Christmas Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains

Posted by Jon Hoffman in Smoky Mountain Attractions

Let's face it. Sometimes it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit. Especially when you're constantly busy – working, carpooling, battling the crowds at the mall.

So, why not take a break and head to the Tennessee Smokies? Throughout the season, the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area transforms into a winter wonderland, complete with luminous lights, dazzling displays, festive events, and more. All in a magnificent mountain setting that seems custom-made for Christmas.

Kick Off the Season with the Gatlinburg Christmas Parade

If you'll be visiting on Friday evening, December 2, come to downtown Gatlinburg for the Annual Fantasy of Lights Parade featuring:

Talented marching bands from all over the Eastern US

Eye-popping floats glowing with bright lights and colors

Exciting live performances by gifted musicians and dancers

A kid-pleasing star appearance by Santa Claus himself

Starting right at 7:30 p.m., the parade will set out from Baskins Creek Bypass on East Parkway, travel to Traffic Light #3, then turn south onto the downtown Parkway before ending at Traffic Light #10 right around 9:00 p.m..

One word of advice, though: This parade is very popular, and viewing spaces fill up fast, so be sure to arrive a little early to stake out your family's spot.

Enjoy Spectacular Light Displays in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville

Between November 10, 2022, and February 19, 2023:

• Pigeon Forge and Sevierville will host their annual Winterfest, featuring intricate holiday displays lit by millions of LED lights.
• Gatlinburg will sponsor Winter Magic, its own breathtaking LED spectacle.
• Dollywood will celebrate its Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival with glittering lights galore.

All told, more than five million twinkling lights will brighten the Great Smoky Mountains. Show-stopping LED displays will include:

• The 12 Days of Christmas, complete with all the familiar characters, from the lone partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming in a row
• The Old Mill Scene, a stunning animated replica of Pigeon Forge's legendary Old Mill, adorned with over 6,000 shimmering lights
• Elaborate patriotic displays at Pigeon Forge's Patriot Park, including a larger-than-life recreation of the famous flag-raising at Iwo Jima
• Four Parkway bridges festooned with festive lights – one at Stoplight #3, one at Stoplight #5, another at Stoplight #7, and a fourth at Stoplight #8
• And much more!

Plus – brand-new for 2022-23 – the Pigeon Forge Riverwalk Greenway will magically transform into the Wonders of Light Walking Trail. Take a leisurely evening stroll along this riverside walkway to view beloved Smoky Mountain critters, dancing snowflakes, and supersized flowers, all ablaze with brilliant lights.

Prefer an easier way to see the sights? Three times each evening throughout December and January, you can board a special designated trolley for the Gatlinburg Trolley Tour of Lights.

Equipped with spacious viewing windows, these comfortable heated trolleys will depart from Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies for 45-minute trips through an enchanted LED landscape of glittering Christmas scenes.

Best of all, the tour costs just $5 per person, and tots under 3 can ride free as long as they're safely seated on a grownup's lap.

You'll Find So Much More to See and Do in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains

From dazzling holiday dinner shows to Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland, you'll never run out of fun, festive ways to enjoy Christmastime in the Smokies. If you like, you can even spend Christmas Day itself in your cozy, comfortable cabin just minutes from all the attractions. Many fine Smoky Mountain restaurants will be open to serve your family.

Contact Volunteer Cabin Rental right now to book your holiday getaway!

This content posted by Volunteer Cabin Rentals. Visit our home page, www.volunteercabinrentals.com to book your next vacation cabin today.

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