Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts invites artists to submit works for consideration for the 2016 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Artist of the Year Competition. This year’s theme is landscape. Any works that embody the spirit or characteristics of Great Smoky Mountains National Park including physical, biological or historical references to the park’s landscape will be accepted. Traditional and abstract interpretations ...

 The Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass festival in Sevierville, Tenn., produced by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, won the coveted 2015 Gold Grand Pinnacle Award (Division 1: Budget under $250,000) from the International Festival & Events Association (IFEA). The award was presented during the organization’s 60th Anniversary IFEA Convention & Expo recently in Tucson, Ariz. The Grand Pinnacle is the highest ...

Great Smoky Mountains National Park held two ribbon-cutting ceremonies to unveil over 10 new pieces of alternative fuel equipment. The events were held at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, N.C. and Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, Tenn. on September 30, 2015. With the new pieces of alternative fuel equipment, the Smokies implemented three new facets of the park’s Climate Friendly ...

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Sevier County is kicking off its annual event and invites everyone to come and learn about how to help the American Cancer Society save more lives from cancer. The Relay for Life of Sevier County Kickoff will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015 at RiverStone Resort Conference Room, ...

Knoxville PrideFest announces the inaugural Pride Night OUT with the Knoxville Ice Bears, Knoxville’s professional hockey team on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. The event will include buffet dinner, ice box seating, player visits, door prizes, cash bar, and much more for just $50 per person. Tickets available for Pride Night OUT with the Knoxville Ice Bears online Expect ...

With sweet melodies drifting through the crisp, autumn air, Southern gospel music is well represented during Dollywood’s National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration all month long during October 2015. Once again, Dollywood is home to a packed slate of Southern gospel’s premier talent. Among this year’s new acts are Ernie Hasse & Signature Sound (Oct. 4-5) and The Collingsworth Family ...

On Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, the Gatlinburg Farmers Market will host its last outdoor market of the 2015 season while celebrating a wonderful year at the market. Even though produce is dwindling as fall arrives, there are still locally grown and locally handcrafted items at the market, such as baked-goods, honey, meats, eggs, preserves, soaps, jewelry and art work. The ...

The historic Clinic building on the Parkway will find a new home after being donated by Anakeesta to the Sevier County School District. Also known as the “Watson House” the building is thought to be Gatlinburg’s very first clinic. Built in 1910 by Andrew Ogle, the Clinic served as the community’s first hospital and was used by the Pi Beta ...

Dollywood takes its location at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains seriously in terms of preserving the natural beauty of the area, and that extends to its construction projects. In August, Dollywood announced the addition of Lightning Rod, both the world’s fastest wood coaster and the world’s first launching wood coaster. While the thrilling $22 million ride marks the ...

Visitation to Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the summer of 2015, nearly matched the record pace of last year. A total of 3,958,131 visitors came to the park during June, July, and August. Last year 3,963,131 visitors came to the park during the same time period, numbers that pushed the park to its highest visitation since 2000. Visitation continues ...