Gatlinburg, Tennessee is known as the gateway to the Smoky Mountains, featuring beautiful landscapes and seemingly endless adventure. However, the fun here goes well beyond the hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Throughout the year, Gatlinburg truly comes to life during its many festivals, celebrating the art and culture of the region and beyond on your next visit to Gatlinburg, you may want to consider planning your vacation during one of these top Gatlinburg festivals!
Festival of Nations at Dollywood
Gatlinburg has a rich culture of its own, but it also enjoys celebrating the diversity of the world! During the Festival of Nations, which takes place annually in March and April, Dollywood becomes host to top talent acts from all of the world. Over 25 countries participate and you can see performances from China, India, Australia, France, Uganda, and more! Not only with the performance awe and inspire, but you can also enjoy the food, music, and culture from these countries. You won’t find a festival like this anywhere!
Dollywood Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival
Summer kicks off in Dollywood with this annual festival celebrating good food and classic Southern music. Enjoy two weeks of amazingly talented musicians performing on 4 stages, combining for about 250 performances. In addition to the wonderful music, guests can expect to chow down on about 50,000 pounds of some of the best barbecue you’ll find anywhere. This is truly the quintessential Smoky Mountains experience!
Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair
For over 40 years, the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair has gathered unique and talented artisan from all of the country. This semiannual event is held in both July and October, and is consistently voted one of the most popular events in the Southeast. There are about 200 booths at the event, with each artist hand selected by a jury process to not only ensure quality, but also diversity in the work. In between perusing the craft booths, enjoy live music. There is also a kid-friendly area so that the little ones can make crafts of their own. The Craftsmen’s Fair is a delightful, family friendly event!
Gatlinburg Festivals: Winter Magic
During the winter, the town of Gatlinburg becomes a wondrous place for its Winter Magic Festival! Just after Veteran’s Day in November, Gatlinburg commemorates the beginning of the festival with its annual public Chili Cook-Off! The fun continues throughout the season, with the lighting of the Christmas lights, a Christmas craft show, and a light parade through the city. The holiday has never been more magical than during the Winter Magic festival in Gatlinburg!
Contact us today to book one of our beautiful vacation rentals and to learn more about Gatlinburg’s upcoming festivals.
