This holiday season, treat your family to something special by taking them to Gatlinburg. You are sure to spend the winter season in style with plenty of holiday events and activities to enjoy. When you think of holiday events, there is nothing more exciting than checking out the Christmas lights and displays in the area. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge offer thrilling events that show off thousands of lights to help bring in a little holiday cheer to everyone. Take a look below at the best spots in the area to see Christmas lights in Gatlinburg and displays around Gatlinburg.
Gatlinburg Winter Magic
You do not have to go far at all to find your first Christmas lights event here in Gatlinburg. Simply head on over to Gatlinburg Winter Magic, which takes place in downtown Gatlinburg. This annual event has been going strong for over 30 years and brings in the holidays with millions of sparkling lights and festive holiday displays. Essentially, Gatlinburg Winter Magic is found all around downtown Gatlinburg streets, where you can easily drive through from the comfort of your own vehicle. Download the self-guided map to tour the city and check out all of the lights in person. This year’s event is sure to be a big one with larger than life displays. You will find life size snowmen along the way—there are 43 to track down on the self-guided tour map! Giant displays light up the night sky and help you celebrate the holidays together. This year’s Gatlinburg Winter Magic is scheduled to run from November 8th through February 12th, giving you plenty of time to check it out for yourself.
Gatlinburg’s Festival of Trees
While you will see most Christmas lights in Gatlinburg and displays outside on the streets and parks, you will also find some indoors, too. Head on over to the Gatlinburg’s Festival of Trees, taking place at the Gatlinburg Convention Center, to see countless Christmas trees decked out with all kinds of holiday lights. This free event benefits the Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains; while the event is free to attend donations are encouraged to support the cause. The 2024 Festival of Trees will be the 51st year of the event, making it one of the area’s longest standing traditions. Come enjoy seeing Christmas lights on the trees from the comfort of a warm indoor setting! The Festival of Trees will run this year from November 27th through December 1st.
Enchanted Christmas at Anakeesta
You will not have a shortage of locations to visit with their own celebration of holiday lights when you visit Gatlinburg this year. You know probably know all about our local attraction of Anakeesta and all of the outdoor fun they offer throughout the year. During the holiday season they put on their Enchanted Christmas celebration that decks out the park with all kinds of holiday décor. You will be able to explore Anakeesta with this celebration of lights that offers mountains worth of light displays all throughout the area. Visitors will be able to access the Enchanted Christmas with a regular entry ticket into Anakeesta, as it takes place all over the park. You will find thousands of holiday lights along with huge displays. You can even enjoy special activities during Enchanted Christmas such as Breakfast with Santa that gets you early entry into the park. Don’t forget to snap a photo with Santa himself and enjoy all of the views from Cliff Top. Enchanted Christmas at Anakeesta will take place from November 15th through December 31st this year.
Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade
While the Gatlinburg Winter Magic set up will be available all winter long, you will find that the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade to be a can’t-miss one-day event. This annual event is entering its 49th year of operation and will take place on Friday December 6th. It offers a lively parade that includes decorative floats that are decked out with holiday lights. Over one million lights will be on display as the floats march through downtown Gatlinburg. While the parade kicks off at 7:30 PM, make sure you arrive to Gatlinburg Christmas Tree early for the grand illumination ceremony at 7:25 PM. This is a free event with tons of viewing areas; however, it is one of Gatlinburg’s most popular events so getting to your viewing area early is highly encouraged. Grandstand VIP seating is also available for a charge for the best seats in the area. Don’t miss out on this lit up event to start off the holidays in Gatlinburg.
Book Your Stay Now
We offer the most comfortable cabin rentals here in the area. Book your favorite now in time for the holidays!
In case you haven’t looked at your calendar lately, the time to start making your Christmas plans is NOW. If you wait much longer, the best adventures may be taken over by others who started their planning early! Your trip to Gatlinburg for Christmas, for example, may have to be pushed off to next year, leaving you to stay at home and deal with cranky Uncle Bob for one more year, something no one really wants to have to face at this most wonderful time of year. And because Gatlinburg during the holidays becomes even more joyous and festive, it really would be a shame to postpone the merriment another 12 months! Be sure to start planning your Christmas in Gatlinburg 2019 escape now to enjoy some of the following holiday cheer.
