Winterfest in Pigeon Forge and Patriot Park

Winterfest! Winterfest! Winterfest!

That's whats on everyone's mind as November approaches. And why wouldn't it be? Winterfest is without a doubt the most active, special events-enriched concentrated section of time throughout the calendar year here in the Smokies. Just the switching to Winterfest is two events to really look forward to.

In Pigeon Forge, Patriot Park on November 5th, 4:00 PM is the kick off to the Pigeon Forge Winterfest. Patroit Park has been Pigeon Forge's site for enormous and colorful outdoor activities for years and years and then some. The site will include the big switch, the Trolley Tour of Lights beginning immediately after, and entertainment before hand.

If you've never heard of the Trolley Tour of Lights, pull up a chair. The Trolley Tour of Lights is an easy favorite for many who visit the Smokies during the holidays annually. For $5 a person, the Trolley will host a city-wide tour of the million-dollar lighting displays every evening of the Winterfest - November 4th to March.

And by staying at Green Valley Motel, your trip to Patriot Park are the low end of single digit minutes. Heck, you only have to make three turns - one right to leave the motel, one right after the HHI and one more into Patriot Park (more turns depending on parking).

Don't miss out! Winterfest only happens once a year... for... almost a third of the year, but its still only once a year!

Rod Run Weekend in Pigeon Forge

The Rod Runs in Pigeon Forge are events to behold. Its not September until two back-to-back weekends are filled with classic cars parading down the street as the night sky is lit up with every hotel and headlight in the downtown area.

On the weekend of the 11th, the Shades of the Past Rod Run comes through at The Smoky River Ranch in Pigeon Forge, but you'll be seeing its presence for miles around. The Rod Run is ENORMOUS here in town and those who come to attend will pretty much party a good deal of the night away (just use excellent judgment when you do). The sidewalks will be lined with chairs, festive watchers, owners, gearheads and much much more.

Word of warning: Traffic will be INSANE and there is nothing you can do about it. Just get in early, find a reasonable spot and some comfort footwear and enjoy.

On the 18th is the Grand Rod Run which takes place at the Grand Hotel and Convention Center. This is the biggest one of the year and if you missed anyone the first week, its a good chance they stuck around for this one.

So what does this mean for you?

As a guest at Green Valley Motel in said Pigeon Forge, you barely even need to put your shoes on to be front row and center for much of the activity. You'll definitely need them if you decide to go up and down the sidewalks, but Green Valley's location is so prime and heart-center into the thick of things, that only the most minimal of effort is required to enjoy it the way everyone else would.

That means more rest for you, more overall enjoyment, less stress and so forth.
Choose Green Valley Motel for your Rod Run accomodations and you'll be thankful you did.

Labor Day Special

Labor Day, the day of non-labor, is as coveted a prize as the crown jewels in North America, so it behooves you to take extra advantage of it during your vacation in the Smoky Mountains.

Sidney James in Gatlinburg is offering 25% off your stay at their Motor Lodge through Labor Day Weekend. That's more money for you to enjoy downtown, which from the Motor Lodge is either a 2-minute drive, a 10-minute walk, or a Trolley drive of which the Lodge is a stop.

Course you could just save your money and enjoy the simple pleasures of a city park, which is literally behind the Lodge, or you could just enjoy the plentivity of what Sidney James offers, at the same quality, for 25% percent off.

Its a common practice for hotels and accomodations to raise prices on the days they expect you to pay the most (and that sentence works both ways). Sidney James is actually reducing its price on one of the busiest weekends of the year. Why would you ever want to pay more when you could, in theory, pay LESS for the same quality Sidney James has offered for many, many years.

www.sidneyjames.com

Coupon!

The coupon says it all. Spend two nights at Green Valley Motel, owned and operated by Sidney James management, and get the third night free until October 1, 2009. If you're spending a weekend in Pigeon Forge, its literally taking 33% off your lodging bill.

Sidney James has owned The Green Valley Motel in Pigeon Forge for a while now and has and continues to work hard to give it the same quality management you find at the Motor Lodge in Gatlinburg. The Green Valley Motel sits on the end of Pigeon Forge that teeters on National Park territory. It is 5 minutes away from Dixie Stampede, 8 minutes to Dollywood and Splash Country.

Additionally,

• 50 Spacious Rooms
• King, Queen, and Double Rooms
• Heated Outdoor Swimming Pool
• Kiddie Pool
• Jacuzzi Rooms & Suites Available
• Kids Under Age 12 Stay FREE
• Meeting Rooms Available
• Located near Pigeon Forge Trolley Stop

And a golf course? Yes, roughly 6-7 minutes away is the Gatlinburg Golf Course (In Pigeon Forge. Yes, we know) and a multitude of restaurants on the other side of the street.

