Gatlinburg offers a mountain of fun any time of year.  One of the area’s year round hot spots is Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park and there’s plenty of action at the top of the mountain any season. One of America’s largest Aerial Tramways departs regularly from downtown Gatlinburg, going directly up the side of Mount Harrison to the Ski Resort and Amusement Park. The two 120 passenger counter balanced cars provide a fun and scenic experience for all ages.

Even during the summer months, the amusement park offers plenty of downhill action, with fast water slides and a weaving, wandering and dipping descent down an 1,800-foot Alpine Slide.  A braking system allows you to control the speed of your sled as it races down the mountain curves, straight-aways and even hairpin turns.

You’ll also find a wide variety of other activities and attractions, including an indoor ice skating rink that’s open year-round.

In observance of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2009, the park is joining with its partners and neighboring communities to plan a wide variety of visitor activities surrounding this noteworthy milestone. Through a host of recreational opportunities and educational experiences, the celebration will showcase the Park’s significant cultural heritage, highlight the Park’s achievements in preserving its biologically diverse natural resources, and be an occasion to examine the current and future challenges facing the Park’s continued health.

Along with the Park’s planned activities, over 75 neighboring community events are part of the official 75th anniversary calendar. A 75th anniversary website, http://www.greatsmokies75th.org/, will be updated periodically to give visitors current information on the anniversary events planned in the Park as well as those being held in outlying communities that compliment the Park’s mission.

Back by popular demand, Gatlinburg’s 3rd annual run of Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales^TM began in downtown Gatlinburg on June 13 and will run through August 9. 

Tunes & Tales is a summer-long street performance event featuring costumed musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying time periods as far back as 1800. A collection of personalities and performers arrive nightly at 5 p.m. via horse-drawn wagon in the center of town. Visitors witness a magical transformation of sidewalk to stage as the characters disperse along the downtown Parkway for an evening of entertainment and storytelling until 10 p.m. 

As many as 14 nightly acts perform throughout the evening. This popular eight-week event truly provides guests with an interactive, educational and entertaining experience the whole family can enjoy.

A rotating cast of acts includes storytellers, musicians, dancers and crafters who share their stories and skills.  Zeno the Gatlinburg Bear also makes nightly appearances during this popular summer special event, dishing out hugs and waving to his new friends.

For the 33rd consecutive year, Gatlinburg will kick off America’s Independence Day celebration with the nation’s first parade, which leads off at 12 a.m. on July 4. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to attend this special patriotic celebration that will feature a special tribute to the US military.

Gatlinburg’s popular River Raft Regatta also takes place at noon on July 4, beginning at the River Terrace bridge on River Road and ending at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies bridge in downtown Gatlinburg. This unmanned river raft race is hosted by the United States Navy and is open to anything floatable except balls and plastic eggs.

In the past, families have entered boats made out of matchsticks, floating rocks, as well as little rubber ducks. Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the race beginning promptly at noon.

An hour after sundown, the Fourth’s Grand Finale occurs on the streets of downtown Gatlinburg with a fireworks extravaganza visible all along the Parkway.

Best known for its busy and colorful autumn season, the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg also come alive with a different kind of color each spring.  And now’s the time to get ready to enjoy the three-month Springfest celebration that begins in early March and continues thru June 8, 2008.

Gatlinburg transforms as winter turns into spring – and as the city’s streets overflow with baskets of beautiful blooming flowers and plants. Pansies, daffodils, tulips, bougainvilleas, lantanas and wave petunias are among the many varieties of flowers seen throughout the city. Live entertainment can be found along sidewalks, adding a festive flair to the time-honored Downtown Parkway stroll. Members of Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community display unique handcrafted wares as they gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center to host their annual Easter Arts & Crafts show, March 19-22.

The smell of hickory-smoked barbeque fills the air as folks roll up their sleeves and sample secret sauces on delectable ribs and wings from vendors from all over the Southeast on April 17 at Gatlinburg’s Ribfest & Wings.  This festive street party offers live entertainment and barbequed ribs and wings on the open grill.

The 58th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, April 23-27, provides hikers and nature lovers an opportunity to see delicate wildflowers in bloom. Hosted by Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the University of Tennessee Botany Department and the Gatlinburg Garden Club, this seven-day program offers more than 150 different hiking tours of trails ranging from easy to strenuous, exhibitions, demonstrations, classroom lectures and delightful motor excursions into the Smokies.

Spring events continue with Gatlinburg’s Scottish Festival & Games Grand Parade on May 16 in downtown Gatlinburg. All Scots are invited to march or ride in the parade. On May 17-18, Mills Park in Gatlinburg becomes competitive ground for the 27th Annual Scottish Festival & Games where clans meet and feature Highland athletics, bagpipe competitions, Highland dancing, Border collie demonstrations, haggis hurling, entertainment and whiskey tasting, along with food and merchandise vendors.

And don’t miss Gatlinburg’s Fine Arts Festival, a family-oriented arts festival featuring juried artists from around the country, delicious cuisine and live music in downtown Gatlinburg on  May 17-18.