What’s Happening
What's Happening in the Smokies?
Discover What's New and Exciting to Experience This Winter
With twinkling lights and holiday delights, winter is a special time to visit Sevierville, Tennessee. The 35th Annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration will soon be glowing bright – with more than 15,000,000 lights decorating the Parkway in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Combine that twinkling beauty with holiday attractions and shows, shopping, and great places to enjoy warm winter meals and you’ve got Smoky Mountain Winterfest.
Adding to the amazing light display in town is SkyLand Ranch’s Festival of Lights, This year they are adding 200,000 lights to make for nearly 1 million total Christmas lights on the mountain! This 100-acre mountaintop ranch, located just off the Parkway in Sevierville, will be aglow from November 1 – January 20! Also new this year, Skyland Ranch is offering a Christmas Eve Feast that is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with family!
Wilderness at the Smokies will once again be transforming its outdoor waterpark into Winter Wilderland – complete with holiday snacks and treats, scheduled live entertainment, and a fun ice- skating rink for all to enjoy with family and friends (Nov. 8, & 9, and Nov. 15 – Jan.7). Tickets to the outdoor skating rink is open to both Wilderness guests and the public.
Next door at Soaky Mountain Waterpark, Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland (Nov. 22 – Jan. 5) is back with a longer-than-ever route and a plethora of lights in this visual extravaganza that is perfectly synchronized to the Christmas music played over your car radio. Their new custom-built, giant, all-LED displays are guaranteed to delight.
If you are planning to visit for Winterfest, take care to choose the perfect place to stay. Settle in to a cozy cabin all decked out for the holidays or choose a fun indoor water park resort so the kids can splash and play on vacation. Try glamping, stay in a treehouse, or reserve a great hotel in the middle of all the fun. Campgrounds and RV resorts also welcome visitors during Smoky Mountain Winterfest.
After-Thanksgiving, shopping is nothing short of an event in Sevierville. Popular retail centers like Tanger Outlets Sevierville begin their major sales on Black Friday and run them throughout the weekend. Check out huge sales at other popular stores including Bass Pro Sevierville, Smoky Mountain Knife Works, and many more for amazing Black Friday and after Thanksgiving weekend sales.
Make plans to attend the Christmas at the Courthouse tree lighting on December 6 from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm in historic downtown Sevierville. Then return the next morning for Sevierville’s 62nd Annual Christmas Parade on December 7 beginning at 11am. This hometown Christmas Parade is a holiday delight and winds its way through historic downtown Sevierville.
The Sevierville Commons Association is also hosting their Cocoa Crawl Christmas Market on December 14th in downtown Sevierville. Vendors with handmade crafts, sweet treats and local artistry will fill the streets at this fantastic holiday market. You will be sure to help cross names off your shopping list and satisfy your sweet tooth, while getting you in the holiday spirit!
Visiting Smoky Mountain Winterfest each year is a wonderful tradition for family and friends. From snow skiing and ice skating to shopping, shows, and enjoying all the lights – Smoky Mountain Winterfest is a holiday tradition worth making your own. Discover more things to see and do, places to shop, and memories to make together at this year’s Smoky Mountain Winterfest.
