Author: jmuir

Oktoberfest at Peaceful Side Social

Posted on August 28, 2023 by jmuir - News

Celebrate Oktoberfest at Peaceful Side Social – Bigger and Better Than Ever!

Get ready to raise your steins and embrace the festive spirit as Peaceful Side Social announces its highly anticipated Second Annual Oktoberfest event, scheduled for Saturday, September 16th, from 11am to 7pm. This year’s celebration promises to be larger than last year, featuring an array of traditional German delights, local craft brews, fun games, live music, and a raffle you won’t want to miss.

Peaceful Side Social welcomes all to enjoy the festivities with FREE entry and free parking. Festival-goers can opt for convenience by purchasing their tickets on-site or securing them in advance through the online pre-sale. This ensures easy access to all the Bavarian food, German bier, and exciting games.

Step into a world of German culinary delights, from traditional sausages to giant pretzels. Quench your thirst with a selection of authentic German bier or explore offerings from local guest breweries, including Albright Grove, Wanderlinger, Orange Hat, Highland Brewing Co., Blackberry Farm Brewery, and more. Engage in friendly competition with games hosted by Team BUSAR, and dance to the tunes of Chattanooga’s premier Oktoberfest Polka band, The Wurstbrats.

Peaceful Side Social has teamed up with Tremont Institute to offer an exclusive raffle. Festival attendees can enter for a chance to win a Monarch Tagging Package, complete with a one-night stay at the Dancing Bear Lodge and a dinner for two at the Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro.

This family-friendly event welcomes all ages and even leashed pets, making it the perfect outing for everyone. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the lively atmosphere, indulge in delicious food, or partake in the various games and competitions, there’s something for everyone at Peaceful Side Social’s Oktoberfest.

– Live Music: The Wurstbrats, a dynamic 7-piece Polka band, will keep the festivities alive and vibrant in intervals throughout the day.

– Games and Competitions: Join in the traditional Chicken Dance, compete in the challenging Stein Holding Contest (part of the U.S. Stein Holding Association’s Tennessee State Championship), and vie for victory in Team BUSAR’s engaging activities.

– Costume Contest: Embrace the Oktoberfest spirit by dressing in your best traditional attire for a chance to win fabulous

prizes.

– Tremont Institute Raffle: Enter to win an exclusive Monarch Tagging Package, including a stay at Dancing Bear Lodge

and dinner at the Appalachian Bistro.

Festival tickets will be available for $4 each and can be redeemed inside the festival for food, bier, the raffle, and more. Wristbands are required for alcohol purchases, and parking is conveniently located at the main lot and an adjacent grassy area near the Townsend Post Office.

Those interested in being part of the event’s success can volunteer by signing up on the website. For more information and updates, visit www.peacefulsidesocial.com/oktoberfest.

Park sets visitation record with 14.1 million visits in 2021

Posted on January 21, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced the busiest year on record with 14,137,812 visits. Visitation exceeded the 2019 record by 1.5 million visits and 2020 visitation by more than 2 million visits. The park has increasingly become a year-round destination with eight monthly visitation records set during the winter and spring months in 2021.

“In the last decade, park visitation has increased by 57%,” said Acting Superintendent Alan Sumeriski. “While increasing visitation presents complex challenges, we are honored to care for a park that is special to so many people. We remain committed to developing innovative solutions to provide the necessary support for visitor services and resource protection.”

Roads, trails, front-country campgrounds, and backcountry campgrounds were all busier than normal in 2021. Frontcountry camping increased 40%, while backcountry camping increased 20%. The park continues to experience its highest visitation in the summer and fall with peaks in July and October. However, visitation levels in the winter and spring months are rapidly increasing. In 2021, the park set individual monthly visitation records in January through June, November, and December. During the winter months, December through February, the park had 600,000 more visits than the ten-year average for this time period. During the spring months, March through May, the park had 1.2 million more visits than the ten-year average for this time period.

Operational costs associated with serving more visitors and protecting resources continue to rise. Annual, year-round needs present significant funding and staffing challenges. To help meet critical needs this year, the Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains Association are providing more than $4 million in aid. The park is also slated to receive project-specific, short-term funds to help chip away at the maintenance backlog in campgrounds, wastewater systems, and along roads and trails. Construction timelines and project details for significant rehabilitation work are expected to be announced over the next few weeks for several projects.

