CELEBRATE FREEDOM! Various Venues, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Mid-August 865-429-7350 Pigeon Forge salutes America’s veterans during this weeklong tribute full of live concerts, parades, dances, historical exhibits and the Freedom Works fireworks display. Headquartered at Veterans Memorial Museum, Celebrate Freedom! takes place at a variety of venues throughout Pigeon Forge, including Country Tonite Theatre, Louise Mandrell Theater and Music Road Hotel & Convention Center.
DOLLYWOOD KIDSFEST
Dollywood, 1020 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Mid-June to Early August 800-DOLLYWOOD Kid crafts, karaoke, puppets, clowns, jugglers, magicians, a trained dog show, extreme sports and much more highlight the festivities at Dollywood theme park during Kidfest. Other annual events held at Dollywood include the Dollywood Festival of Nations in April, Harvest Celebration in September and Smoky Mountain Christmas starting in November.
FESTIVAL OF NATIVE PEOPLES
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds, Cherokee, North Carolina
Late August A festive gathering of tribes from all over the Americas, the Festival of Native Peoples takes place at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.
FOOD CITY FAMILY RACE NIGHT NASCAR SpeedPark, Sevierville, Tennessee Mid-August 865-908-5500 Race car fans will not want to pass up this rare opportunity to meet NASCAR drivers, get autographs and check out race cars. Food City Family Race Night also features live entertainment and children’s activities.
GATLINBURG HERITAGE ON DISPLAY FESTIVAL
Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Mid-August to Early September 865-436-0500 Fine craftsmanship abounds in the Smoky Mountain area, especially in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, which is located just 3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg on U.S. 321 North. Learn all about Gatlinburg’s rich heritage while traversing through the craft shops in the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community during the Gatlinburg Heritage on Display Festival.
TALKING TREES CHILDREN'S TROUT DERBY
Oconaluftee Islands Derby, Cherokee, North Carolina
Early August Approximately 1,000 children turn out for the annual Talking Trees Children's Trout Derby, which features fly-tying exhibitions, fish-cleaning stations, live music, food and trophies. The Talking Trees Children's Trout Derby is free for ages 11 and under.
TENNESSEE SMOKIES BASEBALL
Smokies Stadium, 3540 Line Drive, Kodak, Tennessee
Early April to Early September 865-286-2300 For a night of fun, affordable family entertainment, Tennessee Smokies baseball can’t be beat! A Class AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tennessee Smokies compete in the Southern League of Professional Baseball against the likes of the Chattanooga Lookouts, Greenville Braves, Carolina Mudcats and Jacksonville Suns. The state-of-the-art Tennessee Smokies Stadium, which opened in 2000, features 6,000 seats, a grass berm around most of the outfield and a full-service restaurant called the Double Play Café. The Tennessee Smokies play their home games in Kodak, which lies just Northwest of Sevierville (Exit 407 off of Interstate 40).
UNTO THESE HILLS OUTDOOR DRAMA U.S. 441 at Drama Road, Cherokee, North Carolina Mid-June to Late August 828-497-2111, 1-866-554-4557 A moving outdoor drama that takes place in the beautiful 2,800-seat Mountainside Theatre, Unto These Hills traces the history of the Cherokee people from the arrival of Hernando De Soto in 1540 to the tragic Trail of Tears in 1838. Unto These Hills is presented nightly at 8:30 PM (except Sunday) from mid-June through late August. Arrive early for pre-show entertainment, which begins at 7:45 PM. Reservations are strongly suggested.
WORLD PREMIERE GOSPEL CONCERT Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Third Weekend in August 1-800-251-4444 Sponsored by the Gospel Music Television Network, the 3-day World Premiere Gospel Concert hosts 2 live shows daily from some of the best gospel singers in the country.
