The Derosia Team

LOOKING FOR SOME CHRISTMAS SPIRIT? Check out these events in the area for festivities that will be sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit!   Christmas Tree Lighting at the  Island with Paula Deen November 28th at 6 p.m. in Pigeon Forge, watch the Island's enormous Christmas tree come to life. Free admission and live entertainment will be provided!  Great Smoky Mountains Christmas  Arts & Crafts Show November 30th- December 6th at the Gatlinburg Convention center find the perfect gift for loved ones. All of the best artists and artisans will be on hand for you to purchase unique handcrafted items! City of Sevierville Christmas Parade November 28th at 6 p.m. in Pigeon Forge, watch the Island's enormous Christmas tree come to life. Free admission and live entertainment will be provided! Townsend Christmas Parade November 30th- December 6th at the Gatlinburg Conventio...

It's that time of the year....ready to see lights a sparkling, ready to get into the Christmas spirit, ready to make memories with the entire family??? Join in on several events throughout the county and feel the warmth of the season! Pigeon Forge Winterfest Kickoff November 6, 2018 4 p.m. Join in on the fun at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge, TN. Enjoy food vendors, children's games and live entertainment with headliner Chris Blue, winner of Season 12 of the voice. City officials will flip the switch and Pigeon Forge will be aglow with spectacular lights throughout.  Winter Magic Kickoff & Chili Cookoff November 7, 2018 5-8 p.m. $10 Sample chili from over 20 different vendors at this family friendly event. The event will be held downtown Gatlinburg and features mouthwatering chili and free entertainment. Jimbo Whaley and Greenbrier band will perform at 5:15 and event headliner The Petty Hearts will perform at 6:15. City Dignitaries will signif...

It's almost the first day of Fall.  Typically, we would imagine our days getting cooler, but around here it seems like summer wants to hang around a little longer. However, even though the temperature might not be getting you in the fall spirit, there are plenty of activities for the family to make it feel more like fall! Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival is bigger than ever this year. This event takes place from September 7-November 25, 2018. Don't miss the traditional Chili Cookoff on Wednesday, November 7. They have gone all out decorating town for Fall this year with new season decorations. Make sure to take a picture with one of the many life size 3 dimensional scarecrow people.  Experience the past at the Old Mill Heritage Day on September 22, 2018. This annual tradition is sure to get the whole family excited for Fall. Enjoy a farmers market, petting zoo, old-time games, basket making, quilt demonstrations, cloggers, and so much more. Lea...

Home Grown What's better than locally raised, farm fresh produce? One of the best things about summer is the variety of delicious fruits and veggies available. Luckily, in Sevier County there are 4 Farmer's Markets to help you find the perfect items to complement your meal. Even better, you might even find a locally made gift for a friend or loved one. Read on to find out more about each of our wonderful Farmer's Markets.  Gatlinburg Farmer's Market is held on Saturdays at the Covered Bridge on Galdes Road from 8:30-12:00. Stop by to find fruits, nuts, berries, honey, jellies and jams, and vegetables. Also, find plants, baked goods, and health products. Every second Saturday includes live music, and every fourth Saturday features kid's activities. Check out their webpage for even more information:  Gatlinburg Farmer's Market Sevierville Farmer's Market is held on Fridays at the Bruce Street Gazebo from 9-1:30. Stop by to fresh bagels, breads, a...

EARTH DAY In Gatlinburg, TN Earth Day is a time for celebration! The Earth Day event will take place on Thursday, April 26, 2018. All festivities will be held downtown Gatlinburg. Check out this post for info on all the fun activities! Bring the family from 11:00 am-5 pm for free music, crafts, activities, face painting, demonstrations, and more. This is a great day to learn about easy green practices. The entire family will be able to play activities and games, as well as make Earth friendly crafts. There will also be food for sale. Area businesses and organizations will be onsite with information and activities. T-shirts will also be sold. All sales benefit the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation. This foundation provides local scholarships and donations to local schools.  Gatlinburg will also be hosting an Earth Day 5K Run/Walk. This event takes place on Friday, April 27th. It begins and ends at NOC. Registration is $20-$30. The race is scheduled to start...

WINTERFEST CELEBRATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY! Sevier County always kicks off the Winter Season in a big way. Each city has their own unique celebration to get the entire family excited about the festivities and magic of winter time! The Winterfest Celebrations begin in Sevierville. Sevierville’s Winterfest Kickoff takes place from 3 to 8 pm on November 6th in downtown Sevierville. Enjoy plenty for the kids to do; face painting, arts & crafts, balloon animals, inflatables, and games. There’s tons of food and plenty of stage acts. Enjoy a mascot dance off, performances from local dance teams, lumberjack competitions, and music. The event concludes with a spectacular firework display!   The 28th Annual Pigeon Forge Winterfest Kickoff will be held on  November 7th at Patriot Park! Enjoy old time games and vendors beginning at 4 pm followed by live entertainment at 6pm. The event concludes with a free trolley tour of the lights at 7 pm.   The Winterfest...

