Local lists favorite Winterfest activities in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg The Smoky Mountain Winterfest celebration is Sevier County’s annual holiday festival, shared by Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville. Also, here’s a fun fact: Did you know that the tradition began in 1989 to boost the slower winter tourism months in Sevier County? As a local, I’ve seen first-hand what a success
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas has long been one of the park’s most cherished traditions, and Dolly Parton has said Christmas at Dollywood has a way of bringing cherished family memories back to life while helping families make new traditions together. The 2026 festival runs from Nov. 6, 2026 through Jan. 3, 2027. The Dollywood crew traditionally works behind the scenes
Dolly Parton provides an update on Dollywood’s most ambitious project ever Allen & Burns. Martin & Lewis. Hope & Crosby. Naughton & Parton. When Dolly Parton hits the stage with Dollywood Parks and Resorts President Eugene Naughton, it’s like watching a classic comedy act. Naughton – usually playing the straight man – works his way diligently through the script. Meanwhile, Parton
Titanic welcomes 2026 season with new artifacts, updated displays At a certain point, you’d think they would run out of new Titanic artifacts to put on display. After all, it’s been 114 years since the RMS Titanic was torn asunder in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Jack, Rose, and the drunk baker were left to fend for themselves. And
The South Pacific theme returns for Pirates Voyage’s 8th season in Pigeon Forge Swashbuckling adventure returns to the Pirates Voyage and Dinner & Show for its 8th season in Pigeon Forge. The popular South Pacific show elements that debuted last year will remain in 2026. Pirates is – in my opinion – the best of the massive Pigeon Forge Dinner
Ready to ride into a new season and catch the latest acts? I was pondering the other day about Skeeter – the comedic heart of Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner show in Pigeon Forge. As the Stampede enters its 39th season, I wonder how many people have had the honor of donning the Tennessee hat and overhauls and earning the right
Ranking the properties owned in the Smokies owned by Dolly Parton and her partners You might have thought that Dollywood and the Stampede would have been enough. But Dolly Parton’s footprint in Pigeon Forge continues to grow. By my count, including Dollywood, Splash Country, and the two resorts as separate entities, Dolly and her various partners have a total of
Going whole hog in a locally historic culinary location Barbecue in the Smokies has become something of a cottage industry. BBQ joints – or joints that also sell BBQ – are everywhere. I haven’t done a full survey, but I think BBQ is now more omnipresent in the mountains than even the fabled pancake, upon which the region’s culinary traditions
Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: An honest review “When I drink whiskey, I drink whiskey. And when I drink water, I drink water,” Barry Fitzgerald’s Michaleen Oge Flynn in John Ford’s classic “The Quiet Man.” “When I eat dinner, I eat dinner. And when I watch theater, I watch theater,” John Gullion in the Smoky Mountains every time
A Smoky Mountain local shares a few hidden gems and things to do in and around Pigeon Forge, TN Pigeon Forge, Tenn., isn’t exactly a place for subtlety. The competition for tourism dollars is fierce. To be relevant and successful, you need to stand out from the cacophony of neon lights and the dazzling array of sound and fury. However,