April in the Smoky Mountains around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is the month of wildflowers in the millions, all the venues are open, people are arriving for fun, and everything starts popping.
Wildflowers are a big thing here in the Smokies, with literally millions of brightly colored wildflowers springing up all over during April. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is normally so filled with trees and covered with canopy that the forest floor doesn’t see a lot of sun, but in springtime, before the canopy has fully leafed out, the wildflowers get their chance in the sun, for a short window of time.
We see flowers blooming everywhere inside and outside of the park during April, but we see it best each year with the expert guides of the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage taking us on selected tours to the best places and the most stunning sights of these millions of exotic flowers. Registration opened in March, and the magic dates this year are May 1-4, 2024.
The snow melt brings water to the forest floor (the “understory“) for all those wildflowers to wake up, and the waters of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are generally rushing and giving us good waterfalls, and river adventures – and the fishing is good. Music is in the air as special events happen, and the sound of hot rods mingles in too.
April is also the time when the national park announces the viewing dates for the annual synchronous fireflies in June, and the Lottery dates for the limited parking available.
One image courtesy of GSMNP
Easter in March
Sometimes Easter happens in early April and sometimes in late March, and in 2024 it’s the end of March, with Good Friday on March 29 and Easter Sunday on March 31. It’s a special time and kids get a start on it with the numerous Easter Egg Hunts leading up to the day, put on by various organizations throughout the area.
Sevierville gets the jump on everyone with an Egg Hunt for kids up to 10 years old, a week before everyone else on March 23 at 10 am at Bruce St. Gazebo in the Sevierville Commons. On Saturday, March 30, Pigeon Forge holds a hunt at Wear Farm city park. And plenty of other venues will be offering their own Easter meals and egg hunts.
The annual Great Smoky Easter Arts & Crafts Show happens in Gatlinburg at the Convention Center, March 27-30. This is our first chance to see what the nation’s largest community of independent artisans has been working on through the winter – music, food and handmade works in abundance.
Easter Day itself always brings us a special service on the mountain at Ober Mountain, with the Easter Sunrise Service, starting at 6:60 am on March 31. The tramway is free to attend, and roads are clear to drive up, with free parking. The many churches in the area of course will offer services for Easter. And SkyLift Park now also offers its own Easter Sunrise Service at 7:15 am.
April
April begins at last, and it’s a no-fool’s day on Monday April 1, as Gatlinburg hosts the 2024 Kid’s Fishing Tournament. This one-day event is based in Gatlinburg’s Herbert Holt Park, and fishes the Gatlinburg waters.
Everything wakes up in April, including the many motors of the automobile and hot car enthusiasts. The big event is the Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run, which fills the town with classic cars in the hundreds, on display along Parkway and cruising the strip until late into the night. It’s a 3-day event that promises traffic snarls for the unwary, but also a fun time and friendly crowds – this year it happens April 18-20, 2024.
Townsend offers more motors, over on the Peaceful Side of the Smokies, with a 4-day, classic Bronco Super Celebration (world’s largest), on April 17-20, followed by a classic car and motorcycle show toward the end of the month on April 27-29.
Festivals
Spring gives us something to sing about, and it doesn’t happen with more heart than with Gospel music. The LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge hosts the annual gathering of musicians in the NQC Spring Break on April 11-12 – and there’s one in Fall to watch out for too.
How about a parade for some festivity? Check out the floats in the annual Music in the Mountains Spring Parade that happens in Pigeon Forge at the end of April or beginning of May each year. This year the big festival happens on April 13, 2024.
Dollywood heeds the season with the beginning on late April of its Flower and Food Festival, starting this year on April 19 and lasting through June 9. The theme park’s usual world-class flair brings us a dazzling display of flowers, sights and sounds, with music and foods from all over.
Townsend in April hosts its Great Smoky Mountains Fiber Fair, featuring classes, workshops and displays of everything yarn and fabric. Many artisans moved to or located in the Townsend area and traditional history and craft are strongly held here. At the Heritage Center, April 19-20.
Register Ahead
- The Lottery is in April for limited parking to view the Synchronous Fireflies in June.
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