Silent at Night
There are definitely times when your yuletide getaway is loud and rambunctious, but once the sun falls behind the mountains and the moon rises high in the sky, the silence that surrounds your holiday escape from The Cabin Rental Store will be much appreciated. Even if you decide to stay up late to bake a batch of Christmas cookies, the peace of mind you feel knowing your children are sleeping soundly in soft beds and NOT trying to catch a sneak peak at the jolly old elf is worth the visit alone! Add in living rooms with comfortable furniture, fireplaces to tell Christmas stories in front of, and those giant picture windows with the tree you purchased and decorated on your first morning in paradise, and you know this holiday will be picture perfect!
The Spirit of Christmas
The spirit of Christmas is easy to feel upon venturing outside the boundaries of your holiday cabin. From the Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade held in downtown Gatlinburg on December 6th to the Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights available on different dates throughout November and December, Gatlinburg shines! The Polar Express Train Ride offers a meet and greet with Santa and a ride through the winter wonderland that is Gatlinburg, and Santa’s Claus-et offers food, gifts, and the opportunity to take a picture with your favorite jolly old elf. Prepare to have your breath taken away when you visit Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival; the skies will be alight with the reflection of thousands of lights, trees sing and synchronize their lights to the music in Carol of the Trees, and It’s a Wonderful Life is performed for guests delight in this spectacular holiday celebration!
The Warmth of a Cabin Rental Store Christmas Cabin
Each night will be better than the next when you spend your nights in one of our cozy Christmas cabins. Reserves yours today and enjoy a happy holiday with your family!
A Gatlinburg cabin is the perfect place for Christmas, with toasty fireplaces and frost on the rooftops. For even more holiday cheer though, head out to some of these exciting Gatlinburg Christmas events that herald the coming of Christmas and the New Year:
Ski Season Begins!
Ober Gatlinburg is the city’s own amusement park—and it becomes all the more fun when the temperatures drop and snow starts to fall! Doubling as a ski resort, Ober Gatlinburg is the most popular place for winter sports, including snow tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. Mid-December marks the beginning of ski season, so why not buy yourself a present—maybe some lessons or a new pair of goggles?
Winterfest as Pigeon Forge
For one of the most fascinating Gatlinburg Christmas events, head over to Pigeon Forge to enjoy Winterfest, a light show that brings in over 5 million lights to create a winter wonderland for guests from across the region. However, Winterfest is more than just the lights—it also includes all the other ways that Pigeon Forge goes all-out for the holidays, including Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede’s holiday shows. Pigeon Forge is just 20 to 30 minutes away from Gatlinburg, so stop on by!
Smoky Mountains Tunes and Tales
In December, each Friday and Saturday evening before the 25th brings out talented performers for Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales. Singers and more, they bring out the holiday spirit with festive music and local tales. Head to the downtown Parkway and stroll along to hear their country-inspired takes on old favorites, and stop by a raconteur long enough for a laugh and a small lesson.
Gatlinburg Ball Drop and Fireworks Show
If you’re in town for Christmas, you may as well stay for New Year’s! The safest place in the mountains for a fun-filled fireworks bonanza is at the Space Needle—around 50,000 spectators are expected, so it will be quite the party! The party is free and entertainment will be there. There’s nothing like standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers as the crisp night sky is illuminated with bangs and bursts as everyone heads into 2018.
Enjoy all the Gatlinburg Christmas Events When You Stay with Cabin Rental Store
If you’ve started each year this decade in the same city, then switch things up and begin one in Gatlinburg! Enjoy all the Gatlinburg Christmas events and activities to make the most of your vacation. At the Cabin Rental Store, we can provide the perfect place for your holiday retreat, from one-bedroom cabins to fourteen-bedroom palaces, we’ll happily host you and yours for the holidays. Call us at 877-301-0776 to learn more about our offerings, or browse them yourself and find the perfect cabin for Christmas.