Goblins and ghouls and ghosts…Oh my! Spooky season is upon us and we invite you to join us on Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 for an Appalachian Bistro Spooktacular featuring professional storyteller Elizabeth Rose, who will be telling spooky stories around Papa Pete’s Fire Pit. Storytelling sessions will be held at 5:45 and 7:00 with limited tickets available for each session. Tickets are for adults only, and include 1 curated cocktail as well as fireside appetizers for you to enjoy during the storytelling. Don’t be scared…You won’t want to miss the bone chilling event! Date: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 Time: 5:45 and 7:00 Tickets: $25 pp Please note: Your ticket does NOT include dinner. Dinner reservations must be made separately and are encouraged. Please plan your reservation accordingly depending on your storytelling session time.

Mark your calendars and prepare to immerse yourself in a delightful display of creativity at the Heritage Center for our annual Holiday Handcrafters Festival! This beloved event is more than just a shopping trip—it’s a cherished holiday tradition that perfectly ushers in the spirit of the Christmas season! This year, our Handcrafters Fair is shaping up to be the biggest one yet! Showcasing the talents of more than 30 local artisans from the Smoky Mountain Region and beyond, we are proud to display a cornucopia of unique, handmade and handcrafted goods. Rest assured, there won’t be a single mass-produced item in sight! We eagerly await your presence on Saturday, November 11th. Please remember, while the Fair itself is free to enter, we highly recommend bringing enough funds to indulge in the rich, diverse selection of crafts and goods. It’s an ideal opportunity to find one-of-a-kind gifts for loved ones, or to treat yourself to something special! Be a part of this vibrant community event and celebrate the unique charm of handcrafted goods with us! FREE Interested vendors click here

The Cades Cove Loop Lope is the only organized footrace held inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to benefit Friends of the Smokies. All funds raised benefit park projects and programs such as historic preservation, wildlife conservation, native plant and grassland restoration, and much more. There are two course options, a 5K or a USATF Certified 10-Mile Loop. Participation is limited to 750 total runners. For those who can’t make it to the Cove on November 12, there is a virtual option to participate as well! Registration opens on June 1st, 2023. More info at www.looplope.org.

TennGreen Land Conservancy’s fourth annual Hike-a-Thon is taking place during the entire month of April 2024. The month-long fundraising and adventure competition supports the protection of Tennessee’s lands and waters and encourages people of all ages and abilities to get outside for the chance to win awesome prizes. While this event benefits Tennessee nature, participants can adventure and compete from anywhere in the world. Compete by hiking, paddling, trail running, climbing, mountain biking, or photography with a team or by yourself! Proceeds from the Hike-a-Thon benefit TennGreen Land Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. Registration is free and opens on March 1. Questions? Email hikeathon@tenngreen.org

Visit Cades Cove Jeep Outpost for an Independence Day celebration by the water in the Smoky Mountains! Bring your Jeep, lawn chairs, blankets, and plan to spend the day at Cades Cove Jeep Outpost in Townsend, TN. You’re welcome to use the Little River at the back of the property to stay cool. 9:00 am: Start your morning with a guided ride on the scenic Foothills Parkway – one of the most beautiful drives in America. Meet at the Townsend Visitors Center (7930 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Townsend, TN 37882) at 9:00 am. The ride will begin at 10:00 am.** 12:00 – 5:00 pm: Food and retail vendors, live music, Military Jeep Showcase, Show & Shine, outdoor games, and more await you and your family in the Peaceful Side of the Smokies! Prize raffles will benefit Mission 22. **Ride Details** Note that the ride is rain or shine and stock friendly. When you arrive at the Townsend Visitors Center to line up for the ride, please look for directional signage and stay on the gravel paths. From the Townsend Visitors Center, you will turn left and head out US-321 S / E Lamar Alexander Pkwy (6.7 miles). Use the left […]

ALOHA ! Join us for a Hawaiian Luau. The club is extremely excited for this years Luau! This will be a two day event! We have been striving towards more of a Luau feel and think we will have that this year. We will have a Whole Hog roast and an amazing musical line up! **This will be a kid and dog friendly event. Dogs will be required to be kept on a leash. This will be strictly enforced ** Tickets can be purchased at www.easttnphc.com/luau Our "purpose" for this event is the Ronald McDonald House All Luau proceeds go to this great charity! Ticket Prices:$50 pp - One Meal ticket included with ticket purchase. Tickets can be purchased at www.easttnphc.com/luau Luau Schedule Friday Gates open at 4pm for Luau check in/registration Friday Entertainment: 4pm - 7pm - DJ extraordinaire Saltwater Cowboy Entertainment will be spinning some tunes 7pm - 10pm - 45RPM Saturday Gates open at 10am for Luau check in/registration Saturday Entertainment: 12pm - 3pm - Tall Paul 3pm - 6pm - Ben Shuster 6pm -10pm - The Boys from TN featuring original members of Homemade Wine the band!! Food (included in ticket price): Whole Hog Roast with […]

