Pigeon Forge Winterfest Trolley Tour of Lights

Pigeon Forge’s Winterfest Trolley Tour of Lights lets you take in the town in all its holiday glory with a narrated tour of the town, its streets and neighborhoods.

Is it possible to see 5 million Christmas lights in one night? Quite possibly, and Pigeon Forge is going to give their best shot at it with the town’s Winterfest Trolley Tour of Lights. It’s an easy way to get the holiday season started off right and get everyone in the spirit. It’s also a great way to tour Pigeon Forge and see some of the places that you might have missed just traveling down the Parkway. Let Pigeon Forge’s Trolley Ride of Lights be your guide to the holidays this season.

2017-2018 Dates

November 6, 2017 through February 28, 2018

And just so you know, just because it’s after New Years, doesn’t mean that Pigeon Forge stops celebrating. In fact, trolley rides will continue through the end of February, just so that we’re sure everyone will get their chance to see Pigeon Forge lit up in all its glory.

Pigeon Forge’s Trolley Ride of Lights is your chance to really take in every bit of the town’s holiday spirit with each trip you decide to take. The streets will be decorated with not only lights but garlands, candles, wreaths, Santas, and watch out for the mistletoe! The tour is completely narrated and the trolley itself is heated. Each trolley comes with its own personal tour guide whose stories about Pigeon Forge’s history are sure to amaze and wonder. Let us do the driving, we want you to be able to see all of Pigeon Forge’s holiday magic.

And just one other note, there must be a minimum of 15 passengers for the Trolley tour to begin. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival and reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. For any other information, call 865-453-6444 and enjoy the lights!

Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch with the Easter Bunny

On Saturday, April 7 your kids can eat breakfast with the Easter Bunny and then take part in an Easter egg hunt.

Information below refers to the 2017 brunch with the Easter Bunny at Old Mill Square.

“Here comes Peter Cottontail, Hopping down the Bunny Trail…” And that bunny trail leads straight to the Pigeon Forge Community Center. On April 15, your kids can take part in an Easter egg hunt, as well as attend brunch with the Easter Bunny at Old Mill Square. What better way is there to kick off your Easter festivities. The brunch will take place at 8am with the Easter egg hunt following at 10am.

Start the Saturday before Easter off with a good wholesome breakfast hosted by the Easter Bunny himself. After breakfast there will drawings for door prizes and games for all the kids to enjoy. Breakfast is catered in and there is a charge for the breakfast so get your tickets before they run out. This is one of the few events that have a cost involved. There is a limited amount of space so if you are planning to attend make sure to make your reservations quickly.

Following breakfast with the Easter Bunny there will be an Easter Egg Hunt. This Easter Egg Hunt is held every year, the Saturday before Easter at the Pigeon Forge Community Center. There are 4 age groups to make sure that all the children get to participate and the start times for the different age groups are staggered so that parents with kids in different age groups won’t miss a thing. The age groups are: 3 and under, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. This is a free event, open to everyone. Celebrate Easter with a great family event! Whether you are a local or a tourist bring your kids to the Pigeon Forge Community Center and have a Happy Easter.

Smoky Mountain Coca-Cola Collectors

If you’re into Coca-Cola, and by that I mean not just sipping on a bottle of Coke at dinner or in front of the television, but the actual signs, collectible bottles, and anything else with the Coke logo on it, you’ll want to be in Pigeon Forge for the Smoky Mountain Coca-Cola Collectors Convention at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center.

It promises to be everything you could ever want it be in a collectors convention. There will be red and white from one end to the other as Coca-Cola enthusiasts shop, trade, beg, barter, and gawk at all the rare Coke merchandise. If there ever was a Comic-Con for Cocoa-Cola collectors, this would be it.

If this sounds anything like you’d be interested in, plan to be at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center in the Smoky Mountains. Who can you expect to come into contact with at the convention? People who have a room in their house specifically for Coca-Cola things, antique show and flea market lovers, and really anyone who is interested in pop culture, etc.

