7 Smoky Mountain Events To Attend Before Summer Is Over
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration isn’t the only exciting festival or event going on this summer! In fact, we’ve made this list of 7 other Smoky Mountain events you can attend before summer is over. Take a look to get ideas and be sure to add them to your vacation itinerary!
1. Gatlinburg Songwriter’s Festival
If you’re passionate about supporting local artists and country music, then you’ll definitely want to experience the 2-day Gatlinburg Songwriter’s Festival at the Historic Gatlinburg Inn. Learn about the songwriting process through intimate panel sessions, listen to the featured artists perform, and interact with fellow music fans!
2. Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival
The Great Smoky Mountain Hot Air Balloon Festival is a beloved Smoky Mountain event located at the Townsend Visitor Center. In addition to the hot air balloons, you’ll find all kinds of fun family activities, arts and crafts for the kids, local vendors, food trucks, and a beer tent! Dogs are also welcome, and proceeds benefit the Townsend Volunteer Fire Department and the Townsend Elementary School.
3. Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion
One of the most popular Smoky Mountain events of the summer is the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion. Hosted at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, this annual gathering of Jeep enthusiasts takes over the town! You’ll find all kinds of Jeep merch, and several local attractions are offering special deals and discounted tickets, including Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Supper Show, Rocky Top Mountain Coaster, and more!
4. Great Smoky Mountain Bronco Stampede
Another Pigeon Forge car show to attend this summer is the Great Smoky Mountain Bronco Stampede. Whether you’re a proud owner of a Bronco or simply dream of having one someday, all Bronco enthusiasts are welcome for a weekend of fun stampeding the strip! They’re also doing a group driving tour through Cades Cove– you won’t want to miss it!
5. Sunset in the Smokies at Anakeesta
The best way to spend a summer evening is at Anakeesta’s Sunset in the Smokies. The adventure park stays open until 10 PM, so you can experience the best sunset views in all of Gatlinburg! You’ll have access to the Treetop SkyWalk, Treeventure, VistaGardens, and more all lit up with lights; it will be a completely new experience for your family! Plus, you can add on their Astra Lumina night walk for a breathtaking and awe-inspiring way to end your night.
6. Chuckwagon Supper at SkyLand Ranch
Another adventure park you won’t want to miss this summer is SkyLand Ranch in Sevierville TN! With the Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster, a hayride experience with miniature animals, line dancing and live entertainment, a scenic overlook, and a chairlift, this attraction offers endless possibilities for spending the day with your family or friends. The Chuckwagon Supper is their dinner show experience, featuring toe-tapping country tunes, cowboy antics, rope tricks, and of course, a classic Southern feast of Tennessee BBQ with all the fixings.
7. An Evening with The Oak Ridge Boys at Country Tonite
There’s no better way to end the summer season here in the Smoky Mountains than with a celebrity concert at Country Tonite! The Oak Ridge Boys will be performing their Farewell Tour in September at the Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge, so don’t miss your last chance to see this iconic country music group perform their greatest hits in person!
Want more ideas of what to do before summer is over? Explore the natural beauty of the national park and check out this list of the best places to visit in the Smoky Mountains in the summer!
