“Saddle Up!” Festival Brings Cowboy Poetry, Western Music and Chuckwagon Grub

Cowboy poets, western singers and chuckwagon cooks are just over the horizon from Pigeon Forge, Tenn., preparing for the 10th celebration of Saddle Up!, a perhaps unexpected celebration of cowboy ways east of the Mississippi River.

Saddle Up!, Feb. 25-28, 2010, is the last major component of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, a four-month season of activities that started in November. The entire Winterfest celebration is on the American Bus Association’s list of the Top 100 Events in North America.

Like stars over a clear prairie sky, the entertainment lineup sparkles with Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, R.W. Hampton, Dave Stamey, Ray Doyle and Jeff Gore. Two western swing dances will get guests showing off their best two-stepping techniques.

The pop culture side of the cowboy life will be featured through appearances by James Drury and other stars of “The Virginian,” the 1962-1971 hit TV Western. “The Virginian,” the first 90-minute Western, told the story of the fictional Shiloh Ranch near Medicine Bow, Wyo.

Autograph sessions and question-and-answer opportunities are planned with Drury, Roberta Shore, Gary Clarke and Randy Boone. Drury appeared throughout the series.

A competitive chuckwagon cookoff is another Saddle Up! highlight. Teams of chuckwagon cooks will prepare an authentic trail hand lunch for guests’ enjoyment—and the critical evaluation of judges.

The closing event is Cowboy Church, a non-denominational service preceded by strong coffee and a chuckwagon breakfast.

Admission information: Concert day passes are $20 per day and $50 for the weekend (free through age 17). The chuckwagon cookoff lunch, chuckwagon breakfast and western swing dance are $5. Admission to “The Virginian” event is free.

Wilderness Wildlife Week To Feature 230 Programs In 2010

So what’s an outdoorsman supposed to do? He wants to be on the lake or in the woods, but his wife and kids just don’t understand.

The answer is to get his family excited about the outdoors, too, and one solution is letting Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., generate that excitement.

Wilderness Wildlife Week is a January event with more than 230 programs spread over eight days. There are sessions about bears, elk, trout and other species, plus nature photography workshops, map and compass classes and even opportunities to meet a bald eagle or learn how to hoot like an owl.

Almost 60 hikes and excursions into the national park complement the indoor programs. In 2009, more than 1,000 hikers from 18 states logged a cumulative 4,656 miles.

“The range of topics is huge. I think virtually everybody can learn something, be entertained and get turned on to outdoor activities,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism, which organizes the week.

Dates for Wilderness Wildlife Week’s 20th year are Jan. 9-16, 2010. More than 150 experts—outfitters, nature photographers, biologists, raptor rehabilitators, social historians and just plain folks who grew up in the Smokies—donate their time to the project.

“The week is extremely flexible. You can attend one lecture or take one hike, or you can participate day after day,” Downey said. “It’s a great way to introduce people to the outdoors.”

Here’s a sampling of program titles:

• Bears 101—Their Lives and Interactions with Humans
• Update on Elk in the Smokies
• Identifying Local Birds of Prey
• How To Use a Map and Compass
• Whose Scat Is That?
• Steam-Stocked Trout Fishing
• If You Were a Bear
• Fly Casting
• Bears We’ve Met—Stories of Encounters
• Returning the Osprey to Nest in Tennessee
• Six Months of Hummingbirds in Your Yard
• Tales from “Lost” (finding lost hikers)
• Hypothermia—I’m Not Cold
• Black Bear Management in Tennessee
• The Wolves of Bays Mountain
• Unusual Camping Tricks and Gizmos
• Hiking Tips for the Whole Family
• Wild Hog Biology

Wilderness Wildlife Week began 19 years ago as a half-day program on a January Saturday. January hasn’t been the same since then in Pigeon Forge. The Southeast Tourism Society has chosen it 10 times as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast.

Gatlinburg Rings In the New Year With a Unique Style

Gatlinburg will welcome the arrival of 2010 in unique style with its 22nd Annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Show at the Space Needle late Thursday night, December 31.

At the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2010, the Space Needle area will shine with a red glow from the surrounding rooftops at the beginning of a music program which includes selected songs followed by a choreographed fireworks show produced by Pyro-Shows of LaFollette, Tennessee.

Leading up to midnight, live entertainment and music delivered by local favorite Kevin McGuire will be headquartered on the balcony of the Gatlinburg Convention Center at the Historic Nature Trail/Airport Road entrance. Performers will entertain the crowd prior to midnight at the free public event, with party favors provided by Mr. Tablecloth available near the base of the Space Needle.

“It has become a tradition for families from across America to come back to celebrate the New Year here in Gatlinburg,” said George Hawkins, Special Events Manager. “We expect to have another big crowd to help us usher in 2010 with their family and friends.”

The highlight of the evening is the ball drop from the Space Needle, signifying the old year is over and a new one has begun. Then music encouraging crowd participation and the fireworks show off the 342-foot structure will welcome the New Year in dazzling style.

The entire city of Gatlinburg celebrates New Year’s Eve in a big way with many restaurants and attractions offering special celebrations.

