Brats & Brews: A Guide to the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta
Autumn in the Smoky Mountains is often best spent tucked away in the embrace of nature! As fall colors emerge, a world of coziness mixed with adventure is suddenly at your fingertips. Take it all in at the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta. Gatlinburg’s award-winning adventure park is ready to celebrate the change of seasons from September 9th through October 31st with its brand-new beer tasting experience! Our guide to the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta has all the details you need to know:
Beer Tasting Experience
Prepare to sip on the spirits of the season when you attend the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta! An all-new beer tasting experience is available as an add-on to general admission tickets at this festival for $21.99. Guests with these passes will have the opportunity to taste six 8-ounce pours of beer from several different locations scattered throughout the park. These beers come from local breweries — Gypsy Circus, Blackhorse Brewing, Tailgate Brewery, Highland Brewing and Blackberry Farms — and offer a one-of-a-kind tasting experience you won’t find anywhere else!
Traditional German Specialities
Come for the brews; stay for the brats! Bear-Varian themed dishes are a must-try when you visit the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta! These specialty food items are expertly crafted by the in-house chefs at Anakeesta and provide those familiar authentic German flavors that feel just like fall. Cliff Top Restaurant serves up pork schnitzel with brussels and smashed potatoes while Smokehouse Bar and Grill offers GIANT turkey legs. Savor a soft pretzel from the Watering Can, try the bratwurst and kraut at Kephart Cafe or sample the sweet German chocolate funnel fries at Snack Shack!
Autumn Illuminates Anakeesta
You’ll find plenty of fall flavor at every turn — beyond just the food! The villages at Anakeesta are transformed with fall decor that will have you excited to snap some family photos. Pumpkins, scarecrows, seasonal photo-ops and more provide that cozy autumn atmosphere you crave this time of year. Head up to the AnaVista Observation Tower to enjoy 360-degree views of the changing leaves and colors in the Smoky Mountains. Or, walk among the colors with a stroll through the Treetop Skywalk!
Fall Family Fun
Make sure to bring the whole family along for the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta! Anakeesta’s band, “The SkeleTones”, will be on hand to perform all of your favorite Halloween hits. The SkeleTones will play a mix of tunes from both today and years past, leaving you with the urge to get up and dance. Join the Anakeesta witches in song, dance and potions to create that perfect witches brew! Help Stitches and Patches, 2 of Anakeesta’s “corny” scarecrow brothers, repair their brother Stuffy, who needs some help before he can entertain guests!
If you love fall, brews and brats, you’re going to have a blast at the Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta! Are you ready to experience the collection of colors that make fall in the Smoky Mountains so special? Check out our fall foliage forecast to learn more about when you can expect the leaves to change!
