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.

Welcome Home Vietnam

Ever want to say “Thank You” to the servicemen and women that live amongst us, people that include our neighbors, friends, and co-workers? Well, Pigeon Forge is providing the public with a great chance to do so April 15-18 with a slew of celebrations surrounding recognition of our veterans, and titled “Welcome Home Vietnam”.

Come celebrate the service and sacrifice of America’s Vietnam Veterans, as well as all of our veterans. The city of Pigeon Forge and the Theaters of the Smokies will be putting on this event. For those wishing to attend, a tour package featuring such events as a huge “Welcome Home Vietnam Parade,” a Tennessee Celebrity Concert, and live music shows with patriotic tributes. It’s just another great way to support to our troops and tell them “Thank You” for the sacrifices they’ve made.

Tour Features:

  • The “Welcome Home Vietnam” Parade (April 16)
  • A Patriotic Tennessee Celebrity Concert
  • Tribute to the Troops Variety Show
  • Dixie Stampede’s Salute to Vietnam Veterans
  • Gala Vietnam Veterans Charity Dinner
  • Three Nights First Class Hotel
  • Three Dinner Shows
  • Three Hotel Breakfast
  • Veterans Reunion Hall (Veterans Only)
  • Charitable Contribution to VVA, Vietnam Veterans of America
  • Local Attraction Discounts and Coupons
  • All Taxes & Tips on these services

For more information on Welcome Home Vietnam and the schedule of events, call 304 485-8687.

Smoky Mountain Fudge in Pigeon Forge

When people come to shop in Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountain area, they aren’t just looking for clothes and various collectible trinkets that symbolize the area. In fact, a growing number come searching for something a bit tastier: FUDGE.

It’s funny how one word can make your mouth start watering like crazy.

One place that knows a thing or two about fudge is Pigeon Forge. As mentioned, some come to Pigeon for that exact reason – to load up on fudge. As for retail establishments in Pigeon Forge that offer fudge for sale, there are many. One of the most popular locales for fudge in Pigeon Forge is The Old Mill. The Old Mill (164 Old Mill Ave., Pigeon Forge) offers a number of fudge flavors and even has a place on its website where you can order it online if you can’t make it to Pigeon Forge to purchase in person. Though they offer a number of homemade candies at The Old Mill, fudge is what people buy the most of.

Miss Patty’s Pasture Pattie is probably the most popular fudge selection. And it is delicious! It’s a cow “patty” shaped piece of fudge that weighs 16 ounces and costs $19.95. From someone who’s tried it before, it’s definitely worth the price if you enjoy fudge as much as we do.

If you’re coming to Pigeon Forge with a large group of people, check out the Old Mill’s fudge Slab. All of 6 pounds of fudge, the Slab is made up of your favorite fudge flavor and costs $69. It’s the perfect piece of fudge if you’re with a lot of people who enjoy it as well. And it’s a great way to save a little money. It’s also a great gift idea if you know someone who hasn’t experienced the thrill and deliciousness of Pigeon Forge and The Old Mill.

Some of the other flavors they carry include Butter Pecan, Vanilla, Tiger Butter, Rocky Road, Pumpkin, Peanut Butter, Oreo, Maple Walnut, Chocolate Walnut, Chocolate Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Chewy Praline and Vanilla Walnut, among others. A number of places also offer sugar free fudge.

Pigeon Forge Welcomes Loretta Lynn!

In the Smokies, most locals could pick out Loretta Lynn in a crowd, having grown up with her music and with her roots regionally based. It should also be no surprise that an April concert at the Country Tonite Theater in Pigeon Forge featuring Lynn is drawing interest all over the South. More specifically on April 12 to what will likely be a sold out show.

Loretta Lynn is a country music icon that has been wowing audiences with her performances for over 50 years. Known the world over as the “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike.

The nickname, Coal Miner’s Daughter, is a reference to Lynn’s hit single, as well as an album, a best-selling autobiography, and an Oscar-winning film. It all stems from Lynn’s upbringings in the Kentucky hills. “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”, “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”, and “Fist City” are just a few of the songs that made her famous and brought her millions of fans.

To say that she’s talented would be an understatement. Shes recorded over 160 songs and 60 albums, and appeared in number of films and television shows. Besides her ten No. 1 albums and sixteen No. 1 country singles, Lynn-has won a multitude of awards, including four Grammy Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music awards, eight Country Music Association and 26 fan-voted Music City News awards. She was the first woman in country music to receive a certified gold album for 1967’s “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)”.

In 1972, Lynn was the first woman named “Entertainer of the Year” by the Country Music Association, and is one of six women to have received CMA’s highest award. She was named “Artist of the Decade” for the 1970s by the Academy of Country Music. Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. She was also the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors in 2003. Lynn was the first female country artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977. In 2001, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” was named among NPR’s “100 Most Significant Songs of the 20th Century”.

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament

This year’s fall Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament is set for September 29 and 30 weekend in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

With so many mountain streams and rivers converging and running through Pigeon Forge, it’s no wonder that one of the area’s most popular and growing fall events happens to be the annual Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament. The accessibility of the streams and the fact that the town of Gatlinburg stocks the river make for good fishing for long-time anglers, as well as casual fishers. So, try your hand at it this year, wade into the river, start casting and land that big trout.

