event is highlighted by an 8:30 p.m. performance by country music star, Craig Morgan, whose hit songs include “That’s What I Love About Sunday,’” “When I’m Gone,” and “This Ole Boy.” Other featured entertainers include the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus and special guests Electric Avenue. Free parking is available at the Pigeon Forge Municipal Parking Lot on Teaster Lane, located between the LeConte Center and the Island. Complimentary trolley rides provide shuttle service between the parking lot and run every 15-20 minutes beginning at noon. Handicap parking is available at Patriot Park. A fireworks spectacular is scheduled at 9:45 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to bring lots of sunscreen (Patriot Park is an open venue) lawn chairs and blankets (no coolers, umbrellas or pop-up tents allowed) and enjoy an afternoon and evening of patriotic family fun-Pigeon Forge style!

· Noon – Gates open with a Kid’s Carnival and food vendors
· 1:30 p.m. – Live music
· 8:30 p.m. – Performance by country music star Craig Morgan
· 9:45 p.m. – Fireworks Display

Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville celebrates the fourth in “worldly” style. Knoxville, Tennessee Fourth of July celebration is scheduled at the World’s Fair Park and features a variety of entertainment and activities on the Festival Lawn that are guaranteed to please both young and old. The all-new Home Federal Bank Family Fun Stage will feature live entertainment from 4 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. and exciting interactive fun for the whole family takes place inside the Amphitheatre. The free festival begins at 4 p.m. and ends at the conclusion of the fireworks display at about 10 p.m.

Regal Kid Zone

4 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. paddle boats on the “Lazy River;” balloon artistry; mini golf; Legos byBricks 4 Kids; face painting and a variety of other entertainment.

· 4 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Asian Festival Lion Dancers
· 5:15 p.m. – 5:35 p.m. Zoo Knoxville’s Einstein and Friends
· 6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Children’s Musical Artist Dre Helton
· 7 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Tim Pressley and his Amazing Magic Show

Live Music
Festival Lawn Stage
· 4:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Bary Jolly Pirates ( a Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band) on the patio of the Festival Lawn Stage
· 5 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Stony Grass Bluegrass Band
· 6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Kendall Ray, a piano pop artist covering hits of Billy Joel and Elton John
· 8 p.m. The KSO’s 34th Free Pilot Flying J Independence Day Concert
Fireworks
* 9:35 p.m. Fireworks launched from Henley Street Bridge

Kodak, Tennessee

What is more American than the Fourth of July, baseball and fireworks? The Tennessee Smokies plan an early celebration of America’s birthday on July 3rd when Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tennessee features the Tennessee Smokies battling it out with the Chattanooga Lookouts. The evening’s event includes an Independence Day themed extravaganza. Videoboard graphics and music are on schedule, and the night ends with an amazing post-game fireworks display. The Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Members of the ten-team Southern League Smokies Baseball have entertained fans of the nation’s pastime for more than 100 years. For ticket information and the team’s schedule go to smokiesbaseball.com.

North Carolina communities schedule Fourth of July fun too!

Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Maggie Valley offers a big bang on the Fourth of July at its annual “Backyard Fourth”
Celebrate a traditional Fourth of July in beautiful Maggie Valley’s Festival Grounds. Gates open at 6 p.m. and guests are invited to bring blankets, chairs, picnic baskets and yard games to this alcohol-free event and kick back until “dark-thirty” for the explosive and colorful fireworks. For additional information, visit www.mggievalleync.gov.

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville’s downtown Pack Park is the place to be on the Fourth of July. Youth activities include bouncy houses, giant slides and slack lining lessons by Slack-Librium. Beer and wine are available for purchase. Bring your own picnic or opt for some of the gourmet food trucks and restaurants located nearby. Ample parking is available at nearby parking decks, on the street, or in private lots. No outside liquor, coolers or pets are allowed in the park.

* 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Crafts by LEAF Easel Rider and yard games, by Girl Scouts Peak to Piedmont (no wristbands required.)
* 6 p.m. – Splash Fountain opens, bring a swimsuit and prepare to get wet!
* 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Ultimate Air Dog competitions, an exciting event that tests dog’s diving, retrieving and swimming talents (for more information on the event go to ultimateairdogs.com.)

South Asheville, North Carolina

South Asheville invites you to come early and find the perfect site along beautiful Lake Julian. Relax and enjoy a day at the park which features picnic tables, grills, a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits and boat rentals. Park at nearby Estes Elementary School on Long Shoals Road and enjoy a free daytime shuttle from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Fireworks begin at dusk. Due to large crowds, no pets are allowed at this festival.

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

Lake Junaluska’s Fourth offers fun along the picturesque lake with and afternoon parade, food, music and fireworks.

· 11 a.m. parade
· 12 p.m.- 2 p.m. BBQ picnic
· 7:30 p.m. Lake Junaluska singers concert
· 9:30 p.m. fireworks

Bryson City, North Carolina

Bryson City North Carolina welcomes the fourth with Freedom Fest
Bryson City’s Freedom Fest begins with a Firecracker 5K run and continues throughout the day. Adults will enjoy the displays by more than 60 local artisans and crafters and kids will love the multiple bouncy houses. Bring your appetite and participate in the watermelon eating contest, or grab your best friend (the four-legged kind) and enter the “Strut Your Mutt” event at Riverfront Park. Ribbons will be awarded for “best tail wag” and “Looks Most like Owner.”
Multiple bands will help you rock away the evening which culminates with a spectacular fireworks show set to a rousing rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Freedom Fest Schedule of Events

Rotary International Firecracker 5K run begins at Swain County Administration Building on Mitchell St.
· 6:30 a.m. – 7:30. a.m. – registration
· Race begins at Riverfront Park on Everett Street
· 4 p.m. – Somebody’s Child – Americana
· 6 p.m. – Colby Deitz Ban – Rock and Roll
· 8 p.m. – Mountain Faith – Americana music, and a 2015 semifinalist on America’s got Talent and 2014 momentum Vocalist of the Year by IBWMA
· The National Anthem
· Fireworks

For more information on Freedom Fest, call toll-free 800-867-9246

FRIENDLY FIREWORKS REMINDER: FIREWORKS AND OTHER PYROTECHNIC DEVICES ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL NATONAL GRASSLAND AND NATONAL FOREST LANDS YEAR-ROUND, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS OR HOLIDAYS. VIOLATION IS PUNISHABLE AS A MISDEMEANOR BY A FINE OF NOT MORE THAN $4,500, OR IMPRISONMENT OF NOT MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, OR BOTH.

Happy Independence Day, America! Fireworks are shown from the 2005 celebration at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robbin Cresswell)