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies offers a “Dance With the Sharks” party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. A ticket includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast, fireworks viewing from Aquarium Plaza, and two dance floors, one with an 8-piece band, the other with a DJ. Kids arrangements and programs are also available.

Popular hotspots like Blaine’s Restaurant, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere. Lineberger’s Seafood Company and T.G.I. Friday’s are right in the middle of the fireworks area below the Space Needle and offer varying packages which may include music, buffets and a champagne toast.

For information on other New Year’s parties and activities as well as lodging and dining options, please call the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce at 800/568-4748, or visit their website.

Christmas Wonderland of Lights at Smokies Stadium

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND AT SMOKIES STADIUM Presented by Shadrack Shadrack Watersports and RV brings Christmas Wonderland to Smokies Stadium in Sevierville, Tennessee during the 2009-10 Winterfest Celebration.

The lighting spectacular, which kicks off November 6, 2009, is one of America’s largest drive-through, fully computerized LED light shows. Hundreds of thousands of lights are included in this perfectly synchronized show filled with holiday tunes. The entire drive-through spectacular is nearly one mile in length and lasts approximately 20 minutes.

“Christmas Wonderland at Smokies Stadium presented by Shadrack will be a great addition to Sevierville’s Winterfest Celebration this year,” says Sevierville Chamber of Commerce Marketing Director Amanda Marr. “There are already millions of people who come to our area during Winterfest but having a new attraction like Christmas Wonderland will give those visitors something new and exciting for this year as well.”

Christmas Wonderland at Smokies Stadium presented by Shadrack will continue through January 2, 2010. Hours of operation are 6pm-10pm daily.

Admission:
$10 per car Monday-Thursday
$15 per car Friday-Sunday
$20 per Activity Van
$30 per Limo and $65 per bus
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve are weekend rates.

Proceeds will benefit area food ministries. For more information, call (423) 652-0120. Located at the Smokies Stadium – 3540 Line Drive – Kodak, TN 37764.

Paranormal Events for Fright Nights at Ripley’s Haunted Adventure

Ripley’s Haunted Adventure is celebrating its 11th annual Fright Nights show this year with “Phobias”, a show dedicated to fears of the human psyche! “We have been toying with this idea for a couple of years, but we wanted to really spend some time putting together just the right collection of phobias that we can portray in the largest sense,” says Suzanne DeSear, manager. Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, best known for its year-round haunting, will become even scarier during this time as the number of performers multiplies and themed surroundings play on your sight, sound, touch, and even smell. There is no extra charge for the special Fright Nights shows which run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in October. Shows are kicked off nightly at 6:13pm with a character parade.

This year there will be added special events with the “Eat a Cricket for a Ticket” promotion in which people will be randomly picked on the street to see if they can truly eat a cricket to win a ticket to the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure Fright Night show. There will also be special visits from some of the creepy crawly bugs and reptiles from Rainforest Adventure for those brave enough to touch, pet, and hold. And what would a Fright Nights show be without a special horror celebrity? On the weekend of October 23rd and 24th in conjunction with The Grand AdventureCon, Ripley’s Haunted Adventure will be hosting two guest celebrities, Daeg Faerch and William Forsythe from Rob Zombie’s Halloween.

Ripley’s Haunted Adventure is a year round haunted house that was opened in 1999 by Ripley Entertainment on the site of what was once the Grimsby & Streaper Casket Company. The old casket factory was abandoned under mysterious circumstances during the early 1900s shortly after residents started disappearing. Until Ripley’s can decide the most beneficial development for the area, they continue to conduct tours of the facility.

Ripley’s Haunted Adventure is one of the few haunted houses in the nation that is open 365 days a year. Tickets are $12.99 + tax for ages 12 and up and $7.99 + tax for ages 6-11. No one under the age of 6 is allowed due to the graphic nature of the facility, and those under 12 must be accompanied by a guardian. Wristbands for the celebrity autograph session will be an additional fee with the regular admission.

October is Full of Crafts in Pigeon Forge

Scores of talented artists and craftsmen seem to take a cue from Mother Nature when the leaves start changing colors in the Great Smoky Mountains and appear in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for two major autumn festivals.

Basket makers, carvers, painters and others are on hand for the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Festival and Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Celebration.

♦ The Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Crafts Festival (Oct. 1-30) is one of the region’s biggest crafts events, attracting almost 50 craftsmen, artists and exhibitors from more than a dozen states. It takes place under a giant red and white tent at Patriot Park. Rotarians volunteer their time to run the festival, and proceeds benefit many charities.

♦ Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Festival (Oct. 2-31) complements the theme park’s regular operation with an array of traditional and contemporary craftsmen and adds scores of free gospel music concerts to the entertainment lineup. Among the featured crafts are spinning, weaving, sorghum making, fiddle making, rug hooking and woodworking.

Both events take place against the backdrop of Pigeon Forge’s Harvestfest season, which continues through Oct. 31.

During Harvestfest, businesses throughout the city erect fanciful fall displays of hay bales, scarecrows, cornstalks, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, mums and other symbols of the season.