If you yourself are an antiques or collectibles dealer, this is a great show for you no matter how much Coca-Cola swag, aka stuff, you may have. Attending these shows puts you directly in touch with thousands of Coca-Cola collectors. You might even think about joining the Coca-Cola Collectors Club, which puts on these conventions on an annual basis.

The Coca-Cola Collectors Club is for people looking to:

  • Get in touch with thousands of collectors around the world
  • Find markets for buying, trading, and selling collectibles
  • Purchase special merchandise only available to members
  • Monthly newsletter with free classified ads for all members
  • Annual international and regional conventions

If you’re coming for the Smoky Mountain Coca-Cola Collectors Convention in June, reserve a Pigeon Forge cabin, or a luxury Pigeon Forge condo near the convention center for your stay and enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains right off your back deck, or even your front porch.

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 Polar Express in 4-D

Dollywood’s Polar Express in 4-D has closed. Information below is maintained for historical purposes.

If you plan on going to a Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood this year, be sure you check out the Polar Express in 4-D. Since its inception a few years ago at the ’08 festival, the program has been a rousing success.

Located in the theme park’s Imagination Cinema, the Polar Express 4-D Experience as it’s been called, tells the popular holiday story of the Polar Express, the children who ride the Express, their journey to the North Pole, and all the adventures that happen along the way. And all in 4-D.

The 4-D experience as developed for The Polar Express, takes and uses a 3-D digital projection system that gives the appearance of images leaping off the projection screen. The addition of 4-D effects, means you’ll notice snow falling around you as well as smells like that of hot chocolate.

“This Christmas, I’m inviting families to take a spectacular holiday journey where dreams become real, and everybody knows I dream bigger than just about anybody else,” Dolly Parton said. “On The Polar Express 4-D Experience, all you have to do is believe, and I sure do!”

Like in The Polar Express, all anyone asks is that you go in, eyes open, and BELIEVE!

As mentioned, on The Polar Express a hesitant, but curious young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole – a land of elves, and you guessed it, home to one Santa Claus. This journey shows him the true meaning of Christmas and encourages one to believe no matter how unbelievable some things may be.

The Polar Express 4-D Experience is based the Warner Bros. Pictures film and book by Chris Van Allsburg.

In addition to a winter wonderland of more than four-million holiday lights, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival includes a Christmastime entertainment lineup of Christmas in the Smokies, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, An Appalachian Christmas, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, The Victorian Melodies, O’ Holy Night, Carol of the Trees plus the nightly Lighted Christmas Parade, and much much more.

Families can also explore Santa’s Workshop, a magnificent 500-square-foot home away from home featuring larger-than-life-sized toys like a seven-foot-tall sailboat; a 9-foot elephant; a tricycle that stands at 5 feet; an 8-foot-tall dollhouse; as well as a number of other large Christmas toys that you’ll have to see to believe.

Stringtime in the Smokies – Bluegrass Festival

Complete concert schedule and list of performers with links to official websites and contact information to participate in one of the best bluegrass events in Pigeon Forge, TN – Stringtime in the Smokies!

If you love good ole’ bluegrass music and southern hospitality, then make plans to come to Pigeon Forge, TN August 3 for Stringtime in the Smokies at The Old Mill Square (at Patriot Park – traffic light #7 in Pigeon Forge). The event will be all day Saturday and will feature many great artists. There will also be “jam sessions” after 7:00 pm, so be sure to bring your instruments if you like to pick!

Also, sign up for Saturday’s Old Mill Square Smoky Mountain Cornhole Tournament in memory of Sergeant Brett Benton (co-sponsored with WDVX) followed by an evening of bluegrass performances.

Best of all…the entire event is FREE and completely family friendly, so bring the kids, grandkids, parents, great-grandparents, etc!