Park managers will continue to work towards improving access and the visitor experience. For more information about these efforts, please visit https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/management/ves.htm. With more use, visitor stewardship is increasingly important and it is imperative that park visitors help care for the park as part of their visit. To learn more about how to #recreateresponsibly and follow Leave No Trace principles, please visit the National Park Service’s website at https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/recreate-responsibly.htm.

For more information about visitation statistics for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service, please visit https://irma.nps.gov/STATS/. Reports, including the 2021 annual park ranking, will be available over the next few weeks after annual statistics are compiled for all parks.

In other news…

Mitchell named Women in Tennessee Tourism & Hospitality Leader of the Year

Registration now open for Great Smokies Experience at Maryville College

Posted on March 14, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced a two-year hiatus, Maryville College’s Great Smokies Experience will return in July to give rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates an opportunity to take part in a learning lab like no other.

The 10-day program will give participants both college credit and a chance to explore environmental issues and sustainability studies while living and learning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“It’s an opportunity to gain an understanding of complex relationships between the natural world and the social world, as well as an understanding of how our sense of place is a part of who we are,” said Dr. Andrew Gunnoe, associate professor of sociology at Maryville College and the Great Smokies Experience coordinator. “It’s understanding that here in the Smokies, we have a unique biodiversity region that informs our approach not just to sustainability, but who we are as a people and a culture.”

This year’s program will take place July 14-25 on the College’s campus and at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a residential environmental learning center located on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Participants who complete it will earn three hours of credit for the Environmental Issues and Sustainability Studies (ENV/SUS 101) class from Maryville College.

In addition to hands-on environmental and sustainability work, Gunnoe said, students will learn how various disciplines — political science, history, sociology, biology and ecology, just to name a few — are tied to their relationship with the land, particularly here in East Tennessee.

“We do root our educational program in science and the scientific community and what it tells us, but a lot of it comes down to place,” he said. “We look at structural issues like sustainability as big issues, but also at what we can do in our own communities and our own lives to make small changes. It’s all about understanding the link between ourselves and our environment.”

In addition to Gunnoe, instructors for the Great Smoky Mountains Experience include Dr. Mark O’Gorman, professor of political science and coordinator of the College’s environmental studies program; John DiDiego, education director at Tremont; and Bruce Guillaume, founder and director of Mountain Challenge.

The cost per student for the entire two-week program is $1,799 and includes tuition, fees, room and board, all special events, and transportation to and from the Park. Students will spend the majority of the course living in the national park at Tremont, and the remainder will take place on the Maryville College campus and other important Southern Appalachia sites.

This program will include a variety of activities, including mountain hikes, nighttime exploration of the park, kayaking on Tellico Reservoir, exploring the Maryville College Woods, and taking part in Mountain Challenge, an on-campus program that seeks to build teamwork, enhance communication and teach problem-solving skills through outdoor experiences.

And while classroom work is a part of the curriculum, Gunnoe said, those hands-on experiences make the Great Smokies Experience an interactive program that’s often transformative for participants.

“That’s the key in the Great Smokies Experience — it’s an experience as well,” he said. “Abstract ideas like sustainability can be lost on a 17- or 18-year-old, but a week spent in the Smoky Mountains is not. I kayaked and played in the Smokies in college, and that’s what led me to develop my own environmental consciousness.

“Immersing them in their natural environment is a very important and perhaps life-changing experience. You get college credit, and you’re going to learn some classroom things, but the experience of being outdoors for a week with a cohort of other students, to know what it feels like to climb up Mt. LeConte and look out over the Tennessee Valley — they’re not going to forget that.”

Space is limited, and while the deadline to apply for the Great Smokies Experience is May 10, spots are filling quickly, Gunnoe said. Interested participants are encouraged to apply now.

For more information, contact Gunnoe at [email protected] or visit the website at maryvillecollege.edu/gse.

Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center Grand Reopening

Posted on June 4, 2021 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Apple Valley Mountain Village welcomes Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center (SMOC) as they announce their Grand Reopening scheduled for Friday, June 18th through Sunday, June 20th, 2021. Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center moved to its newer and larger Apple Valley Mountain Village location under new ownership and has been undergoing renovations and upgrades. Finally complete, on the first weekend of this summer, visitors will be invited to help celebrate with activities, adventure classes, special guests, live music, and specials throughout the Village!