This year’s Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament – now entering its 14th year, features over $10,000 in cash and prizes for winners and others who place. For the spring tournament, April 6-7, contestants will vie for $500 for biggest trout, $500 for smallest trout (smallest trout must be 7 inches), gift certificates, trophies, fishing equipment, Dollywood passes, and much more. In all, over 20 miles of local streams have been stocked with 10,000 trout to accommodate for the tournament.

Anyone wishing to compete in the tournament will need a special permit to fish. You can pick up one of those permits at the Welcome Center on 441 South, the ‘Spur,’ before you get to Gatlinburg or City Hall on East Parkway. Streams in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are normally stocked on Thursday so fishing not permitted then, but any other day of the week is fine. The Gatlinburg Trout License has different rules and regulations depending on whether you are a Tennessee resident or not and there are a few exempt classes that do not need the Gatlinburg permit. You should ask those questions when you get your permit at the Welcome Center or City Hall.

There are some rules and regulations when fishing in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the great Smoky Mountains. Fishing is permitted from thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset. There are several children-only fishing areas in Gatlinburg: no one over 12 is allowed to fish in those areas. When fishing, you can only use one hand-held rod and you can only use a single hook. No multiple hook rigs are allowed. There are, of course, creel limits to the number of fish you can catch, so make sure that you ask about creel limits, type of bait and lures that can be used when you purchase your fishing permit. All trout must be at weigh-in located at Patriot Park, Pigeon Forge, traffic light No. 7 by 4 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Winners will be determined by total weight of the 2-day tournament.

If you’re looking for a place to stay while in town then be sure to check out our list of Pigeon Forge cabins. Also be sure to check out some of the best restaurants in Pigeon Forge like Mama’s Farmhouse and Smoky Mountain Brewery as well as the full calendar of events in Pigeon Forge, TN.

For more information, or to register for the 14th Annual Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament, visit smokymountaintrouttournament.com or call 865-661-FISH

Titanic Author’s Week

If you’re a Titanic  enthusiast, you’re not going to want to miss the Titanic Museum Attraction’s Authors’ Week the first week of April.

You’re asking yourself, Authors’ Week? What is that? In all, 10 celebrated authors of Titanic historical books and novels will appear together from Monday, April 1 to Sunday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, TN. It’s the first time they’ve ever carried out an event like this, but it won’t be the last.

Literally hundreds of Titanic books have been written about the ship, from the perspective of the night of, the passengers, basically from every angle of the incident. Titanic fans and followers will get the opportunity of a lifetime to meet and interact with all these authors. You won’t see this many respected voices on the events of the Titanic in one place very often, if at all. On top of all that, it’s a FREE book signing.

The Authors’ Week fair will be held outside in the parking lot of the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. Authors can be found in their own tented area. Visitors can stop by and talk everything Titanic as well as take pictures with the authors. As an added bonus, any Titanic books purchased during the event entitle the buyer to a discounted ticket to the Titanic Museum Attraction. This year, other than all the Titanic artifacts on display, visitors will get to view the brand new Discover the Children of Titanic display, dedicated to the Titanic’s child passengers.

Titanic books are the biggest selling items in museum’s gift shop. Both grown-ups and children are drawn to them. Jokes aside, bookmark the date, Monday, April 1 through Sunday, April 7, and plan to make the trip to the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge during the first week of April.

Tickets are not required for the book signing fair, but are needed for tours of the attraction. The Titanic Museum Attraction opens daily at 9 a.m. in Pigeon Forge. Reservations for museum tours are strongly suggested since many days sell out entirely. Passengers may purchase tickets online at www.titanicattraction.com or by phone at 800 381-7670.

Liquor By The Drink Approved, Again.

The people have spoken, and they’ve reiterated what they said the first time. Liquor by the drink is wanted by the citizens of Pigeon Forge. The measure was approved during a special election for the second time after passing in the November election.

Pigeon Forge voters returned to the polls recently voting in favor of allowing liquor by the drink sales inside city limits. November referendum results were thrown out by a court following a public spat over who was actually allowed to vote on the November referendum, which also featured a presidential vote as well as an extremely crowded general election ballot.

In all, 952 voters passed ballots in favor of liquor by the drink, while 798 voted against. According to the Sevier County Election Commission people were out early and often to voice their opinion as 1,035 ballots were cast during early voting.

For a quick recap of goings on leading up to the November re-vote, citizens approved a measure that would make it legal to serve liquor by the drink in Pigeon Forge. However, that vote was thrown out after a host of locals as well as the Churches of Pigeon Forge opted to file suit against the county election commission.

Though the church group claimed that there were an additional 289 more people who voted in the election than there were registered Pigeon Forge voters, Chancellor Tellford Fogerty ruled that citizens living outside city limits had been allowed to vote in November on the same issue.

In the end, Fogerty ruled there was no intentional fraud created through this election, though the results were “incurably uncertain.”