EARTH WEEK In Gatlinburg, TN Earth Day is not a one day celebration. Instead, there is a multitude of activities for the family to enjoy all week long. This year's celebration is April 17-21! Check out this post for info on all the fun activities! MONDAY:  Gatlinburg Goes Green Seminar at Hilton Garden Inn from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm featuring Chief of Resource Education for the GSMNP, Nigel Fields. He will be hosting a seminar on wildfire ecology. Check out this event to learn how resilient our mountains are and the steps being taken towards recovery.  TUESDAY: Spur Clean up through a partnership with Keep Sevier Beautiful from 9:00 am-12:00 pm. If interested meet at the Gatlinburg's Spur Welcome center with a pair of gloves and some zest for picking up trash. There will be a competition for the business team that picks up the most litter. The winning team will earn a pizza party. Ben & Jerry's will be on site with free ice cream for all participants.  WEDNESDA...

November 23rd, 2016-----A date that will forever be etched in the minds of residents and visitors of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and areas surrounding it. A man-made fire began in the Chimney Tops area of the national park. The steep terrain made firefighting efforts difficult. Fast forward 5 days when high winds coupled with extreme drought conditions caused this situation to quickly escalate out of hand. Embers were carried miles away sparking fires throughout Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. To create an even worse situation high winds caused down power lines and transformers to blow creating more fires. This devastation resulted in more than 20,000 acres burnt, 2,460 structures damaged or destroyed, 14 fatalities, and 191 injuries or illnesses.  Yes, the devastation appears insurmountable, but as Mayor Mike Werner said best, "We are Mountain Tough, and We have a Strong, Strong Faith in God"! As residents and business owners were...

Local Favorite: 3 Jimmy's Restaurant Tourist destinations like Sevier County have their share of chain restaurants, but it is the small individually, owned establishments that the locals hold near and dear to their hearts. These restaurants are often off the beaten path or offer delicious favorites that keep the locals and guests to our area coming back often! 3 Jimmy's is located at 1359 East Parkway in Gatlinburg, TN. It is found on the corner of the Parkway and Glades Road and is a perfect place to stop if you are touring the Arts & Craft Community.  They offer BBQ & Hearty American meals that you can enjoy inside or on the covered patio. They are known for their award winning smoked wings, but everything on the menu is delicious. They also have regular live music. They are open 11 am- 12 am every day. 3 Jimmy's offers nightly entertainment. Need to relax-check out the live music Feeling brainy-check out the team trivia! Feeling groovy-check ou...

Farmer's Market What's better than locally raised, farm fresh produce? One of the best things about summer is the variety of delicious fruits and veggies available. Luckily, in Sevier County there are 4 Farmer's Markets to help you find the perfect items to complement your meal. Even better, you might even find a locally made gift for a friend or loved one. Read on to find out more about each of our wonderful Farmer's Markets.  Gatlinburg Farmer's Market is held on Saturdays at the Covered Bridge on Galdes Road from 8:30-12:00. Stop by to find fruits, nuts, berries, honey, jellies and jams, and vegetables. Also, find plants, baked goods, and health products. Every second Saturday includes live music, and every fourth Saturday features kid's activities. Check out their webpage for even more information:  Gatlinburg Farmer's Market Sevierville Farmer's Market is held on Fridays at the Bruce Street Gazebo from 9-1:30. Stop by to fresh bagel...

Tourist destinations are packed full of restaurants; most of them being the well known chain restaurants that can be dined in all over the country.  However, every city has the smaller restaurants that are usually out of the hustle and bustle of the city life.  These restaurants are  local favorites and mom and pop establishments that don't make it into the guidebooks and vacation brochures.  Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the other surrounding areas of the Smoky Mountains have several well-kept secrets that the locals love.   These establishments in the Smoky Mountains are often a great place to go and learn about the local culture, as well as eat some of the best local food.  Most of the establishments have more reasonable prices than the chain restaurants in town.  The service is above and beyond in these family owned establishments and the food is worth coming back for over and over again. Because there are so...

LOCAL FAVORITE: LITTLE HOUSE OF PANCAKES Tourist destinations are packed full of restaurants; most of them being the well known chain restaurants that can be dined in all over the country. However, every city has the smaller restaurants that are often a great place to go and learn about the local culture, as well as eat some of the best local food. Most of the establishments have more reasonable prices than the chain restaurants in town. The service is above and beyond in these family owned establishments and the food is worth coming back for over and over again.  Little House of Pancakes located on 321 in Gatlinburg is a family establishment loved by the locals. Visitors make sure to stop by multiple times on their trips to the Smokies. If you visit, be sure to try the all you can eat Pancake with homemade syrup. Fast Service, Friendly Faces, Big Portions, and Great Food! What more do you want from a small town business?