4th of July in Pigeon Forge

Complete information and schedule for the 4th of July in Pigeon Forge, TN. Get details on all of the free activities for the Fourth of July Patriot Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

If you plan on being in Pigeon Forge, TN for the 4th of July, the town’s Patriot Festival is something you’ll probably want to check out. The Annual Patriot Festival happens on July 4 at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. This will include free concerts and fireworks for the entire family to enjoy. Here’s what to do:

July 4th:
The action starts at Patriot Park at noon with country superstar John Anderson headlining the event that evening. This event is at Patriot Park in the middle of Pigeon Forge… behind the Old Mill. There will be tons of free activities for kids starting at 12 pm, which will be dubbed “Kid’s Karnival”. Other performers that day include Chris Janson, a rising country singer; Rural Rhythm Records siblings and bluegrass band The Roys, hometown favorite Jimbo Whaley & The Greenbrier; The Return a Beatles tribute band; music from the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus, and the cast of Grand Majestic Theater will give a salute to our country’s Armed Forces.

Food vendors will also be at the event to give you and your family a chance to refuel and enjoy the entire day (the food is one of the only thing at the event that isn’t free). You could also leave the event (since it’s free) and head to one of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge.

The festivities conclude at 10 pm with an awesome fireworks display that never disappoints. This thing gets bigger and better every year! The location of the fireworks in Pigeon Forge has moved over the years from Patriot Park to an area behind “fast food strip” where McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Arby’s, etc are. Stay tuned for the exact location so that you can get the best possible viewpoint for your family. This will definitely be an awesome way to spend the 4th of July in Pigeon Forge, TN with your family! Be sure to also check out our article on how to avoid traffic in Pigeon Forge.

Also, if you’ll be in Gatlinburg, TN on July 3rd, you might want to see the 4th of July midnight parade in Gatlinburg, which begins at midnight on July 3rd and is considered the first 4th of July parade in the world.

Dollywood’s Great American Summer

It’s going to be a Great American Summer at Dollywood! Well, isn’t it always? In reality it is, but this happens to be a certain new initiative in which Dollywood’s operating hours are extended daily to 10 pm.

Start the day out with a live performance of the Star Spangled Banner and end it with a spectacular fireworks show titled, Dolly’s Nights of Many Colors. Dollywood’s rides come alive like never before! Its Wild Eagle, Thunderhead, Mystery Mine, and Tennessee Tornado under the moonlight.

Dollywood has been providing families with a great Smoky Mountain experience since 1986 when it took over the former Silver Dollar City. Dolly’s core values are reflected in the theme that bares her name, values that include faith, family, and fun.

Speaking of fun, there will be plenty of it to go around this summer. It all starts with the park’s newest attraction, River Rush, located at Dolly’s Splash Country right next door.

As for Dollywood theme park, shows like “My People: Dolly’s Letter Home” headline the new attractions at the park. If you come from a musical family, you’ll enjoy this show, which includes several members of her family. “My People: Dolly’s Letter Home” is scheduled to opens in early May. Elsewhere on the new show bill, “The Great American Country Show” opens around the same time.

Dollywood’s emphasis on live entertainment has earned plaudits — including, for the past four years, Golden Ticket Awards for Best Shows. Golden Ticket Awards are presented by the trade publication Amusement Today, which last year gave Dollywood top honors for Friendliest Park, Best Food and Best Christmas Event. The park likewise earned a Best New Ride nod for its Wild Eagle roller coaster.

Parton’s music also will be featured in “Dolly’s Nights of Many Colors,” a nightly fireworks display. Along with expanded park hours, the show is part of Dollywood’s new Great American Summer promotion, which runs June 22-Aug. 4.

Dollywood’s River Battle

In 2008, Dollywood opened one of the most inventive rides that they have ever put in their park.  It is a water ride, but it is so much more.  Part water gun fight, part water ride and fully interactive. The riders are not the only ones involved in the ride, the people that are watching the folks on River Battle get a chance to get in on the action as well.

The first thing you are going to notice about River Battle is the fact that it is beautifully made. It is designed with the younger visitors to the theme park in mind and Dollywood has spared no expense in making it look wonderful. The ride is decorated with plenty of Smoky Mountain critters and madness. Frogs, raccoons  bees, flowers, parts to old cars, signs and everything else come alive in the lagoon that is the course for River Battle. When you step into the boat and find a seat you will notice that you have a water gun with a spinning handle on it in front of you. The faster you spin the handle, the more water that shoots out of the gun. As the ride gets going you will be able to shoot targets and the decorations and the people walking along the path outside of the River Battle.

