September is the month in which we can truly say that Fall is coming. It’s the time of harvest celebration and the turn of the seasons reflected in the changing colors of the leaves on the trees, and in this part of the Smoky Mountains it means bluegrass festivals, auto rallies, scarecrows and pumpkins, beer tasting and lots of food, fun and festivity.
Table of Contents
Image courtesy of Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival
Live Music
There’s plenty of bluegrass later this month, and you can get the month started with a taste of that special sound on September 6 and September 20 at the Heritage Center in Townsend, on the Quiet Side of the Smokies, with their Friday night shows. The Heritage Center is a local gem and offers shows throughout the summer and fall.
And September means it’s time again for the annual Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival, a family-friendly showcase for superb bluegrass talent – and happening on September 19-21. We love this one, because it’s so understated and so packed with sheer musicianship. Show up any or all of the days and enjoy non-stop music from midday until late into the night.
The Pigeon Forge Bluegrass Festival takes place on September 20-21, offering another blockbuster presentation of top talent with bluegrass, at the LeConte Center. Some hot bands and star performers join this two-day indoor event.
If your heart is still singing, follow bluegrass with gospel in the next days of September 22-28, as the National Quartet Convention holds gospel music’s largest annual event. This one moved from Nashville to Pigeon Forge, with stops along the way, and finally came home, to the LeConte Center, a great music venue.
Run over to Townsend on September 27-28 for lots of bluegrass as that fun-loving town puts on its annual Fall Heritage Festival. This one’s at the scenic Townsend Visitor Center, and features tons of music through both days from loads of different bands including the hugely talented local performers. On top of the music there are crafts from local artisans of similar caliber, Appalachian history as always, and total fun for kids, as always. And great southern food to keep the hunger at bay, and then some.
Fairs
The September events are kicked off with an August 27 start, at the Sevier County Fair, which lasts through September 2. There’s live music every night, contests every day (from cosplay to skillet-throwing!), a carnival with all the rides that kids love, and livestock shows – as well as abundant exhibits of arts and crafts, and multiple other entertainments. It’s a great county fair in a lovely natural setting.
At the end of the month, another fine setting is the grounds of the Heritage Center in Townsend, which holds its annual Blue Ribbon Country Fair on Saturday, September 28. This occasion features music, food, animals, artisan demonstrations, history that will fascinate kids – and contests that include the Ladies Skillet Throw!
Harvest Events
Gatlinburg gets in the spirit and opens its season of the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival in mid-September and lasting into late November, bringing the famous Scarecrow People back to the streets of town for unforgettable selfies. The whole town decorates with pumpkins, hay bales and scarecrows, which appear everywhere at this time of year, including Pigeon Forge – which starts its Festival on September 1, and Sevierville, which has its own special 10 days of Harvest Festival on September 20-30.
Dollywood never fails to amaze, and its Harvest Festival is a feast of sights and sounds and special seasonal foods. The Great Pumpkin LumiNights sets the evening ablaze, and the multitude of whimsical creations fill the days with adventure for kids and parents alike. This magical season starts on September 9 and lasts through October 28.
The high quality handmade products created by the nation’s largest community of independent artisans means there’s always something of value to shop for in the area, and a craft fair is one of the places to do this. Check out the Rotary Club Craft Fair at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge on September 27 and running through October 26, for a view of unique items you may never find anywhere else.
And don’t forget the seasonal fun at Kyker Farms Corn Maze just a few miles up the road in Sevierville – opening on September 28 through October 31. It’s traditional farm fun including a maze you won’t forget, hay rides, and multiple other rides and play things for kids and families. Just like the old times, on a working farm of nine generations.
Food and Drink
On September 9, the mountaintop playground of Anakeesta opens its Bear-Varian Fall Festival, a tasting extravaganza featuring a variety of local craft beers and cider. Food, live music and unbelievable harvest scenery complement the beverages in the celebration lasting through Halloween.
That same Saturday, September 7, Sevierville hosts an evening festival in the historic downtown, the Stillwell Festival, showcasing food, beer, crafts and music. Chef-driven special tastes, craft beers, acclaimed artisans and hot regional talent. It’s all packed into four hours, starting at 4 pm.
Gatlinburg once again holds its very special GatlinBURGER Week in September 15-21 – check out some of the photos at that link. Multiple restaurants in town will offer their special burger creations for your delight, and the votes will roll in for the best ones. This is where the kitchens pull out all the stops to provide an extraordinary burger that you may never have tasted before or since. Several of the favorite venues in our Things to Do – Dining section have won awards in the past. Yum!
Ober Mountain has always specialized in Oktoberfest each fall, and still offers a fine array of German beers at this time of year, but has now expanded its offerings to include a whole ongoing Smoky Mountain Fall Festival up on the mountain. Starting on September 20 and running through October 27, the fun includes lots of food treats from its great restaurant on the mountain, games and rides, live music and movie nights.
Car Shows
To start the month of motors, Smoky Mountain Street Dreams happens in Sevierville on September 6-7. A car and bike show with music, vendors, concessions and a swap meet, featuring some classic autos and some impressive farm tractors, with everything in be\tween.
The big news for auto enthusiasts in September is the Fall Rod Run in Pigeon Forge. This year it happens September 12-14, and for those three days the town is filled with muscle, chrome and fabulous paint jobs, as hundreds of classic cars and hot-rod engines gather in town for the meet. It’s a laid-back party of friendly crowds, traffic delays and cruising the strip all day and late into the night. Don’t try to get through town in a hurry, just settle in and admire everything on display.
Up in Sevierville those same days, September 12-14, is the Smoky Mountain Truck Fest, featuring trucks and jeeps of all kinds, from classic to highly modified, as well as vendors and entertainment. Held both inside and outdoors at the Sevierville Convention Center.
And for those who think it has to be Ford, the time to prove it comes on September 19-21, again at the Sevierville Convention Center, for the F-100 Supernationals & All-Ford Show. With a swap meet and all things Ford, there will be hundreds of amazing trucks of all vintages and motor modifications – and all with gleaming paint and chrome.
Maryville, a little to the west of us, and close to some of the most scenic rides in the region, hosts Smoky Mountain Bike Week on September 28 through October 5. The biker gathering features rides through the wonderful roads and parkways of the national park and national forests, covering both Tennessee and North Carolina, along with the notoriously winding Tail of the Dragon, US 129, America’s gnarliest mega-switchback.
Check our Gatlinburg cabins, Pigeon Forge cabins and our Wears Valley cabins for your best place to stay in the Smokies.