The Pigeon Forge Travel Planner and information about all aspects of the city are available online at MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100. The travel planner includes the Pigeon Forge Value Card, which offers more than $300 worth of discounts.

Biltmore Estate’s Second Annual Flower Carpet Begins August 14

Biltmore will celebrate its renowned landscape history with its second annual Flower Carpet August 14^th through 30^th. On the South Terrace of Biltmore House, more than 100,000 live plants will be installed to create a design inspired from architectural elements found in America’s largest home. The 14,400 square foot carpet display represents months of planning and engineering, and offers guests a unique late summer garden experience.

This year’s design was created by a Biltmore employee and was interpreted from stone carvings and intricate details from around Biltmore House. Most notably, the design reflects a fleur-de-lis motif found on a stone pillar outside the house. These pillars were one of the architectural designs inspired by the Chateau de Blois in the Loire Valley of France. The plants used for the carpet will be Scaevola Top Pot Blue, Salvia farinacea Evolution, Begonia Prelude Rose, Marigold Janie Bright Yellow, Zinnia Profusion Fire, Iresine Purple Lady and Dusty Miller New Look.

“Flower carpets are popular in India. They’re part of a yearly spring celebration on the island of Madeira and they have been perfected in Belgium. We are very excited to be bringing this natural art to our region for the second year in a row,” said Parker Andes, director of horticulture for Biltmore.

A daytime visit to Biltmore’s Flower Carpet is included with the cost of regular admission. Seating will be available on the South Terrace and Library Terrace of Biltmore House, where the view is spectacular. The gardens are open to day guests until dusk.

On select evenings, the estate will open for Flower Carpet Evenings – August 14, 16, 21, 22, 28 and 29. On these special nights, the carpet will be surrounded by the glow of soft lighting, beautiful sunset views and live jazz. Evening tickets are $65, or guests may upgrade from their daytime ticket for an additional charge. These tickets also include a self-guided candlelight tour of Biltmore House from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Guests with evening tickets may enter the estate after 4:30 p.m. Picnic options are available by reservation online or by phone when purchasing tickets. A wine bar featuring wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase will be available on site as well as a dining concierge that will be able to assist with dinner reservations at an estate restaurant. Restaurants will also be taking dinner reservations in advance.

GSMNP to Offer Parks As Classrooms Program In Autumn

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be offering its fall Parks as Classrooms (PaC) program, September – November, for students in grades K-8 from Tennessee schools. Resource Education Park Rangers are the subject experts and primary instructors during on-site field trips to the Park. Lesson plans combine Park resources with educational disciplines, including science and social studies. During activities, the Park becomes an outdoor classroom with hands-on learning experiences at several Park locations. The following are the programs available at this time:

Anthony Creek Classroom at Cades Cove. (1st grade) Rangers teach students to become nature detectives and participate in a habitat discovery hike. A show and tell activity teaches about different animal groups and their characteristics.

Porters Flat Classroom at Greenbrier and Cove Homeplace Classroom at Cades Cove. (2nd grade) Children travel back in time to discover how early settlers used the forest for obtaining food and medicines and recreate the experience of building a log home using real tools.

Air Quality Interactions Classroom at Sugarlands Visitor Center or Clingmans Dome. (5th grade) Students collect data for on-going monitoring studies about air pollution as relationships between forest elements are explored. The connections between human activities and impacts to the natural environment are examined in this program.

Soil Exploration Classroom at Twin Creeks Science and Education Center near Gatlinburg. (6th grade) Participate in an inventory of the macro invertebrates of the deciduous forest using scientific methods. In small groups, the class will recognize the interdependence of biotic and abiotic factors.

Cades Cove Loop Classroom (6th grade) This bicycle tour takes students part of the way around Cades Cove Loop Road. Students role-play as Park managers and plan the future of four key resources of the Cove. Class size is limited to 30 students. This program can also be given as a hayride for larger groups rather than on bicycles. (A small fee per student is required to rent the bicycles or hay wagon.)

The New Deal Classroom near Sugarlands Visitor center. (7th grade) A three mile round trip hike allows students to explore the remaining clues of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. The role of the Smokies during this era will be discussed.

Cades Cove Classroom (7th grade) Students participate in how biologists track animals and manage wildlife. Participants will examine many of the historic structures in Cades Cove.

Little River Classroom near Sugarlands Visitor Center. (7th grade) Using scientific methods, students will study streams. Students conduct water quality tests and assess the watershed’s health while discovering stream creatures.

Biodiversity Classroom at Twin Creeks Science and Education Center near Gatlinburg. (8th grade) – Students will study biodiversity by hands-on sampling of microscopic life in the temperate forest biome. Classroom size is limited to 50 students.

All activities are conducted in a three-hour program (including break for lunch), September – November. Chaperones will be required. In addition to the on-site trips, most units include a pre-visit materials package with logistical information, a video, and pre-site and post-site lesson plans for use in the classroom.

Interested teachers can contact the park at 865-436-1713 or visit the Parks as Classrooms program website to learn more. These educational programs would not be possible without the generous support of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and many other local donors.