Bluegrass Schedule for Stringtime in the Smokies in Pigeon Forge:

Saturday
Smoky Mountain Cornhole Tournament in memory of Sergeant Brett Benton
11:00am
Presented by The Old Mill and Co-Sponsored by WDVX

Competitive Cornhole Teams
(Open Division)
Pre-Registration fee $50 prior to July 19th
$60 after with registration ending Aug. 1 at 8pm
(teams of 2)

Amateur Cornhole Teams
Pre-Registration will be $30 prior to July 19th
$40 after with registration ending Aug. 1 at 8pm
(teams of 2)

Evening Blue Grass Performances:

Grassroots Gringos
6pm

Richard Bennett & Wyatt Rice
7pm

Robinella
8pm

For more StringTime 2011 bluegrass festival in Pigeon Forge, TN information, visit the Pigeon Forge Special Events website or call 865-429-7350.

2013 Tax Free Weekend in Tennessee

Information about the 2012 Tax Free Weekend in Tennessee. Find what what you can buy and how much you can spend per item and not pay taxes on your purchases! We also show you were to find coupons for Pigeon Forge to save even more money!

The 2013 Tax Free Weekend in Tennessee takes place on the first Friday of August (Aug. 2) starting at 12:01 a.m. that Friday and lasts until 11:59 p.m. the following Sunday night. This is a perfect time to visit Pigeon Forge, TN if you love to shop! Pigeon Forge has a ton of great outlet malls and stores to choose from. The most popular mall in the area is arguably Five Oaks Mall in Sevierville, TN. Five Oaks has plenty of great stores such as:

  • Nike
  • J.Crew
  • Old Navy
  • Gap
  • Banana Republic
  • Carter’s
  • Children’s Place
  • Polo Ralph Lauren
  • Strasburg Children
  • Hartstrings
  • Bath & Body Works
  • Disney
  • Adidas
  • and so much more!

There are numerous items that you can purchase and not have to pay taxes on. According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, here are the following guidelines for what can be purchased tax-free:

Clothing – $100 or less per item
School & Art Supplies – $100 or less per item
Computers – $1,500 per bundled package

If you have questions about the tax free weekend in Tennessee, you can call (800) 342-1003 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they can help you understand what can be bought and how much can be spent in order to not have to pay taxes on it.

What’s better than not having to pay taxes on your purchases? Well….not much…but coupons help out!!! Be sure to visit our coupons for Pigeon Forge page to find the best discounts and Pigeon Forge coupons for your shopping spree…you can also save money on food, entertainment, and accommodations with our list of coupons!

You can also visit the Sales Tax Holiday Web site at www.tntaxholiday.com to learn more about the weekend’s exempt items.

Enjoy your 2013 tax free weekend of shopping in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee August 2-4!

Christmas in July

If there’s one thing The Inn at Christmas Place knows besides Christmas, it’s how to throw a party, or a big event. As they’ve done in the past, The Inn is putting on their annual Christmas in July event, and this year, it’s packed with Christmas goodies that you won’t find anywhere else in the Smokies this time of year.

It’s Christmas 24/7 at the Inn at Christmas Place as those of you who have stayed there or passed by a time or two know! From the staff to the decorations and decor to the Inn’s menu and just the overall feel, the holiday spirit is never lacking here.

This is the perfect time to start getting some of that early Christmas shopping done as well. Maybe you’re looking for some new Christmas lights to replace your old ones, a new wreath, some ornaments or the latest in holiday music? You’ll find it all here during Christmas in July at The Inn at Christmas Place. Special sections for jewelry, apparel, as well as clearance items highlight the event. We’re talking about everything from a Smoky The Bear ornament to Christmas floral arrangements. Anything you need to make you Christmas one to remember.

For anyone that has booked a stay at the Inn during July, all 31 days of the month will include exciting daily activities and live music in the evenings. Starting at 9am, the lobby will be filled with Christmas characters greeting visitors including the one and only Santa Claus!