And, the people that you are shooting at will have the opportunity to shoot back at you! Yup, the people that are watching the ride can walk to one of the water shooters on the rail along the ride and hose down the people that are on the ride. And you can shoot back at them. In fact, if you want to stay dry around River Battle, you need to give the ride a wide berth, walking in the dry areas around the ride itself. If you stray into the wet parts of the lane around the ride, you will get wet. This pitched battle between the people on the ride, the people on other boats in the ride and the folks walking around the ride is what makes this one of the most fun sections of Dollywood.

River Battle is one of the rides in the park that doesn’t have seat belts, it doesn’t have high speed drops and spins, it is a simple ride with lots of fun and lots of water powered high-jinx. And, after you come off the ride they have family sized dryers where you can get dried off before your next adventure, or… go find another water ride, like Daredevil Falls or River Rampage and see just how wet you can get at Dollywood in one day.

Dollywood’s Daredevil Falls

I love a good log flume and Daredevil Falls at Dollywood is one of those must ride, rides each and every time I visit the park.  From the speed of the line, to the 60 foot plunge at the end of the ride, this is one of those thrill rides that combines speed with water and makes the whole experience awesome.  Add to this the fact that they take a souvenir photo of you halfway down the final plunge and you can also pick up something to remember not only the day by but also that particular ride.

The log flume and log flume style rides have been around for a long time.  In 1998, Dollywood added its own large capacity, long drop log flume to its line u of thrill rides.  As a themed ride it is beautifully done.  You are walking through a lumber camp in the Smokies – easy to imagine, seeing as you are in the Smokies already.  You get into the flume log, which looks like a log itself and you start your float around to the lift.  From the bear in the tent to the flapping of the bats wings in the cave, this leisurely float around the ride is great.  You then start the ride up the lift to the top of the ride and the waiting plunge.  At the top of the ride you are in the recreation of the lumber mill itself, complete with a saw that looks like it might saw the log you are in, in half.  You continue around the top of the ride until you get to the plunge.  You fall 60 feet down at 60 miles per hour, with your heart in your throat.  Even the most seasoned thrill seeker will feel their heart race after this plunge.

And of course, on the way down you get your picture taken.  This picture is of the whole car, so if you planned it right and you have your whole party in the boat with you, you get a souvenir of all of your expressions as you were in mid-fall, at 60 miles an hour.  This is a great way to commemorate the day.

Remember how I mentioned the speed of the line you wait in?  It is one of the quickest ride sin the park.  The logs never stop.  You simply step onto the platform and then into the moving log itself.  This constant motion keeps the line moving.  Even from the very back of the line, there is a constant flow of traffic on and off the ride.  You never feel like you have to wait very long, plus the queue itself is under cover so you are not left baking in the sun either.

Make sure that you leave time in your schedule for the Daredevil Falls the next time you go to Dollywood.  It is an awesome ride, with a great theme and a thrilling drop at the end.  Plus, if it is a hot day outside you get drenched at the end of the plunge.  So, take the plunge, get the photo and get ready for a

Dollywood’s Mountain Slidewinder

Dollywood is full of water rides and during the summer you will find that they are a respite from the heat of the day and loads of fun.  The Mountain Slidewinder is one of those water rides.  Based out of the Owens Farm section of the park, you climb the actual hillside itself to get to the Slidewinder and then you and a set of friends enjoy the fast, exhilarating ride down the mountain.

Owens Farm is the section of Dollywood is where the new Barnstormer ride is located.  Once you are in this section, look over behind the Pig Pen play area and you will see signs directing you to the entrance for the Mountain Slidewinder.  You will start your journey to the top of the slide from there but you can also watch the other people come down from the same spot.  The last of the ride is right in front of you, a huge ride down on a raft with a splash down at the bottom before the riders walk up one way and the rafts go up the other way.  Continue walking up the small mountain path, following the signs and maybe stopping to rest on the way up, it is a bit of a hike.

When you get to the top, prepare to get in line and wait for a few minutes.  The loading of this ride takes a little longer then some of the others in the park but it is worth the wait.  They will line you up and determine by the weight of the group of people who goes in what line and on which sled.  After you have been divided up, they help you get onto the sleds and then you begin your descent.  The speed you pick up on this ride is amazing.  After the long walk up the mountain, you will be surprised at how quickly you wind your way back down.  Twisting and turning, gravity causing you to pick up speed as you fly down the waterslide.  As you go you will feel like you are going to fly off the slide, but trust me, that is why they weighed you, to make sure that you r group was the perfect size to give you speed and safety on your way down.

