Things To Do During Thanksgiving

Welcome to Thanksgiving in the Smoky Mountains! We're right smack dab in the middle of the holiday Winterfest season and you can expect we have a lot of things to enjoy for families venturing out to have their reunions and Thanksgiving breaks with us.



In this article, we'll lay out some suggestions for those of you who want to get out and make some new family memories as well as build some excitement for Christmas.


Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas

Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas continues on through the end of December and will most definitely be open for the Thanksgiving weekend. Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas turns the entire amusement park into a winter wonderland. Millions of lights will adorn the park to offset the crisp night sky, parades will march through the streets, Santa's Workshop will come up, carolers will sing up and down mainstreet and all the theater shows will accommodate the season.






Christmas in Dixie Stampede


Dolly Parton's other well-known entertainment property in the Smokies will also be ready and waiting to offer Winterfest goodness. There will be a live nativity scene featuring camels and ascending angels, a big feast served to you by rival elves from the North and South poles (yes, really) and the whole experience will be unlike anything else you've likely seen in dinner and show entertainment.






Fireworks on Thanksgiving at the Titanic


On November 24th, the Titanic Museum on the parkway in Pigeon Forge will explode the sky with lights as a tribute to the 2,208 passengers who died on the fateful voyage. There will also be a "steampunk" parade. The event begins at 7:00PM.






Tree Lighting at The Island



A huge Christmas tree is erected at The Island in Pigeon Forge and on November 26th, they will throw a little party to celebrate lighting the tree. Bonus reasons to visit include an appearance by Santa Claus and Paula Deen herself.


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Festival of Trees and the Great Smoky Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts Show


Get two iconic Thanksgiving events under one roof with the W.L. Mills Auditorium. The Festival of Trees takes place up top and is a charity event to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Gatlinburg where visitors can see some wonderful, creative and wonderfully creative trees donated by businesses and clubs throughout the city. You can also have your picture taken with Santa Claus and enjoy other fun going on.



Then below is the seasonal Arts and Crafts show where more than 200 booths will open up and bring entire Arts and Crafts communities together to demonstrate and sell their wares. If there was ever a place to go gift shopping for family and friends in the Smokies, this is it!


See more on this event at 




Lots of great stuff going on and all of it within easy distance from our cabins at Bear Camp Cabins. We hope we get to see you and serve you for Thanksgiving!


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