During the afternoons from 1-3pm, stop by and participate in a wide variety of holiday classes from bow-tying, to decorating tips, gingerbread houses, cookie decorating and many more. In the evenings, bands and entertainers such as Boogertown Gap, Pea Pickin’ Hears, Hills & Hollow Story Telling and more will be performing in the lower lobby.

Other activities include marshmallow roasting, kid’s crafts, free sno-cones and a Christmas costume parade.

For a full calendar of events, please visit: http://www.innatchristmasplace.com/christmas_in_july.cfm

All Chevy Supernationals in Pigeon Forge

For a region known for its car shows, if you’re into classic Chevrolets, there’s no better specialty show than the All Chevy Supernationals in Pigeon Forge. This year, the 2013 All Chevy Supernationals in Pigeon Forge TN includes anyone with a Chevrolet or GM car or truck, all makes, models, and years. We’re talking classic originals to completely modified late models. No matter if you’re a Chevy-lover or just a regular car show enthusiast, the All Chevy Supernationals in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is an awesome Pigeon Forge event and a great way to spend a weekend in the Smokies.

When and where is the 2013 Pigeon Forge All Chevy Supernationals?

The 2013 All Chevy Supernationals is June 14-15. Expect traffic in Pigeon Forge and area towns to be on the heavy side coming into, as well as leaving. The official event opening is 8am and goes until 6pm on Friday and 7pm on Saturday, but expect people to be hanging around and driving up and down the Parkway well into the night.

The Grand Hotel is the current event host, which is located right off the parkway Pigeon Forge, TN. However, due to the recent foreclosure and sale of The Grand Hotel, the venue may possibly change. You can check for regular event updates here.

Looking for a place to stay?

There are a number great Pigeon Forge cabin rentals and condos located in the vicinity of the event. Check out our Pigeon Forge cabin guide and our Pigeon Forge condo to find a great, private cabin or use our Pigeon Forge lodging finder to help you narrow your choice of hotel, motel, etc by searching location, prices, reviews, etc.

Every year is a great Car Show year in Pigeon Forge….

all chevy supernationals pigeon forge car show

The 2013 All Chevy Supernationals in Pigeon Forge, TN is going to be a memorable one for everyone involved. This is one of the best car show events of the summer. And we don’t have to go into why you should be here if you own a suped-up Chevy or classic GMC hot rod.

Let us known how the weekend went in the comment section below, or tell us about your ride. Also, be sure to check out our Pigeon Forge car shows schedule to see all the other car shows and rod runs that will be taking place in Pigeon Forge, TN in 2013.

Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge

12th Annual Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge rolls into Pigeon Forge June 1, 2, and 3 at the Music Road Hotel. From the classic GTOs to the popular Trans-Am, they’ll be Pontiacs as far as the eye can see that weekend.

My, how the time has flown! This year marks the 14th year of the Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge Car Show. Despite the numerous events and exhibitions gearhead-related in Pigeon Forge each year, the Pontiac show is always one the area’s most anticipated.

If you want to see some of the most gorgeous Pontiacs around – GTOs, Trans-Ams, etc, be sure to attend the 14th Annual show on June 7-9, 2013. The show will be held at The Music Road Hotel in beautiful Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

As if this show needed any added incentive, this year the event features a $1000 payout to be split by the Best of Show winners in both the stock and modified classes. And be sure to bring the whole family as there is something in Pigeon Forge for everyone! Whether you want to hit the water slide into the heated pool at the Music Road Hotel, visit Dollywood Amusement Park just down the parkway for some serious thrills and rides, or shop till you drop at the Tanger outlet malls, we assure you that this will be a weekend you won’t forget.

pontiacs_in_pigeon_forge

Still looking for a place to during the big Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge event June 7-9? Luxury Pigeon Forge cabins, as well as a number of beautiful Pigeon Forge condos can be found just minutes from the event itself. All feature amenities you just don’t find in the regular chain hotels like game rooms, hot tubs, theater rooms, etc. You can’t go wrong with a luxury Pigeon Forge condo or cabin just minutes from the Parkway.