STIHL Timbersports Returns to Pigeon Forge this June!

One of the area’s most exciting and unique events is returning to Pigeon Forge in June. And if you guessed that the STIHL Timbersports series is the vent that is coming back to the area, well you’re a step ahead of all of us.

The STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® Series is one of the premier lumberjack sporting events in the country. Recently, officials with STIHL, as well as RAM Trucks, announced the top 40 professional lumberjack athletes – choppers/sawyers who will compete in the 2013 U.S. Series. The Great Smoky Lumberjack Feud in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. will host the event – STIHL TIMBERSPORTS U.S. Pro and Collegiate Championships, for the second consecutive year, June 7-9, 2013.

All the best lumberjacks scheduled to compete in Pigeon Forge this year including Arden Cogar Jr., the 2011 and 2012 STIHL Timbersports Series U.S. Champion. Cogar, a civil defense trial attorney from West Hamlin, W. Va., returns to the series for his 26th season. Tim Benedict will be making his series debut this season after winning the 2012 Collegiate Championship at Penn State.

If you’re local you might just recognize two familiar faces who will be participating this year – Derek Knutson and Andrew Mattison, who both work at the Lumberjack Feud.

Other noted competitors include a slew of collegians moving up into the pro ranks like David Green from Sisters, Ore., Adam LaSalle from Fairplay, Colo., Walter Page from Tollhouse, Calif., Will Roberts from Cortland, NY, Logan Scarborough from Polkton, NC and Nathan Waterfield from Cherry Valley, NY. Additionally, three sets of father-son lumberjacks will compete this season, including Paul and Matt Cogar (cousins of Arden Cogar), Mel and Jason Lentz and Mike and Matt Slingerland.

In all, six professional lumberjack disciplines make up the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series pro competition. These methods include the hot saw, single buck, springboard chop, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop. Held in conjunction with the Collegiate Series, the qualifying rounds pit the top eight lumberjacks in the region against each other with the top four pro athletes from each advancing to the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series Pro Championship at the Great Smoky Mountain Lumberjack Feud. These four individuals will not only compete against other competitors from around the country for the championship crown, but will also join together to represent their regions in the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Relay Competition. In addition to the ultimate bragging rights in lumberjack sports and a Ram 1500 truck, the top U.S. competitor also advances to the World Championship in Stuttgart, Germany Oct. 25-26.

The STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Series, established in 1985, is billed as the Original Extreme Sport and attracts the world’s top lumberjack athletes in a competition based on historic logging techniques. The Series is seen by millions of viewers annually in more than 62 countries on networks such as Eurosport, Outdoor Channel and ESPNU.

Record Year For Tourism in Pigeon Forge

Following a year that saw visits to the Smoky Mountain area climb, Pigeon Forge recently announced that it had reached record numbers for revenue in 2012.

According to Pigeon Forge Mayor David Wear, the city took in more than $905 million in 2012. If you’re counting at home, that’s a $75 million jump over the previous year. The city posted double digit growth in its two largest business sectors: amusements and lodging.

The mayor points to the city’s residents, its businesses and the city government, all working together in order to achieve such numbers.

“We’ve been reporting this kind of growth for a number of years, but it seems to have hit a peak this year as the best year ever in the history of Pigeon Forge,” said Wear, looking ahead to another big year in 2013.

The city’s new LeConte Center is set to open this fall, which will provide another large venue for shows, events and assemblies.

Another big reason for such great numbers in 2012 was an increase in visitor spending. With more than 9 million people coming to town, sales tax revenues saw tremendous growth.

The numbers also mean no layoffs in city government, new equipment for the police and fire departments, and reassurance for other attractions to come forward. That includes the former Belle Island development, which is advertising a spring 2013 launch as “The Island.”

Wear also noted that the upcoming “liquor by the drink” vote would add even more tax revenue for the city.

“There are developments that we know about that are waiting to see how this vote goes. We are committed to business development, whether it passes or fails,” he added.

Catch the Easter Bunny at The Christmas Place!

Late in the month of March, it’s not uncommon to spot the Easter Bunny out and about at numerous places around Pigeon Forge. One of those places that you’re sure to find him every year is the Christmas Place as he hops around greeting shoppers, having his picture taken with every child who comes up to him.

It’s Easter in Pigeon Forge! Spring is in the air, the sun is out, and the Easter Bunny is hopping around as if carrots were around every corner. If you hear whiskers twitching, ears flopping, and tails wiggling, then you’ll know you’re in the right place.

If you’re anywhere in the area on March 30, hop on over to The Christmas Place for a special visit with their own Easter Bunny between 11 am and 5 pm.  Everyone will want a picture with the big fuzzy guy, who’ll also have treats and surprises for the kids.

Come in early and take a peek at The Christmas Place Spring collections. If you’re looking for Easter decorations, gifts, springtime themes, and everything else else that goes with this popular season, The Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge should be your first stop. There really is something for everyone at The Christmas Place – from holiday gifts to seasonal favorites.

At The Christmas Place, you can celebrate all the holidays no matter the time of year.