Spring Festivals 2023
Spring Festivals 2023
It’s time to get outside in the Great Smoky Mountains to enjoy Spring and the many festivals that will awake your senses, your mind and crafty side. The fun starts this weekend!
Arts, Crafts, and More
April 21-22 Great Smoky Mountain Fiber Fair at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, TN. Experienced fiber artists share their skills and share their knowledge. Meet the alpacas, the llamas, sheep, goats and angora rabbits whose fleece becomes the fiber that is spun into yarn used to make clothes and art. Classes, demonstrations, sales and accompanying craft including blacksmithing and woodworking began today, Friday, April 21, and continue tomorrow, Saturday.
Parking is $5. Admission is free.
April 21-29 Rotary Club Spring Crafts Festival also starts today at the Mountain Mile & Tower Shops in Pigeon Forge.
See and purchase handmade items from some of the area’s most talented artists and crafters at this third annual event. Check out the wares of 30 vendors. Proceeds benefit local charities.
The Crafts Festival runs 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. Admission is $3Minimal admission fee for attendees.
In Bloom
Now – June 5 Blooms and Tunes at Anakeesta
Anakeesta is ushering in spring with Blooms and Tunes featuring live music four days a week by local bands at Black Bear Village. Free with admission, bands will perform everyday.
Through the event, the mountain includes larger-than-life spring-themed art installations, live music, chef-inspired seasonal menu items and thousands of new blooms at Vista Gardens.
New this year, watch for colorful characters roaming around the park. You may catch a glimpse of a magical fairy, or have a few laughs with our wisecracking gardeners as they plant flowers and make Anakeesta beautiful!
Admission includes all-day access to the park and major features including:
- Unlimited Chondola and Ridge Rambler rides
- Anavista Observation Tower
- Treetop Skywalk
- Vista Gardens
- TreeVenture Challenge Course
- Treehouse Adventure Play Area
- BearVenture Challenge Course
Dollywood Flower & Food Festival
Now – June 11
Dollywood’s always popular Flower & Food Festival is April 21 – June 11. Wander through larger-than-life plant sculptures adorned in more than a million colorful flower blooms, dance under the picturesque Umbrella Sky – a dazzling multicolored umbrella display that covers the sky above Dollywood’s Showstreet – and indulge in a menu of garden-fresh flavors from Dollywood chefs.
“Wander among the fragrant flowers, blossoming in vibrant hues of purple, pink and yellow. As you journey through the park, you’ll encounter towering sculptures crafted from thousands of living plants, including a playful peacock, mischievous bears, an upside-down umbrella and even a busy beekeeper all blooming sky high.”
A Flower & Food Festival Tasting Pass lets visitors try up to five festival foods for one price, including Garlic Shrimp Mac & Cheese and Sweet & Tangy BBQ Meatballs and wash it all down with a refreshing Blueberry Boba Tea.
Music In The Mountains
April 28 Music in the Mountains Spring Parade
Parade starts at 5 p.m. at traffic light 6 on the Pigeon Forge Parkway and travels north to traffic light 3.
Major League Baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr. will lead the way as grand marshal for Pigeon Forge’s Music in the Mountains Spring Parade. The parade, which will travel the Pigeon Forge Parkway, features visiting high school marching bands from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee as well as twirlers from Ohio.
Check out the parade form for local marching bands, musicians, dancers, and choral groups to bring excitement to visitors.
April 29 7th Annual Krawlfest in the Smokies presented by RC4WD
It’s time to get out and “krawl” in your ride through the mountains. This is a g6 style event 10th scale and smaller is allowed – run what you brung –and the only rule we have is “have fun.” It’s not a competition but an adventure
There will be gates, obstacles, and other driver challenges. There will be 3 or 4 courses set out with 300 to 500 gates.
Registration online is $30.00 and $35 at the event and will be cash only. The first 100 registrants get an event bag.
Show n shine is at 9:30 then a drivers meeting and you are off and krawling. Show n shine – the top 3 vehicles all decked out in springtime paraphernalia will win prizes.
Raffle
Coinciding with the 7th annual krawlfest, there are 7 mandatory scale items –for an extra ticket for a raffle:
- tow rope
2 Garden Rake
3 bag of flower seed
4 fishing pole
5 fishing creel
6 skateboard or bicycle/tricycle
7 hiking stick
CLASSES (picked for fun – this is not a competition – it’s an adventure):
TINY TRUCK CLASS – Tire size may not exceed 4.19 tire height by manufacturer’s specification
KRAWLER CLASS – 1.9 or 2.2 wheels and tires w tire height size not exceeding 4.75 by manufacturers specification
MEGA CLASS – up to 2.2 wheels and tires with tire height size not to exceed 5.75″ per tire manufacturers specification.