Green Valley Motel doesn't pretend to be anything other than a clean, efficient and decent place to sleep, and you can bet you aren't paying for more than that. With this coupon, you're saving even more. 33% percent even further off, and what does that buy you?

• 50 Spacious Rooms
• King, Queen, and Double Rooms
• Heated Outdoor Swimming Pool
• Kiddie Pool
• Jacuzzi Rooms & Suites Available
• Kids Under Age 12 Stay FREE
• Meeting Rooms Available
• Located near Pigeon Forge Trolley Stop

Come stay at the Green Valley Motel in Pigeon Forge.

August in the Smokies

Its August. Summer's about over. School starts any week now. Tears are shed. Acceptances are low.

Still, its still summer until its September and there are still plenty, PLENTY of things to enjoy in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. If you've been waiting all summer for a good time to come over to the mountains - now is the time.

Dollywood is shifting between its Kids Fest and Gospel Harvest Fest, but everything you've come to see is still there. The rides are still running, all the fine restaurants are still serving, and the shows are still showing. Its a fun full day of activity no matter when you come. And don't forget about Splash Country either! Its open until early September and all the big, wet slides and rafts and pools and waves and playgrounds are still waiting for you to enjoy them!



There's also Ober Gatlinburg, a mountain top fun center for the whole family. You can drive or take the scenic Aerial Tramway to the entrance where a centralized, multi-story building awaits you with indoor shopping, eateries, indoor ice skating, mini golf and an arcade. Outside are the Alpine Slide - two 1800 feet slides through woods and ski trails. The Water slide requires no swimwear at all and the Blue Cyclone Rapids promise up to 2.9 Gs of speed. Ober should provide at least half a day of fun and excitement for your group.

Lets say you want to hit Downtown Gatlinburg one more time. No problem! The Gatlinburg Attractions Association offers something every few hundred feet or so up and down the sidewalks, from anything Ripleys (including the grand Aquarium!) to Camp Thunder and Fort Fun in Reagan's Terrace Mall. There is also Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre which is a unique experience here in the Smokies and the Space Needle which scrapes the heavens. The choices are vast: www.attractions-gatlinburg.com

Time's running out to grab one last series of summer thrills here in the mountains, so be sure to take advantage of them while the temperature is still hot.

Dixie Stampede

Fiddles!
Barbecued Chicken!
Horses!
Homemade Biscuits!
Bluegrass!
Mason Jars!
Country Music!
Southern Belles!
Pyrotechnics!

No, this isn't the entire Southern part of the Northern America condensed into 14 words, this is the entire South condensed into Dixie Stampede - Pigeon Forge's popular Southern Dinner and a Show theatre.

"Everyday is an adventure at the Dixie Stampede!" proudly exclaims the website (www.dixiestampede.com) and you can believe it with the show you're about to see. People come from far and wide just to see the horses and performances with them. There is an opening act in the Carriage Room to wet the appetites, and once the full show is about to begin, you and every member of your party get an authentic southern full dinner to enjoy as the lights and special effects illuminate the room and provide the backdrop to an adventurous evening.

Again, please refer to dixiestampede.com for more information and reservations.

Fourth of July in Pigeon Forge

Patriot Park, for its wide open space, ease of location, and recognition of every sacrifice our American Armed Forces have made down through the years, is the obvious choice to host one of the most popular annual Independence Day celebrations in East Tennessee.

Patriot Park, a 5 minute drive from Green Valley Motel or a 20 minute walk along the Little Pigeon River (which might be quicker in consideration of traffic), offers an expansive playground for families to run and play out in the summer sun. Next to it is the Little Pigeon River where some choose to take a dip. Surrounding the park is the Old Mill complex where you can find gorgeous artwork, antiques, arts and crafts, restaurants, a creamery, toys, books, pottery, and other gifts. Its a great place to escape if the heat starts baring down on you.

And more than anything else, before the fireworks start, people gather because year after year, Pigeon Forge has put on a series of incredible shows and performances on a large soundstage built specifically for Patriot Park. This year features performances by the Pigeon Forge Community Chorus, Homer Hart, The Temptations, John Berry, Sarah Darling, and the Classic Rock All-Stars. A good, great range of music pours from Patiot Park all day on Independence Day.

And then the Fireworks begin. 9:45 PM is the time (tentative) and you'll be enjoying the fireworks until after 10:00 PM. Far and wide the lights and pyros explode into the night sky and you'll be thinking about them the following morning too. The best part is, should you choose to stay inside and relax by the pool or just enjoy the movies on TV all day, you'll still be in good enough range to watch the fireworks everyone in America waits for on this magical summer day.

Visit mypigeonforge.com for more detailed information on the Patriot Park's festivities and up to date festivities.