SMOC also announces a new partnership with Smoky Mountain Guides, a skilled group of professional guides and educators offering numerous adventures and tours. “Partnering with SMG just made sense,” says SMOC owner Mark Oldham, “When we approached SMG about teaming up, they were instantly excited. We can’t wait to accommodate SMOC guests and Townsend visitors with great outdoor adventures like fly fishing, kayaking, guided hikes, backcountry adventures, and van tours to favorite mountain destinations. We have the apparel to make any adventure more enjoyable,” says Oldham, while noting that Smoky Mountain Guides has been featured in the Southern Weekend, Travel Channel, and the History Channel.

During the Grand Reopening celebration on Saturday, June 20th, visitors will be invited to enjoy free beginners fly fishing classes on the SMOC lawn where participants will learn to cast and practice for prizes. Also being offered on the 20th, a guided flat-water kayaking excursion will depart from the SMOC store, free guided nature and history hikes will be available, and demonstrations from local search and rescue teams on the SMOC porch. Also on the day’s itinerary are guest ranger Q&As from the National Park Service (NPS), and book signings from regionally-acclaimed authors. Activities will begin at 10am and end at 4pm. In addition to Saturday’s activities, SMG will be offering 20% off any future guided tours booked between Friday, June 18th and Sunday, June 20th, 2021.

Guests can also play Spin-the-Wheel for prizes and big discounts on featured brands including The North Face, Chaco, Keen, Howler Brothers, HydroFlask, ENO, Costa, Benchmade, and more.

In addition to the classes and specials at SMOC, guests can also enjoy Village wide discounts at the General Store, Apple Valley Cafe, and the Dancing Bean Coffee House.

The complete itinerary for the 20th will be posted on the SMOC website at www.smoctn.com and social media.

The Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center is location in the Apple Valley Mountain Village in Townsend, TN only 4 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, giving it unique access to adventure opportunities in the Smokies. “We listen to our customers’ wants and needs at SMOC,” says Jon McMahon – manager at SMOC. “We want our customers to know they can ask questions, learn about the products we have here, plan an excursion, or simply pick up a forgotten outdoor essential while visiting and we are here to help them along the way. We hope they will come by and see us for the Grand Reopening, take a class, enjoy some free popcorn and goodies, spin the prize wheel, make some new friends and maybe go kayaking or fly fishing with SMG. No matter what, we just want them to enjoy the NEW Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center as much as we do!”

Smoky Mtn Cannonball Run set for April 30

Posted on April 14, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

In early 2017, the Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson family was rocked by the sudden and untimely death of 23-year-old Sean Summerfield. Sean was a resident of Maryville and graduated from William Blount High School in 2011. Sean “Little Sean” Summerfield practically grew up at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson. He began working there at the age of 15 when his father Mike, also a member of the Smoky Mountain family, volunteered him for an open wash bay position. By 16, Little Sean was riding his Sportster every day to school and then working afternoons and weekends at the dealership. It was obvious from the beginning that Harley-Davidson was in his blood. He absorbed everything from those around him, building and modifying his own motorcycle and working on all sorts of special projects for the dealership. Little Sean was the inspiration for Smoky Mountain H-D’s High School Bike Build Off and was a key member in the development and promotion of the Smoky Mountain Scrambler projects. For all that knew him, his “Summerfield Smile” was contagious; his sense of adventure filled others with life. He was a real-life James Dean and his memory will live forever in all of us.

To memorialize his life, Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson has created the Sean Summerfield Memorial Scholarship to be awarded to a child of a SMH-D employee or Blount Co student. The scholarship is funded by the annual Smoky Mtn Cannonball Run event. The Cannonball Run will consist of teams of motorcycle riders using their navigation skills to hit as many checkpoints as possible within a 7-hour timeframe. Checkpoints are located all over East Tennessee within a 100-mile radius of SMH-D. Registration for riders to participate is $25 and is available online at smh-d.com. The event will occur rain or shine on April 30th with the day of registration opening up at SMH-D at 8 am. All riders must be registered by 11 am to participate. Donations will also be accepted online and on the day of the event. At 6 pm we will be handing out thousands in cash and prizes to winners of the event, the 2022 Scholarship winner will be announced prior to the concert, and conclude the evening with live music at The Shed located next door to Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, featuring Tuesday’s Gone: The Ultimate Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute Concert. The concert is free for those who participate in the run.

What: Smoky Mtn Cannonball Run

When: April 30 at 11 a.m.

Where: Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson, 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Maryville, TN 37801

More info can be found on our website and social media outlets.

