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...

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...

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...

Sevier County, Tennessee was established September 18, 1794 and covers about 6,000 square miles.  There are three distinct regions in Sevier County, Appalachian Mountain region to the north, Foothills region in the central portion, and the Great Valley of East Tennessee, which stretches 9,200 square miles across Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. Since the counties establishment, the county seat has been situated at Sevierville, the eighth oldest city in Tennessee.  As with an old county throughout the world, their is always historic buildings and places that still remain today.  Sevier County is no exception.  There are many historic buildings that make up part of the history of Sevier County that are still standing today.  Some of these buildings/places have made their way to the United States National Registry of Historic Places.  Because their are so many important buildings/places within Sevier County it is near impossible to hit on all of these in o...

The city of Pigeon Forge has rounded up some fine talent for the 13th annual Saddle Up.  If you are in the area stop by for all of the outstanding cowboy entertainment and activities. Our award-winning Stories & Strings returns for a second season, joining three other concerts, a chuck wagon cook off  Cowboy Dance and Cowboy Church. “Capturing the Old West,” a special photography exhibit and video presentation by award-winning photographer Ken Jenkins, is a new addition for 2013. Saddle Up guests will hear an all-star lineup of performers including award-winning poets and singers, fancy fiddlers, amazing yodelers and hall-of-fame musicians. Pigeon Forge is proud to welcome Brenn Hill, Chris Isaacs, Waddie Mitchell, The Quebe Sisters Band, Dave Stamey, Sourdough Slim, T. Scot Wilburn and the Shut Up -N- Playboys, and Wylie & the Wild West. Saddle Up takes place on February 20-24 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.   Here is the schedule for the duration o...

Valentine's Day is approaching quickly and the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is celebrating the entire month of February. On April 10, 1912 the Titanic set sail and it was very apparent that romance and adventure were in the air.  Twelve couples aboard the Titanic on April 10 were on their honeymoon, 9 in first class.  There was also young brides to be setting sail to America to begin a new life.  Of coarse, Rose, the fictional character from the film was apart of that group. Titanic is giving you to experience the power of love during Sweetheart Month.  Titanic is celebrating Valentine's Day all month long to pay tribute to romance and the long lasting love of couples everywhere.  During Sweetheart Month you can renew your wedding vows in elegant style on Titanic's Grand Staircase. Each ceremony is presided over by the ships captain.  Reservations are required.

The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge will host their 3rd annual outdoor ice carving competition on January 19, 2013.  The competition will be held in the parking area from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.  Both professional and amateur ice carvers will begin with 250-pound blocks of ice in a contest to see who will win the prize money. The museum suggests that all visitors plan to arrive early as last years event attracted over 4,000 people.  The competition is judged by members of the National Ice Carving Association. The Titanic Museum has been open for less than 3 years and continues to host roughly 100,000 visitors each month.  If you are in the area for this cool and thrilling event be sure to stop by the parking area to see the competition.  The Museum will continue to be open for this event so if you find yourself cold outside you can go inside and take a walk through a historical piece of history.

Pigeon Forge will host the 23rd annual Wilderness Wildlife week starting January 12, 2013 and going through January 19, 2013 at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center. This event is free and is an educational and fun experience devoted to the wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wilderness Wildlife Week will consist of guided hikes, workshops, demonstrations, presentations, and many other activities and events that celebrate the spectacular ecology, history, and tradition of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  This event offers so many activities that it is easy to say that there is something for everyone to enjoy and be involved in. The information desk is open from 7:00am - 9:00pm for the duration of the event. The vendor/exhibit hall is open from 9:00am - 6:00pm for the duration of the event. If you are interested in Wilderness week you can read more about the different classes and hikes here .

The Derosia Team has come across a TOADALLY amazing frozen yogurt establishment.   sweet Frog  Premium Frozen Yogurt is one of the fastest growing brands of premium, all natural, self-service yogurt restaurants. S weet Frog  is a bright, positive, family-friendly environment where you can create your cup of yogurt exactly how you want it. You pick the combination of flavors, you pick the toppings, you make it your way! Sweet Frog  was founded on the principles of Christianity and the belief in bringing happiness and a positive attitude into the lives of their customers.  At  sweet Frog , F.R.O.G. stands for Fully Rely On God.  Accorrding to their website the following is why the founder Derek Cha opened up the first  sweet Frog . Our founder, Derek Cha, started sweet Frog in 2009 with his wife, Annah Kim. Derek’s goal was to create a business, in the midst of a unfriendly economy, that could thrive and bring hope and...

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 ...

Are you looking for a home in the Smoky Mountains?  Have you talked to your real estate agent?  If so we are sure you have been asked "Are your pre-approved?"  Ever wonder what's the big deal about pre-approval? We will give you an in depth walk through on what it means, how to begin, and why we believe it is such an important element to beginning your search for your perfect home in the Smoky Mountains. What is Pre-approval? Loan officers will calculate a your financial ability to make monthly payments.  The loan officer does this by reviewing the your financial status including, income, assets, cash flow, and credit score, to help determine the maximum monthly payment the you may qualify for.  If you qualify the lender will pre-approve a mortgage before the you have found a home. Where to Start? There are several options to finding a lender.  We suggest shopping around in looking for the best rates and a lender you feel comfortable with. ...

The Smoky Mountain Real Estate Market is once again showing positive trends for the August 2012 in some key areas over the last year.  We have put together some statistics and visual aids for August 2012 compared to August 2009 - 2011. The first category we compared was residential units sold in the month of August. As you can see there were 45 more units sold in August 2012 than in August 2009.  There were 36 more units sold in August 2012 than in August 2010. Then August 2012 is up 43 units from August 2011. The total units sold are up 33% from 2009, 25% from 2010 and 31% from 2011. Total volume sold in August 2012 compared to the previous years is also showing a positive trend.  August 2012 is up 19.2% from August 2009, 6% from August 2010, and 13.1% from August last year. The last category differs from our comparisons the last 2 months.  This time we have not only compared August 2012 to the previous years in August, we have compa...

Based in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park which operates nine months a year (late March through December) and offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region, and Wild Eagle, the country’s first wing coaster. A family-friendly vacation destination, Dollywood also includes the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country, voted America’s “Must-See Waterpark.”   Dollywood hosted the 2012 Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards on September 7th and 8th.  This awards ceremony is consider the Academy Awards of Theme Parks.  In the end Tennessee's number one attraction collected five of the coveted awards voted on by theme park enthusiasts around the world.   The new addition to the only wing rider roller coaster in the country, Wild Eagle, has the individuals at Dollywood flying high. ...

Sometimes sellers put their home on the market, but don't know that there are a few things that they can do to help sale their property. To prepare your home for sale, view it from the "eyes of a buyer." If you were to walk into your home, is there anything that might turn you away? Clutter? Spider webs in the corners? Dirty windows? Any time and money spent on cleaning, repairs, and removing clutter will maximize the home's appearance! Here are some ideas to improve CURB APPEAL: Repaint the front door and trim. If needed, repaint the rest of the house. Move all garbage cans, extra building materials, gardening supplies, etc. into the garage or shed. Check gutters and your roof for dry rot and leaks. Prune bushes and trees. Remove and dead shrubs and trees. Weed and maintain all planted areas. Sweep all walkways and steps. Clean the swimming pool, jacuzzi, or hot tub. Use driveway cleaner to remove oil stains from the driveway or garage floor. Clean or...