DIVA Class – For all you ladies who like to “krawl” – all size wheels and tires are allowed in this class (10th scale vehicles)
YOUNG GUNS CLASS – Ages 10 and under – all size wheels and tires are allowed in this class (10th scale vehicles) – Come on and show what you can do. All young guns run for free if accompanied by a paying adult
MUST WEAR CLOSED TOED SHOES
NO DOGS ALLOWED
In Gatlinburg
May 5,6,7 Hands On Gatlinburg
Kicking off its 8th year, Hands on Gatlinburg brings with it abundant opportunity to participate in an artistry steeped in Smoky Mountain tradition. The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community will host more than 25 select classes, offering visitors a chance to create everything from pottery to jewelry and from homemade soaps to intricate woodworking under the instruction of some of the United States’ finest artisans and crafters.
Learn from the masters. The do-it-yourself classes include an abundance of art like painting, weaving, glassblowing, stained glass making and much more. Reserve a spot at gatlinburg.com/event/hands-on-gatlinburg.
Runs & Races
May 6 Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Festival includes a 5K and Fun Run in Townsend.
Start the day with a 5K (3.1 mile) race and 1-mile fun run/walk starting at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center.
The 5K starts at 9 a.m. and the 1-mile fun run starts at 10 a.m., with support along the way and a “guaranteed good time.” You might even experience a ‘Squatch (or Sassy Squatch!) sighting along the course!
After the race, stick around for the Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Festival – where there will be live music, vendors, food trucks, Bigfoot competitions, Bigfoot oral history, and much more! The festivities run from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Rich in history, and archaeologically dating back to 2000 B.C., Townsend is known as “peaceful valley”- the Cherokees named it long ago. The first English settlers arrived here in the 1700s.
Townsend is known best for its pristine mountain views, along with festivals throughout the year. Townsend is one of the smallest of the Smoky Mountain towns – a tiny outpost with about 500 residents. It is frequently referred to as “The Quiet Side of the Smokies.”
Visitors often use Townsend as a home base for hiking expeditions, making the town a popular spot for adventure seekers and lovers of the outdoors. Fly fishing, golf, bike riding, hiking – there is so much to do.
Want to know more about the wonderful and unique city of Townsend? Read our blog post.
May 8, May 15, May 22 The Bostyn Huff Spring Festival
2881 Wears Valley Rd, Sevierville
Bostyn Huff
This event – now in its third year – is named after Bostyn Huff. She was the youngest of Brittany Huff’s triplets. She has a brother, Beau, and an identical sister, Bray, who are 2 years old. Unfortunately, Bostyn passed away at 6 months old, waiting for a heart transplant. She was born with a congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which means that the left side of her heart never formed. We have decided to honor her by naming our events after her. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go towards helping other families who have children with CHD.
The Bostyn Huff Spring Festival will take place 3 Saturdays in a row: May 8th, May 15th, and May 22nd, on the corner of Wears Valley Rd. and Bryan Rd. in Wears Valley. There will be 40 vendor spaces…Food trucks, direct sales vendors, arts and crafts vendors, antiques, baked/canned goods, woodworking, and more. Each Saturday, the vendors will be different. The event is free, and parking is free.
May 20-21 Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival and Games
Scottish Festival
The 42nd Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival Scotland and Games is Tennessee’s oldest festival of Scottish, Irish and Celtic culture. Presenting folk, roots, rock & pop music, highland athletics, pipes & drums, highland and Irish dance. Whisky tastings, vendors and a great selection of beer and food from the Scottish, Irish and British homelands. Enjoy a weekend of family fun in the beautiful foothills of Townsend.
You’ll be entertained by Scottish heavy athletics who owe their roots to the Highland warriors who would keep in shape between battles by competing amongst themselves with everyday implements. A stone, a blacksmith’s hammer, a tree trunk (caber) became tools for building strength for battle.
There will be live music, including piping and drumming, Highland dance and sheep herding.
Admission is $35 for a 2-day pass. There are also single-day and half-day prices. First responders, seniors, veterans, active-duty military, and students get a discount when they show an ID.
For The Family
May 26-28 Family Fest 2023
Located at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, Family Fest is a gospel music event that features the Gaither family and some of gospel music’s greatest talents.
June 5 Mountain Quilt Fest
The 29th annual Mountain Quilt Fest is being held at LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, 2986 Teaster Lane, in Pigeon Forge.
Quilters from all around come together for this quilting event. Quilters can attend classes that are based on skill level and technique. There also will be a quilt show that displays a variety of quilts for your viewing pleasure.
Book Your Stay
Ready to visit the Smokies for a spring festival? Let American Patriot Getaways find you the perfect cabin for a fabulous experience. Whether you want to stay near Dollywood, shopping, Wears Valley or as far away from people as you can get when you leave a festival, we’ve got a cabin for you.
Cabins with a view
Whether you want a treehouse experience or one of our many beautiful cabins, American Patriot Getaways can help you decide.
Book a Gatlinburg Cabin with a hot tub so you’ll have the perfect place to unwind under the stars. Be sure you check out all our amazing featured deals so you can get the best price for your Halloween vacation or your own chili cookoff with friends and family.
Give American Patriot Getaways a call at (800) 204-5169. Let our experts help you find the right cabin and all the right fun, food and entertainment for your perfect Smoky Mountains vacation.
Check out our luxury treehouse on Pinterest. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest area information!
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Published on Wednesday, April 26, 2023