New Mountain Mile Mall

It’s officially the season of hot apple cider, warm blankets, and pumpkin patches. It’s also the season for fall festivals, and the Smoky Mountain area is full of them!

Here are three festivals you can enjoy while on your Smoky Mountain vacation.

1. Dollywood Harvest Festival

If you love Dollywood and the fall season then you won’t want to miss this event! From early September to late October this annual celebration marks the best weather and some beautiful fall foliage in the Smokies. Stay late into the evening to see beautifully carved pumpkins, lit up and on display. During the day you’ll enjoy fall themed food, and colorful leaves all throughout the park.

2. Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair

In early to mid October the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair heads into full swing. Artisans from across the country gather to peddle their wares while musicians serenade the crowds. You’ll see everything from woodworking and pottery to handcrafted jewelry and leatherworkings. If you have an appreciation for handmade goods then this event is for you.

3. Wears Valley Fall Festival

The Wears Valley Fall Festival takes place in mid October and is a favorite event for locals. Come experience the hundreds of vendors, melodic live music, and incredible Southern cuisine. If you’re interested in a true rustic, Appalachian festival with plenty to do and see for the whole family, then this one is for you.

No matter the festival you choose you’ll need a place to stay. Choose from one of our many options at Bear Camp Cabin Rentals today!

For decades, one of Pigeon Forge's claims to fame was being an outlet center shopper's paradise in the Southeast with quite a few outlet shops, strips and malls. One of those malls that was a favorite for visitors and locals alike was the Belz Mall on Teaster Lane with its unique look, design and memorable selection of stores. Writing on it is somewhat like writing a thesis on consumer nostalgia with Kay*Bee Toys, Foozles Books, Vitamin World, Movies 4 Sale, Music 4 Less, TCBY Yogurt and more that occupied it in its heyday. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and the Belz Mall, let's come right out and say it, had been in decline for more than 10 YEARS. Probably the slowest attraction decline we'd seen in the area for a generation.

And just as all good things come to an end, all things are eventually reborn new into the world with great potential ahead of it. Enter the Mountain Mile Mall in Pigeon Forge, a new development and undertaking that will replace the previous property from the ground up. From their website:

"The Mountain Mile & Tower Shops is an unprecedented development project which will completely reshape the retail, restaurant, lodging, and attraction scene of Pigeon Forge and the region. With over 1 mile of road frontage and 174+ acres in total, this will be a project of national significance. It is located along Teaster Lane and Jake Thomas Blvd in the heart of Pigeon Forge, surrounded by the $22.5 million Cal Ripken Experience baseball tournament park, the $42 million Leconte (convention) Center, and “The Island”, a 300,000 sq. ft. hotel/restaurant/retail destination including Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and Paula Deen’s Kitchen…all just minutes from Dollywood!"

Indeed, this will be an impressive project that will further conglomerate and link together several noteworthy attractions together - Mountain Mile, The Island, LeConte Conference Center, the Old Mill, The Track and the Cal Ripken Baseball Field among potentially some others.

Construction is only yet beginning (which is tearing down the old mall building), but we have much to expect already. This includes:

* Shops, obviously.

* Sports bar.

* Gastropub.

* Arcade.

* Bowling Alley.

And the big item being touted currently is the "Mountain Monster", which will be a 200-foot tall tower that will occupy several rides of some form. Not much is known or said about it beyond that, but with recent excellent developments that have taken place in the county over the last few years, we have great confidence it will be something to truly behold!

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