The Smoky Mountain Winterfest celebrations mark the beginning of the beautiful holiday season across the Smoky Mountain area. Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg each dedicate an evening to kicking off the magic of winter with millions of twinkling lights, parades and more! The 3 Smoky Mountain Winterfest events take place, separately, on November 10, 11 and 12, 2014. This way, families can attend each event to kick off the seasonal celebrations.
We’ve put together a Smoky Mountain Winterfest guide that should help you with all the information you need to know before attending the events:
Sevierville Winterfest Kickoff 2014
Theme: Music, Lights & Magic
When: Monday, November 10, 2014 from 3-7:30 p.m.
Where: Sevierville Civic Center located on Dolly Parton Parkway
Cost: Free to the Public
What’s Happening: This year, kick off the winter season with the City of Sevierville and the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. Here’s a few things you can find at the event:
- Food and Beverages (from local restaurants and vendors)
- Music and Dancing
- Live Entertainment
- Games and Prizes
- Santa’s Workshop
- Photos with Santa
- Fireworks Display
Pigeon Forge Winterfest Kickoff 2014
Theme: Winterfest & 4th Annual Veteran’s Day Parade
When: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 beginning at 5 p.m.
Where: Patriot Park
Cost: Free to the Public
What’s Happening: The Pigeon Forge Winterfest event will celebrate the holiday magic with a salute to veterans. The parade will feature live music, seasonal floats and entertainers. The parade will take place down the north side of the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, from traffic lights #!0 to #7, then to Patriot Park to start the Winterfest celebration. Here’s what you can expect at the Pigeon Forge Winterfest celebration at Patriot Park:
- Ceremonial Keynote Speech
- Food and Beverages (from local restaurants and vendors)
- Children’s Play Area
- Live Entertainment
- Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus
- Ceremonial Lighting of 5 Million Holiday Lights
- Fireworks Display
You can learn more about last year’s Pigeon Forge Winterfest event by reading: Over 5 Million Holiday Lights Set to Sparkle in Pigeon Forge.
Gatlinburg Winterfest Kickoff 2014
Theme: Winter Magic Kickoff & Chili Cookoff
When: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 from 5-8p.m.
Where: Downtown Gatlinburg, along the Parkway
Cost: Free to the Public
What’s Happening: The Gatlinburg Winterfest event is sure to keep you warm and toasty this year! Visitors to the Smoky Mountains love Gatlinburg’s annual Chili Cookoff event because they get the opportunity to sample dozens of chilis, then vote for their favorite to win the People’s Choice Award. The event brings dozens of restaurants, attractions and retailers together to compete for the best chili in the area! Judges will be present at the event to give awards for titles such as: Best Chili, Best Presentation and Best Chili Apron. Following the Chili Cookoff, visitors can experience the lighting of over 1 million LED lights throughout Gatlinburg.
What to Wear to Smoky Mountain Winterfest Events 2014
Each of the Winterfest events in the Smoky Mountains is family-friendly and open to the public. We recommend wearing something comfortable and casual. Since you will be walking around the areas, you should wear comfortable shoes.
The temperatures do tend to drop below 40 degrees in the evenings, so you will definitely want to make sure everyone in your family wears a jacket. The kickoff of the holiday lights won’t begin until after dark, so you may even want gloves, a hat and a scarf for the evening.
Where to Stay to Celebrate the Smoky Mountain Winterfest Events
The Smoky Mountain Winterfest events are the perfect way to celebrate the magical winter season throughout Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. For the best way to celebrate the season, you should stay in one of Amazing Views Cabin Rentals’ affordable Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge cabin rentals.
Each of our cabin rentals offers a beautiful view of the Great Smoky Mountains in addition to all of the great amenities found inside the cabin. When you stay with Amazing Views, you can choose from a variety of amenities, like indoor and outdoor hot tubs, plenty of porch space for sitting, game rooms and even home theaters.
Finding a cabin that has everything you want while also staying in the range of your budget is EASY! Just give us a call at our office and one of our friendly vacation rental specialists will be more than happy to help you find a Smoky Mountain cabin for your Winterfest vacation.
