Saddle Up Pigeon Forge Tennessee
Saddle Up, a Pigeon Forge annual event, brings western flair and early Smoky Mountain settlers flair to the city of Pigeon Forge Tennessee.
Wrapping up Winterfest 2010 festivities sponsored by the city of Pigeon Forge, is Saddle Up Week. This year Saddle Up runs from the 25th-28th. The annual Saddle Up event brings well known Cowboy poets, western style singers, and chuckwagon cooks to the city of Pigeon Forge, in the scenic Tennessee Smoky Mountains.
Winterfest Smoky Mountains Christmas Lights
Winterfest has become a big thing for the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville all decked in lights along city streets and many businesses as well.
Each year my wife and I take our grandchildren off the beaten path that so many tourist see to the King home. Just off Hwy416, about 5 miles from the Sevierville city limits, sits a the spectacular display of lights and animated characters. Christmas mouses hard at work preparing their Christmas meal and elves working to ready toys for good boys and girls. So much more adorns the front of the King’s home. My wife and I have always felt this home’s decorations top those of the three cities.
This year we added a new venture to our Christmas lights search. About one mile from downtown Pigeon Forge on Sugar Hollow Road, between Cracker Barrel and Wood Fire Grill, we discovered a fantastic Christmas display of animated lights.
The private residence of Nick Miller, an 18 year old, his mother Kay and stepfather John Pittman is adorned with a fabulous Christmas spirit. You enter their drive and pass under lit arches slowly passing various dazzling light displays until you reach the front of their home. At the very front stands a magnificent forest of light animated trees. Nick Miller spent days programming and honing the lights to favorite Christmas tunes. The yard is filled with about 100,000 lights set in a Christmas magical wonderland that young and old can’t help but fill the spirit of Christmas. What devotion these three gave in such a wondrous gift, and free for the public to enjoy.
Equally impresive is the mass front glass windows of the Pittman/Miller home. You peer into a home filled throughout with Christmas adornment of great proportions that steals your breath. The grandchildren just loved their home, my wife and I went further in recognizing the vast expense, skill, and hard work they excersized in this majestic Christmas display. We far recognize they have beaten their neighboring cities in building a “Christmas Wonderland.” We eventually had to leave, so we slowly departed down the drive passing the twinkle of many more smaller light displays. What a memory we all enjoyed, we hope this wonderful display will be an annual event.
Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville would do good to observe these two treasured displays. When I see what great achievement two private families can do with only their personal funds, I can only imagine what could transpire if the three cities joined hands in the spirit of Christmas. Imagine the three cities working together and using Patriot Park to build a Christmas Wonderland of magical lights and animation. What a glorious show of Christmas spirit they could achieve. The Tennessee Smoky Mountains could earn the title “The South’s Winterfest Winter Wonderland Destination”, sure to win rave reviews and attendance for all three cities. Well, there is always hope.
Gatlinburg And Tennessee Smoky Mountain News
Gatlinburg Parade - December 4th, 7:30pm is the start of the Gatlinburg Parade. A major annual event, visitors to the Smoky Mountains are sure to enjoy the memorable thrills of the various parade activities. Cabin Fever Vacations is honored to have a float in the parade this year. Many local businesses and performance groups will travel the route from traffic light 1A on Highway 321 to light #10 downtown Gatlinburg. Be sure to dress warm and have a great family Winterfest in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.
Gatlinburg TN- Gatlinburg city officials are considering forward movement of Undergrounding Phase VI. Surveys and studies seem to show that efforts to remove unsightly electrical, phone and data cables wires to underground have proved effective in the appearance of Gatlinburg. Visitors seem to appreciate the more open views and seemingly reduce clutter of high pedestrian walkways.
The Nutcracker Sweet - Great Smoky Mountain Dance Theatre and the City of Gatlinburg will host a presentation of The Nutcracker Sweet November 27th and 28th at 7pm. at the WL Mills Auditorium, downtown Gatlinburg. For more info call 865-453-9702.
Gatlinburg City Hall held a public meeting for the proposed 15.6 mile , 12 segment, Gatlinburg Greenways Master Plan. Efforts are underway to seek interest and support for 12 segmented stretches of property that would form Greenways, multipurpose trails, throughout the Gatlinburg area.
Seems promoters of the idea are quick to share the Greenways would service hikers, while skateboarders and skaters would not be allowed. Considering most visitors to Gatlinburg bring families with children and there is little room for bikes in the trunk. What is your opinion as to if provisions were made to allow skateboards and skates? Please post opinions and refer back for updates as this story develops. Constructive comments, pro or con, will be posted.
Pigeon Forge - Dollywood’s Splash Country Waterpark won the Must-See Waterpark Award at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo in Las Vegas.
Tennessee Smoky Mountains Area News
Duggar Family Pigeon Forge Tennessee- The Duggar family, form TLC’s 18 Kids and Counting, flipped the switch for the cermonial lighting of the Pigeon Forge Winterfest lights. They will be attending the ever popular “Cowboy Church” ,at Country Tonite Theater, this Sunday.
If you can’t make it to Country Tonite’s “Cowboy Church,” look up their live broadcast http://smokymountaincowboychurch.com/ or on satellite radio.
Kodak Tennessee - Kodak Library will host two free teen movies. The movie “Smoke Signals” will show Nov. 7th, this Saturday, 2p.m. while Walt Disney’s “Pocahontas” will show Nov 21st at 2p.m. . Interesting is, ”Smoke Signals” was the first film written, directed, and acted completely by American Indians.
Dolly Parton- BBC Series On Faith. Dolly will join with Tony Blair, England’s former Prime Minister, on a BBC series that will explore the roles in which belief plays in the lives of high-profile figures. Dolly Partonwill share how she balances her flirtatious stage image with her religious faith.
Exit 407 Flea Market Get Boost - Sevierville Tennessee - Sevierville brought in more industrial growthto the area, along with this growth is the need to expand the road lanes on Dumplin Valley Rd to 12 feet each way and add 4 foot gravel shoulders on each side. This makes access to the Flea Market easier for Smoky Mountain visitors and deliveries. There was no mention of placing a light at the intersection where Dumplin Valley Rd. and Hwy 66 intersect, but I am sure that will follow shortly, if it doesn’t happen before the road widening.
Christ In The Smokies- Gatlinburg Tennessee - According to The Mountain Press, Christ In The Smokies will offer free admission during November and December. Local residents are asked to bring nonperishable food items or a near new coat for the Sevier County Food Ministries. For more information call (865)436-5155.
Duggars Turn On The Lights For Pigeon Forge Winterfest
Pigeon Forge’s 20th Winterfest kickoff will be a family affair. Pigeon Forge, known for its family fun atmosphere, will have the Duggar family return to flip the ceremonial light switch turning on over 5 million Winterfest lights on November 5th, 2009.
The Duggar family, stars of TLC television reality show ”18 Kids and Counting,” are a great match for Pigeon Forge. Having watched their show, i’m always amazed at how the children work together as a team for the good of the family as a whole. Sure no family is perfect, but families, business owners, and city-county officials can learn a lot about team work from their show.
