City of Gatlinburg Attempts to Break a World Record with 2014 Gatlinburg Christmas Parade

For 39 years, the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade has been a popular parade in Gatlinburg, bringing in visitors from all across the country. The parade is a great way to spend time with family, see millions of LED Christmas lights and watch parade floats make their way through the area. Everyone loves enjoying the Christmas season with the parade, so you’ll want to go ahead and start making your plans to attend. Here’s what makes the 2014 Gatlinburg Christmas parade a must visit event:

Gatlinburg Nose Christmas

This year’s parade is just a little bit different, with a new theme of “Gatlinburg Nose Christmas.” Here’s why: although it will have all of the awesome parade floats and amazing LED lights, there will be one additional piece to this parade–thousands of red noses. On December 5, when the parade kicks off at 7:30 p.m., the city of Gatlinburg is going to do their best to beat a Guinness World Record and here’s the plan:

When you watch the parade, you will notice there will be about 20,000 red noses given to parade-goers who will be asked to wear it simultaneously for five minutes during the parade. The current record of 16, 092 red noses was set in 2011 in Australia.

(Also Popular: 4 Unique Ways to See the Smoky Mountain Christmas Lights)

American Idol Winner in Gatlinburg

This year, American Idol winner, Caleb Johnson, will be making an appearance at the parade. He was the 13th winner of the American Idol show. At 23 years old, Caleb captivated the audiences and will fall in love with his very energetic style and heavy rock music.

Gatlinburg Christmas Parade Route Information

The Gatlinburg Christmas Parade starts at traffic light #1A, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The parade will make its way through Gatlinburg, ending at traffic light #10 on the other end of the Parkway.

What to Wear to the Gatlinburg Christmas Parade

It’s best to arrive early for the parade if you want to set up a good spot along the Parkway. Since you’ll be early for the parade, keep in mind that the weather definitely cools down as the night goes on. You will want to dress in layers, so here’s a few things to wear or pack in a backpack for the event:

• Warm jacket
• Gloves/Mittens
• Scarf
• Tennis shoes with heavy socks to keep your feet warm
• Hand warmers

Since you’re lining up along the Parkway for the Gatlinburg Christmas Parade, there are plenty of shops all around where you stop in for a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. When you’re going to be waiting for the parade, having a hot beverage will keep your hands nice and warm.

Where to Stay After the Parade

Once the parade is over, you will love spending time in a Gatlinburg cabin rental in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. At Visit My Smokies, we want to make planning your vacation as simple as possible. Take a look at all of the Gatlinburg cabin specials for the best deal on your getaway.