Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
When the switch flips November 6, 5 million holiday lights will illuminate Pigeon Forge for the Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration.
“Many of the light displays tell a story or have a variety of themes that range from a salute to the military to the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ and tributes to the city’s Smoky Mountain heritage,” said Joy McNealy, senior sales manager for the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism. “The whole city is decked out for Christmas, and groups will find plenty of accommodations, from large cabins to hotels, all beautifully decorated for the holidays.”
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas includes performances of “O Holy Night,” “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Appalachian Christmas.” Each evening, the Parade of Many Colors spreads holiday cheer with floats and interactive characters.
There are more than a dozen theaters in the area, and each celebrates Christmas in its own unique style. Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede boasts a 60-foot-tall decorated tree, and the equestrian competition turns into a friendly rivalry between the North Pole and the South Pole. “Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry” delivers an entertainment extravaganza, with a live Nativity scene and angels flying overhead. The Hatfield McCoy Dinner Feud produces the popular “A Christmas Disaster,” filled with singing, dancing and comedy.
Santa and Mrs. Claus greet guests at their new workshop at the Island in Pigeon Forge. Shoppers will find that the Incredible Christmas Place store lives up to its reputation as the nation’s second-busiest Christmas retailer. New this year, groups can head to the Pigeon Forge Snow facility for snow tubing indoors on real snow — the first of its kind in the nation.
A Bavarian Christmas
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Nestled between Flint and Saginaw, there’s a slice of Bavaria in the heart of Michigan. At the Bavarian Inn Lodge and Bavarian Inn Restaurant in Frankenmuth, four generations of the Zehnder family have kept traditions alive. The inn features four indoor pools, including an adults-only pool, a water park and an 18-hole indoor mini-golf course. Nightly holiday entertainment features entertainers and performers from across the country.
The Bavarian Inn Restaurant is a Michigan landmark. Entrees include traditional German dishes such as blue cabbage, beef rolls and Frankenmuth’s family-style chicken dinner. An accordion player strolls among the tables and plays German music. Dinner shows throughout the year feature murder mysteries, performers who impersonate singers such as Michael Bublé and dueling pianos.
On Main Street, more than 100 shops re-create the feel of a Bavarian village. The Glockenspiel Tower houses a 35-bell carillon. When the clock sounds, figurines emerge to depict the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Driving through Christmas Lane, which is illuminated nightly, groups arrive at Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, touted as the world’s largest Christmas store. Stretching one-and-a-half football fields, it stocks every kind of holiday gift and trim imaginable. The store personalizes ornaments that can be available for pickup within a few hours. Bronner’s Silent Night Chapel is an exact replica of the original in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.
“In addition to celebrating Christmas year-round, groups will find numerous outdoor activities and museums to round out their itinerary,” said Ashley Smith, communications manager for the Frankenmuth Convention and Visitors Bureau.