This is one of those hidden treasures in Dollywood.  People walk right past this ride all the time without realizing it is there.  Take the time to make the climb.  Enjoy the sense of exhilaration on your way back down. Take your friends up and down the Mountain Slidewinder as any times as you can.

Wear City Park Opens!!!

Pigeon Forge is now officially home to a brand new municipal park. Wear City Park opened this past Friday to a number of onlookers as well as kids looking to take advantage of the new playground and athletic fields.

This was the first phase of the Wear Family City Park which is located a half-mile off the parkway on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge.

In all, the park will take up 118 acres. The first 40 acres will feature five lighted baseball and softball fields, a lighted football field, a playground, two shelters, a basketball court, concession stands, restrooms and walking trails.

Everyone in attendance on opening-day enjoyed their share of popcorn, hot dogs as well as a fireworks display, and a number of old-time games.

As mentioned, everything that is now open represents just the first phase of the park, which will eventually include Waldens Creek and the possibility for additional walking or biking trails.

The Forever Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed to raise funds to help build and maintain the new Wear City Park, was credited for their role in getting the new facilities up and running.

City Manager Earlene Teaster said a park was needed in Pigeon Forge that generations could enjoy, as well as another mark on the city’s resume everyone could be proud of.

“This is a tremendous asset for Pigeon Forge,” she said. ‘We’re excited about what it’s going to do for our kids in the community.”

They also credited the Wear family, who sold the old farm used for the park.

“It means so much for us that so many generations of this community will be able to come here and enjoy this property and make memories for their families the same way our family did or so many years,” Charlotte Wear said.

Love Running 5K’s? Come to Pigeon Forge!

If you’re into running 5K’s, you might want to check into all that Pigeon Forge has to offer. Not only are they gearing up for the annual February Freeze on Feb. 9, a few other 5K’s are currently in the works. And not to leave anyone out, Pigeon Forge’s next door neighbor Sevierville completes their calendar year with the annual Santa Hustle 5K run at the Wilderness resort each December.

Recently, the Pigeon Forge Planning Commission took up just that exact subject. The Smoky Mountain area has shown a renewed interest planning for a number of yearly 5K’s that you really just didn’t a handful of years ago.

The first 5K event on the list is actually a race that has been run before, and many would like to keep it that way. Titled the Preserving the Mountain in Me 5K, which is put on by the environmental group Keep Sevier Beautiful, it’s an annual Pigeon Forge 5K that is scheduled this year for April 27. For anyone interested, the race will begin in the city parking lot and end on the Pigeon Forge Greenway.

“Showcasing the greenway is a big part of our mission,” said Laura Howard, executive director of Keep Sevier Beautiful. “It’s an underutilized part of our community. It’s a great area that shows off our natural beauty.”

Races like Preserving the Mountain in Me are “a great way to raise awareness and generate funds,” Howard said. “It’s also about getting our citizens outside and into some physical activity.”

Also on the planning commission’s agenda is the 5K in May, a May 4 race that will benefit Smoky Mountain Area Rescue Ministries.

So as you can see, Pigeon Forge is gearing up for a year that could feature as many as three 5K’s within the first half of the year. Couple those with Sevierville’s Santa Hustle 5K in December and you’ve pretty much got a runner’s paradise in the Smoky Mountains. Next time you feel like runnin’, lace up your sneakers come on over to Pigeon Forge. You’re bound to run into a 5K on the way.

Celebrate Irish Month at the Titanic!

Come see if you have the luck of the Irish this month at the Titanic Museum Attraction. What do we mean by that you say? Well, all month long the Titanic in Pigeon Forge will be celebrating Irish month by focusing on the people, culture, and history of the small European country that built the Titanic. The Titanic was built in Belfast, Ireland in 1911.

As is becoming custom each year, the Titanic Museum Attraction shines its light on Ireland in March, with Irish stories, music, and dancing. The Titanic takes St. Patrick’s Day and turns it into an entire month of green festivities.

Want to know what it was like for passengers boarding the ship, their lives, the times, then visit Pigeon Forge’s Titanic attraction. Guests can walk down the hallways, cabins, and even the Grand Staircase of the Titanic – just as it was when it set sail on its maiden, yet fateful voyage. Want to know what that iceberg really felt like? You can. You can even dip your hands into 28 degree water and view over 400 personal artifacts from Titanic passengers that were recovered from the ship. It’s a collection that’s valued at over $4.5 million. A few of the items are on display to the public for the first time ever.