Join Vacation Races for a beautiful 5k or half marathon through gorgeous scenery! Escape to the "Peaceful Side of the Smokies" with a gorgeous course through the woods. You couldn't ask for a more beautiful destination! Expo and 5K are on September 6th, with the Half Marathon on the morning of September 7th. Pick your perfect race weekend: 🔹Half Marathon (run on Saturday morning) 🔹5k (run this on Friday evening) 🔹Black Bear Double! (run both the 5k and half marathon) 🐻 (HINT: running the Black Bear Double earns you three medals! 5k, Half Marathon, and a third 'double medal') INCLUDED WITH REGISTRATION: 🔹Race entry and race bib 🔹Tech-fabric race shirt 🔹Large, high-quality finisher's medal 🔹FREE professional race photos 🔹Exclusive discounts from our sponsors 🔹Race Guide 🔹Re-usable hydration cup 🔹Snack-packed "Refuel Box" at the finish line 🔹6 aid stations with hydration and snacks (5k has only 1 station with hydration ONLY) 🔹Top finishers get additional medals 🔹Overall winner gets a FREE race entry to come back and defend their title.

A delightful event for food enthusiasts—sample the best of Blount County’s culinary scene. New for 2024 are a Premier Experience and a special appearance by celebrity guest chef Christian Gill. Gill, who will be a judge and emcee at the event, is no stranger to Southern cooking or food competitions. Inspired by the drop biscuits his grandma taught him to make as a child, he opened Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey in Cincinnati, Ohio. Over the past few years, Chef Christian has parlayed his success in the restaurant business into becoming one of the fiercest competitors on Food Network. He’s beaten Bobby Flay, taken top prize on Guy’s Grocery Summer Games and been crowned champion on Giada’s Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge. The Premier Experience includes a meet and greet with chef Christian Gill, reserved seating area, two (2) complimentary adult beverages and tray service for $75 (Limited to 100 guests). Ticket holders can try savory favorites from local restaurants, caterers and gourmet grocers in addition to voting for their favorite appetizer, main course, sandwich, dessert, beverage, presentation and overall winner. Culinary judges will present the “Culinary Excellence Awards” based on one item from each Taste of Blount vendor.

The 38th Annual Townsend 15k/7k is September 15! Join us for a rolling, fun course through the backroads of Townsend at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains! https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Townsend/Townsend15K

Bike Bash returns to Dancing Bear for its 10th Year! The 10th annual 2024 Bike Bash returns with the best event yet on Saturday September 21st and you’re invited! Riders will be capped at 250 (or less) so please register early as this ride WILL sell out! We will have three rides of 27, 38, and 60 miles with full support. Please note, the escorted ride through the Curves will go faster this year. Our famous post-ride gourmet lunch at the Appalachian Bistro returns with a fabulous spread curated by Chef Jeff Carter, live music and complementary beer from Peaceful Side Brewery. Packet pick-up starts on Friday evening 9/20/24 (location and time still TBD) and resumes on Saturday morning of Bike Bash (9/21/24) at 7:30am. All rides promptly take off at 8:30am this year. Once again, we will ride through the Curves with a full police escort! Post-ride gourmet lunch starts at 10:30am and ends at 1:30pm. Please plan your ride accordingly. Limited accommodations are available at Dancing Bear Lodge. We also recommend Highland Manor Inn, Tally Ho Inn, and Dogwood Cabins.

Immerse yourself in live bluegrass, crafts, historical demonstrations, and family-friendly activities. The foothills of the Smoky Mountains come to life with Bluegrass music, arts and crafts, time honored traditions and Appalachian cooking at the Townsend in the Smokies Fall Festival, Sept. 27-28, 2024. The festival provides an atmosphere where family and friends of all ages can partake in time-honored Appalachian traditions at a free community event. An event for all ages, the festival centers around traditional and contemporary Bluegrass and mountain music; along with clogging and square dancing; art and craft booths; numerous Appalachian demonstrations; old-fashioned kids’ games; and Southern food, such as fried pies and kettle corn. NEW LOCATION: Townsend Event Center, 7930 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN 37882 This is next door to the Townsend Visitor Center. All events will be held at the Townsend Event Center.

Join us for a fall celebration in the tradition of old-time county fairs with all-around family fun for the whole family. We will celebrate all that is good about an old-fashioned country fair with activities that include living history demonstrations of open hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, wood turning, blacksmithing and there will be livestock with cows, chickens, and goats. Popular activities include historical games like Farmer in the Cove and the Ladies Skillet Throw. Farmer in the Cove is a hands-on experience for children to learn the chores of a typical farm family in the 19th century. Some of the ‘chores’ include picking apples, gathering eggs, sweeping the cabin porch, doing laundry by hand, corn shelling, and planting crops.