Website – https://www.smh-d.com/–cannonballrun

YouTube (past event link) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8GaOWQ3eDg

FB- https://www.facebook.com/SmokyMtnHD

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/smokymtnhd/

Ticket link- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/smoky-mountain-h-d-cannonball-run-tickets-230932945657

Tastes of the Smokies

Posted on May 8, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (GSMHC) is excited to announce Tastes of the Smokies (TastesoftheSmokies.com), a new annual event focusing on Appalachian culture, food,
and music. The event is Saturday, June 18th from 4:30-7:00PM on the grounds of the Heritage Center at 123 Cromwell Drive, Townsend, TN 37882.

“My staff and I look forward to hosting our entire community for this exciting new event on Saturday, June 18th,” says Brent Lambert, Executive Director of GSMHC, “We invite members and nonmembers alike to spend the late afternoon and evening at Tastes of the Smokies at the GSMHC and then stay for the Carlene Carter concert in our on-site amphitheater.”

Featuring 20 exhibitors spanning various crafts and woodworking skills spread out amongst the unique museum and village, Tastes of the Smokies will also include local restaurants providing
“tastes” of their featured dishes. Elvira’s, the Abbey, and Peaceful Side Social will be serving, as well as other local vendors. Three separate live acoustic music areas will be set up around the
Heritage Center campus. Beverage “tastes” will be provided by Albright Grove Brewing, Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, EZ Stop, and Argentinean wines will be provided by the Boyd Family.

The Heritage Center’s unique Appalachian village and museum will be alive with the sounds and smells of the way life used to be in the Smoky Mountains.

Directly after the Tastes of the Smokies event, there is an optional concert starting at 7:30PM featuring long time country artist and CMA entertainer Carlene Carter. Dusty Leigh will open up
for Carlene Carter. Tickets will need to be purchased separately for the concert.

This is a ticketed event for those 21 and over. All are cordially invited to attend and to support this new annual fundraiser for the GSMHC. Tickets can be found at this link
(TastesoftheSmokies.com).

Tremont Writers Conference now accepting applications

Posted on February 7, 2024 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is pleased to announce the second annual Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry coordinated in partnership with Smokies Life, formerly Great Smoky Mountains Association. Applications to participate in the event may be submitted online now through April 30 at writers.gsmit.org.

From Wednesday, October 23, through Sunday, October 27, a small group of selected writers will join renowned authors and professional park educators on Tremont’s campus in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Participants will enjoy brainstorming and fine-tuning their work with award-winning author workshop leaders while also learning and writing throughout the day.

Morning workshops in fiction, nonfiction and poetry will take place outdoors, led by faculty members Monic Ductan (fiction), David Brill (nonfiction) and Maurice Manning (poetry). Guest author Frank X Walker, the first African American Kentucky Poet Laureate and workshop leader at the 2023 conference, will lead several sessions for the entire group, including a guided discussion on the craft of writing. Each afternoon, writers will join experienced Tremont naturalists for guided explorations that spark curiosity and wonder through a deeper connection to the region’s cultural and natural history. Evenings will conclude with hearty dinners, fellowship with peers, and readings by writing faculty. Meals and lodging are provided.

“A sense of community came from the gathering of creative souls dedicated to their crafts — attendees seeking growth and honing, and leaders sharing their insights and guiding us with their experience,” said writer and photographer Michele Sons who participated in the inaugural Tremont Writers Conference in October 2023, which brought together 20 writers from all over the country. “By stepping out of my comfort zone, I gained confidence in my writing, and I came home with concrete ways to improve my manuscript based on the feedback of our leaders and the group at large.”

Applications for the October conference should be submitted no later than April 30. Acceptance to conference workshops is based on manuscript evaluation, with chosen writers notified by July 14. Additional information about the Tremont Writers Conference and complete 2024 application guidelines can be found at writers.gsmit.org.

Vintage Car Show

Posted on July 5, 2023 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Fans of vintage automobiles can view a special collection of classic cars at the Autos Through the Ages Car Show at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (123 Cromwell Dr., Townsend) on July 15 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The car show is free with admission to the museum being $5.

Presented by the East Tennessee Region Antique Automobile Club of America and sponsored by West Chevrolet, Twin City Dealerships and the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, the event features food and a viewing of classic cars throughout the day.

Visitors will experience how cars and trucks have evolved during the past 100 years as they see and learn about autos from T Models to Teslas. One rare car on display is a 1934 Oldsmobile convertible, found in Morocco, is one of only 903 produced. Others models include a 1927 Ford Mail Truck, a 1988 Rolls Royce Silver Spur, a 1954 Ford Skyliner, a 1949 MG TC, a 1960 Morgan +4, a 1958 Edsel Convertible, a 1929 Ford Fire Truck and a 1933 Packard Victoria Convertible.

