Many events are happening this weekend in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Townsend, with plenty of kid-friendly things to do. Several seasonal traditions are going one, as well as some unique and unusual things.
Image courtesy of the Woodcarvers Festival
Saturday, October 7 begins the 2-day, 19th Annual Trout Tournament, fishing in over 20 miles of streams in the area, with thousands of trout stocked, and thousands of dollars in prizes. There are several categories including children’s. Weigh-in is in Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge. It’s an early start for fisher folk, just before sunrise both days. More information is here and see our previous features on this great event
Also on Saturday, the annual Whoadeo Carnival happens at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge. This one’s for kids aged 3-12, with a stick horse race. costume contests, and a real horse parade. This one starts at 8:30 am and runs until 1 pm. More information here or call 1-800-356-1676.
Another fun Saturday event happens at WonderWorks in Pigeon Forge, when NASA astronaut Captain Robert “Hoot” Gibson visits for the day to give presentations, sign autographs and answer all your questions about space travel. It’s part of the WonderWorks NASA Journey To Mars showcase event, in collaboration with NASA to present the upcoming Mars voyage. With life-size spaceship models and virtual reality space tours, this event runs from October 5 through Sunday, October 8. Information here.
Over in Townsend, on the “Quiet Side of the Smokies”, the annual Smoky Mountain Woodcarver Show and Competition runs all day Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8. This event will draw over 300 entries from states in the region and will showcase wood carved art like you’ve never seen before. Woodcarvers will offer demonstrations and works for sale, and woodcarving tools, equipment and teaching aids will be on offer. The shows takes place at the Heritage Center and kicks off at 10 am on Saturday. More information here or call (865)309-0690.
There’s more crafts in the area as Pigeon Forge hosts the annual Rotary Club Crafts Festival in Patriot Park – watch for it on Saturday when you’re at the Trout Tournament. This free event runs through October 28, 2017, and features unique handmade artworks.
Gatlinburg meanwhile is in full swing with its crafts festival, the 41st Annual Fall Craftsmen’s Fair, running from October 5 through October 22, 2017. We noted this event in our Fall Fun 2017 feature, and more information is available at the event website. See also our earlier features on the amazing amount of high quality arts and crafts in the Gatlinburg area.
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And remember, the best way to be in the middle of all this activity and still be completely at peace in nature is to stay in a cabin! Call us at 855-91-SMOKY anytime to explore our Pigeon Forge Cabin Rentals as well as our Gatlinburg Cabins and our Wears Valley cabins.
