Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival Marks The Change Of Seasons
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on September 22, 2015
It's official. The calendar says it's autumn, and nature is starting to agree. The days are a little milder, and the trees are starting to show the earliest hints that their annual color transformation is under way.
Here in the Great Smoky Mountains, we never pass up an opportunity to celebrate a season or give our visitors more bang for their buck with a rich lineup of special events. As a result, the annual Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival is now underway in the cities of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, offering six weeks of events and festivals designed to welcome fall with open arms.
The Smokies are certainly a great place to see the fall foliage, and our cities follow suit, getting gussied up for the season with lavish fall decorations to commemorate Harvest Festival. Trappings like pumpkins, gourds, hay bales and more are a frequent sight on the streets and at local businesses.
Harvest Festival kicks off on September 25 at Ober Gatlinburg, where they'll be celebrating the 6th annual Oktoberfest, which runs through November 2. This traditional German festival features Bavarian-style food and multiple live music and entertainment performances daily. And by the way, the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tram is the easiest way to get up there, and the ride provides great views of the changing foliage in the nearby mountains.
Another Gatlinburg Harvest Festival happening is the annual fall edition of the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair, which runs October 8 through 25. For nearly 50 years now, this event has brought more than 200 top artisans from around the country to town, where they demonstrate and display time-honored crafts like wood working, jewelry making, pottery, photography and much more. This event takes place at the Gatlinburg Convention Center downtown.
Some Gatlinburg attractions will also be including special activities on their calendars. Ripley's Haunted Adventure gears up for Halloween with Fright Nights each weekend through October. This year, “Experiment in Terror” will scare the wits out of brave guests, while Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies welcomes little trick-or-treaters on Halloween night with games, inflatables, candy, costumed characters and more.
Meanwhile, at the Iris Theater at the Gatlinburg Space Needle, world-renowned magician Keith Fields will thrill audiences with “Shocktober,” a show that adds a horrific twist to traditional magic.
There's also a lot going on in Pigeon Forge during Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. On September 26, the Old Mill neighborhood will host the 12th Annual Old Mill Heritage Day. Taking place at the historic Old Mill and surrounding shops and eateries, this event features quilt demonstrations, a petting zoo, kids' train rides, basket making, a farmers' market and much more. See firsthand what life in the 18th century was like as you learn to make lye soap and apple butter. The day's festivities include free tours of the Old Mill.
Other events on September 26 are the 17th Annual Fall Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament – a two-day event in which fisherman from all over the region compete for more than $10,000 in cash and prizes – and Dixie Stampede's Annual Children's Whoadeo – a festival for children ages 3 through 12, featuring a stick-horse competition, carnival and free refreshments.
Another great way to enjoy fall in the Smokies is to visit us at Smoky Mountain Ziplines, because if you're going to go ziplining, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee has some spectacular scenery to enjoy.
Next week, we'll discuss even more opportunities in store for this year's Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival.