“There’s a lot of history in these cars and they definitely bring back plenty of memories,” said Steve West. “This a great event that showcases the great American craftsmanship that went into these vehicles.”

“Having been around cars all my life, I really enjoy seeing these classic cars and watching the enjoyment they bring to those that have taken care of them for future generations,” said Jerry Hodge of Twin City Dealerships. “There’s just something about getting behind the wheel of cars like these and hitting the highway that brings about a great feeling of freedom.”

Vintage Car Show Set for Heritage Center in Townsend July 17

Posted on July 13, 2021 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Fans of vintage automobiles can view a special collection of classic cars at the Autos Through the Ages Show at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (123 Cromwell Dr., Townsend) on July 17 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The car show is free with admission to the museum being $5.

Presented by the East Tennessee Region Antique Automobile Club of America and sponsored by West Chevrolet, Twin City Buick/GMC and the Smoky Mountain Tourism Development Authority, the event features food and a viewing of classic cars throughout the day.

More than 100 cars will be featured, including a 1954 Chevy Corvette (Only 3,640 produced), 2020 Chevy Corvette (C-8), 1955 Bentley, 2018 Tesla electric car, 1954 Buick Skylark (Only 836 produced), 1949 Buick Roadmaster Woodie (Only 653 made. This is 1 of 9 still existing), 1927 Model T Mail Truck, 1929 Model A Fire Truck, 1958 Edsel Pacer Convertible (Only 1,876 produced), 1966 Chrysler Imperial Convertible (Only 514 produced), 1954 Hudson, and many more interesting autos.

WHISKEY TOURISM MAKES A PROFITABLE FOOTPRINT IN TOWNSEND, TN

Posted on April 18, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Come this summer, Townsend’s adult beverage appeal gets positively magnetic with the opening of Company Distilling’s satellite whiskey tasting room.

Whiskey bottle and glass in the seated on an outdoor firepit in the foreground with two women drinking in the background.

Steve Coomes with Bourbon News features Townsend, TN, and the upcoming Company Distilling tasting room.

“Townsend, Tenn., markets itself as “The Peaceful Side of the Smokies,” and indeed, it’s quieter than the fabricated expanse of Pigeon Forge and the din of crowded Gatlinburg.

Townsend has the feel of a village scattered in plots over a several-mile stretch of Hwy. 321. That road is its main drag and runs parallel to the scenic Little River, a favored waterway for fly fishing and summertime tubing. It’s home to about 400 residents who operate the de rigueur tourist hotels, motels, souvenir shops, historic attractions, and restaurants promising Italian, Mexican, and country food—in one case, from the same kitchen.”

Click HERE to read the full blog post.

READ RECENT BLOG POSTS

Wild Laurel Golf Course in Smokies achieves Audubon certification

Posted on June 16, 2022 by jmuir - Uncategorized

Wild Laurel Golf Course in East Tennessee has been designated a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” by Audubon International for its dedication to environmental excellence on the 18-hole track in Townsend known for its stunning mountain views.

“Wild Laurel Golf Course has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program,” said Christine Kane, CEO at Audubon International. “The owners and management team are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property.”

While playing the Wild Laurel par-70 course, golfers can observe wildlife ranging from deer to wild turkey to bears.

“We are located in the middle of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains, and we felt an obligation to make sure our footprint was as environmentally sound and sustainable as possible,” Wild Laurel President John Trotter said. “We are immensely proud of all the hard work we have accomplished in order to receive this designation.”

To be certified by Audubon, a course must demonstrate that it maintains a high level of environmental quality in several areas, Kane said, including environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, outreach and education, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation and water quality management.

Wild Laurel has worked diligently to:

Preserve natural areas.
Provide excellent wildlife habitat.
Create new landscape areas.
Remove invasive species.
Establish buffers around water bodies.
Reduce irrigated areas to conserve water.
Test to ensure water leaving the course has the same quality as when it arrived.

Nestled in a valley surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains, Wild Laurel is open to the public and a short drive from Knoxville and the tourist destinations of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The popular Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is right across Rich Mountain from the course. The views from the clubhouse down Laurel Valley are spectacular.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association (USGA), provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Wild Laurel is one of more than 900 courses worldwide (out of more than 38,000) to receive certification and the 10th in Tennessee. Audubon International is a nonprofit with the purpose of delivering high-quality environmental education and facilitating the sustainable management of natural resources.