The Titanic’s Memorial Room contains the over two thousand names of passengers and crew who were aboard the Titanic when it sank. As previously mentioned, you can view the Grand Staircase, the heart of the Titanic. The beautiful glass dome illuminates the room where many guests made their appearance on the Titanic.

The dates for Irish month are officially March 1-30. Guests can even explore their own Irish roots with genealogy experts. You never know, maybe even one of your relatives was on the Titanic.

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, TN is located on the main Parkway. The museum is open from 9am to 5pm. Admission is $20.68 per person. Children 5-12 are $10.77, and children under five years of age are free. Group passes are available.

For more information call 1 (800) 381-7670.

Dollywood Express

Hop Aboard the Dollywood Express!

With the popularity of Thomas the Tank engine, it is no wonder that kids from across the country are thrilled when they find out that there is an actual steam locomotive at Dollywood.  And what’s more… you can ride it up around the park for one of the best rides in the park and one of the best ways to take in the park as a whole.  And it Christmas they take this ride to a whole new level by adding lights and the sounds of the Holiday Season to the ride.

The Dollywood Express, the engine and the track came from theme park owner Grover Robbins.  Robbins had built a theme park n Blowing Rock, NC called Tweetsie Railroad.  After acquiring a new engine for his theme park in Blowing Rock, he placed a second one in Pigeon Forge at a new park called Rebel Railroad.  This train, and Rebel Railroad opened in 1961.  That train that started on the tracks in the 60s is still in operation today.  It is a USATC S118 Class 2-8-2 and came from the White Pass.  Engine #192 from this deal – otherwise known as Klondike Katie – is still in operation today at Dollywood.  Along with this engine, they also have engine #70, known as Cinderella that runs on the Dollywood Express track throughout the year.

The train ride is hugely popular.  There is just something to be said for sitting in the passenger cars being pulled behind a steam locomotive that makes the ride up the mountain even more enjoyable.  People line up more than a half hour before the ride leaves the station to make sure that they get a good seat on the train.  After you board, the station master will give you some brief instructions and then you will start your trip up the mountain.  You ride through the theme park itself for most of the ride.  Yo get to wave at the crowds as you journey up into the mountains.  On your trip you will get to see the backside of Dollywood, dioramas of mountain life including a replica farm and of course, you get one of the best views of Dollywood ever – from the moving grandeur of a more then 75 year old steam train.

Make the Dollywood Express part of your Dollywood experience.  Make sure that you get there early.  Make sure you get a good seat.  Buy some refreshments for the journey.  Watch in delight, the children sitting around you.  Marvel at the way their eyes grow as they listen to the steam whistle out of the train and the music that the train makes on the tracks as it journeys through the mountains.

The Park’s Natural Beauty

Every year the Great Smoky Mountains National Park releases numbers reflecting the popularity of the park and on average that number seems to rise with each and every passing year. That was the case this past year and leads to one conclusion: The park’s natural beauty is awe-inspiring and draws people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

Even during the holidays and the cold weather months people are drawn to the park. So why even put it to a question? Well, the natural beauty is the park’s primary factor for bringing in so many tourists, there are other factors as well. And though it’s an overwhelming factor, it isn’t the only factor.

Besides citing the park’s beauty, people consistently praise the locals, exclaiming how nice people are who live in the Smoky Mountain region which includes the towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville.

Many vacationers who come to the area will go so far as to take one of the many guided tours offered of the park, before going of on their own. Tours like the Roaring Fork Auto Tour and the numerous ones offered through Cades Cove in Townsend, TN are especially popular. Cades Cove is especially popular with bikers who cruise the loop early in the mornings hoping to spot a bounding deer or fox.

Others, like the many honeymooners that come to the area opt to get out on some of the park’s many trails by themselves. Surely there is a hike for you of the 150 or so official trails recognized by the National Park Service. Just be sure to check the park’s notices for temporary closures. This is just so that you know whether or not the trail you are considering hiking is open and that there are no warnings for it.

Also, if you’re going to be getting out into nature, make sure that you leave early enough so that you’ll arrive back before dark. On average, Smoky Mountain hikers travel about 1.5 miles per hour, though many do traveler slower. Sundown in the region can occur anywhere from just after 5 p.m. in December to almost 9 p.m. in June.