Dolly Parade in Pigeon Forge Streaming Live on Facebook on May 6th!

For 31 years, Dolly Parton has come home to her beloved Smoky Mountains to herald in the spring season with her legions of fans. And for each of those 31 years, Dolly has wowed parade-goers with her specially themed float and matching outfit. This year will be no exception, as the American icon will ride atop a float for her brand-new show, Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure Dinner & Show! About 50,000 folks attend this special event each year, and this year everyone in cyber space can take part in the parade via Facebook!

The 31st Annual Dolly Parade will begin at 6:00 p.m. EST on Friday, May 6, 2016 in Pigeon Forge. The parade route begins at traffic light #6 on the Parkway and travels to traffic light #3. This will be the largest Dolly Parade ever and it’s expected to last about two hours!

GSM National Park’s Employee of the Year & Tourist Family of the Day Celebration on May 3rd!

It’s the 32nd Annual Celebration of National Tourism Week and what better time to honor and acknowledge the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Employee of the Year along with this year’s Tourist Family of the Day!

Join National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash, Park Rangers and National Park Staff along with the Smoky Mountain Development Council for this special presentation at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.

The event will take place on the lawn of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Headquarters just outside Gatlinburg. Jimbo Whaley, a favorite local entertainer, will emcee the celebration. Light refreshments to follow the ceremonies.

For more information, call the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Council at 865-850-1919.

Did you know that 2016 marks the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service? You can celebrate in the Great Smoky Mountains with the Smokies Centennial Challenge: Hike 100! It’s a great outdoor opporunity for the entire family! So sign up today!

As part of the Centennial Celebration, the National Park Service encourages everyone to spend some time in YOUR National Parks this summer and SHARE your experiences at Find Your Park! Get outside and enjoy one of the most unique places on planet earth…Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival on Thursday, May 12th!

There’s nothing more comforting to a Southerner’s heart, and stomach, than a good ol’ bowl of beans and cornbread. And on Thursday, May 12, 2016 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. you can fill your bowl o’ comfort at the annual Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival! Presented by the Smokies’ own Bush Brothers & Company, the Festival is a cook-off competition among area restaurants, caterers and businesses to prepare the best traditional and new beans and cornbread recipes.

The Gatlinburg Beans & Cornbread Festival will be held downtown Gatlinburg on the Parkway between traffic lights #3 and #8. Entrance to the festival is free; an unlimited sampling spoon can be purchased for $10.

Entertainment for the festival will be provided by some of the musicians from the ever-popular Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales. And also back by popular demand is the display of antique engines which are rarely seen by the general public.

Join the City of Gatlinburg and Bush Beans & Company for a rootin’ tootin’ good time celebrating the food, music, culture and heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachia. For more information, call the Gatlinburg CVB at 800-588-1817 or 800-430-4148.

You can learn more about the special heritage and history of Bush Beans & Company in the Smoky Mountains at the Bush’s Visitor Center, General Store, and Cafe in nearby Chestnut Hill/Dandridge TN. Visit Bush’s Visitor Center for more information.

The Smokemont Experience in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Smokemont Experience in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one that features an abundance of spring and summer wildflowers, and the pristine waters of the Bradley Fork of the Oconaluftee River. Bradley Fork is known for its healthy population of rainbow trout; and in the fall, fishing the Fork is especially rewarding when large brown trout make their way upstream from the River. Smokemont offers year-round camping, hiking trails and equestrian activities.

Smokemont is nestled at 2,200′ above sea level near the southern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is flanked by Bradley Fork on its north and west side.

Year-Round Camping in Smokemont
With 142 campsites Smokemont Campground is large and great for families. The campground accommodates trailers up to 35′ and motor homes up to 40′. There are no water, sewer or electricity hook-ups and generator use is restricted to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. A tent pad, picnic table, grill, and lantern pole are provided at each site. Restroom facilities provide flush toilets and cold water. Although there are no showers available at Smokemont, they are available at several campgrounds in Cherokee. Smokemont Campground reservations may be obtained at recreation.gov along with important information on firewood restrictions, etc. during season; otherwise, the campground is open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Be sure to bring your bikes because the spacious campground is fun to bike, and that’s a good thing since bikes are off-limits on park trails.

Smokemont Campground is located 3.5 miles north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC on Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) and 27 miles south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, TN.

Ober Gatlinburg’s Beth Roark and Sophie Train for the Color Me Mutt 5K in Sevierville on May 14th

It’s clear that the folks who live and work in Sevier County, TN are devoted to the well-being of our furry, four-legged friends. On the weekend that Ober Gatlinburg Ski Area and Amusement Park were preparing for their annual fundraiser, The Bone Zone Drop for Sevier County Humane Society, HeySmokies’ got the opportunity to catch up with Ober Gatlinburg’s Beth Roark who is also training with her miniature schnauzer Sophie for Pets Without Parents’ spring fundraiser, the Color Me Mutt 5K Run/Walk.

Beth and Sophie are a quite the pair. Beth graduated from Sevier County High School (several years after Dolly Parton) and has worked in the accounting/payroll department of Ober Gatlinburg for 18 years. As Beth puts it, “Sophie rescued me.” Beth tells the story of how a friend had some miniature schnauzer puppies and Beth just went to look at them one day. Then she describes the moment that Sophie hopped in her lap and made herself comfortable. Beth says there was just no turning back at that point.

Both Sophie and Beth have been training for the upcoming Color Me Mutt 5K at NASCAR SpeedPark in Sevierville on Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 a.m. And both Sophie and Beth have had their ups and downs. Beth, with the help of Weight Watchers and support from friends, has recently lost 30 pounds. However, seven-year-old Sophie has recently been diagnosed with arthritis by her veterinarian and is undergoing treatment.

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