Dollywood Kidsfest 2009

Summer is the season for kids. There's no school, temperatures made for a plethora of outdoor activities, and KidsFest at Dollywood. Every child in America is at least entitled to these three benefits between June and September and every summer calls for a family vacation trip and with KidsFest at Dollywood, everything lines up perfectly.

Dollywood tailors the park specifically for the young'uns during this time. Everything on park is family-friendly, safe-tested entertainment featuring rides for all ages, costumed characters, streetside activities with puzzles and imagination games. The whole family can enjoy the River Battle ride, the whole expanse of Dreamland Forest and much, much more.


KidsFest 2009 includes:

* Journey to the Center of the Earth 4D Motion Ride
* Creature Adventures starring the Kratt Brothers
* Kamp Kidsfest
* Sandscapes
* Penguin Group USA
* Wandering characters Cas and Walker, Miss Penny and Patches

Bloomin' Barbeque and Bluegrass

Summer is the season to visit Sevier County. We get millions and millions of visitors each year, and a majority of them visit between May and mid-September. This is for two reasons: A. School's out across the board and when the beach gets too hot and sandy, the Mountains start calling and B. Because ALL the good stuff is happening in between those months.

As a seasonal appetizer (but by all means a full meal of itself), the Blooming BBQ and Bluegrass in Sevierville sketches a drawing of whats to come. Sevierville holds fewer celebrations than Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, so all that energy goes into turning The Courthouse and surrounding downtown area into a family fun center of cooked meats, cool treats and plenty of other eats.

If you have visited the BB&B previously, you know what to expect and are likely on your way over now. If you have not, here is a breakdown of what to expect:

- Largely competitive atmosphere as more than a dozen, maybe even two dozen, cooking teams compete for the best Barbeque in Sevierville. This means a giant spike in terms of quality and no matter who takes home the spoils of victory, the winner is always the same: YOU!

- Constant performances of bluegrass. People in these parts can't get enough, so, hopefully, the TEN hours of performances across Friday and Saturday will help fill that void.

- Family friendly, entertaining and waste-free atmosphere. Sevierville in particular is doing its job to help keep the streets clean for our good city and, hopefully, humanity at large.



BB&B is happening next week on the 15th and 16th of May, 2009, so you'd best get packed and on your way if you want to hit the best Sevierville Summer celebration (5x fast, I dare you) all year. You won't regret it.

Here's a little glimpse at what you can expect to see at the BB&B (thanks to Skeetbait1234 for providing the video.)

Dolly Parade 2009

Dolly Parton made Sevier County. This is a fact that cannot be disputed, no matter how you slice it up. The Country music superlegend, a very proud and openly Southern gal from Sevierville, helped bring up what was originally Silver Dollar City and transformed it into Dollywood - a major amusement park that is ranked alongside Six Flags and Disney World and Tennessee's most popular destination. With her larger-than-life personality and frequent personal endorsements, Dollywood has not sustained itself admirably for 20 years, but the economy of Sevier County too.

So you can imagine why its a pretty big deal for Miss Dolly to come to town every Spring.



This year, Dolly returns once again as Grand Marshall of the Dolly Parade, May 8th, 2009. Upwards of 50,000 people regularly attend to watch the streets of Pigeon Forge transform into a playground showcasing everything Sevier County is and stands for. That means floats from Dixie Stampede, Country Tonite, The Miracle Theater, Smoky Mountain Jubilee, Magic Beyond Belief, and our troops, local businesses, clubs and anything else this good county can drum up and build a float for.

Previous themes of past Parades have included Celebrate Ireland! The Parade starts on River Road near Traffic Light #7 and continues to the Belz Factory Outlet at traffic light #3. The Parade begins at 6:00 P.M. May 8th, 2009.

Spring Grand Rod Run 2009

You see it coming a mile away. If you happen to be vacationing in Pigeon Forge and you start to see the parking lots edging the Parkway filled with colorful, beautiful automobiles, it means the first big Automotive show in Pigeon Forge is not far away. The Rod Runs in Pigeon Forge are so big, you start to see people setting up a week in advance. Literally. Sometimes more.

For gearheads of all ages, sizes and shapes, this is one of THE events to come see in Pigeon Forge. You'll see cars for forgot even existed, painted creatively and paraded down the main street of the city for all to see. There will be interactive displays, vendors, workshops, Q&As and, the center spotlight, rare and unique automobiles.




As a guest at Green Valley Motel, you automatically get one, possibly two depending on how you look at it, huge advantage in location. The big downside to a Rod Run is the TRAFFIC it creates, but at Green Valley Motel, you only need to walk down to your spot and save yourself all the time and energy you would want better spent at the show itself.

Its a blast going up and down the sidewalks in Pigeon Forge during this perennial favorite and you get to enjoy it virtually next door by staying with Green Valley Motel.