6 Reasons to Plan Your Next Event at the Sevierville Convention Center

If you are looking for a unique place to host your next big event in Sevierville, look no further than the Sevierville Convention Center. Not only do they offer a convenient location near all the fun things to do and relaxing places to stay in the area, they also offer a ton of amenities that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Continue reading “6 Reasons to Plan Your Next Event at the Sevierville Convention Center”

2013 Tax Free Weekend

2012 sales tax holiday hits Sevierville Aug. 5 and shoppers can save at Tanger Five Oaks outlet mall as well as other shopping destinations around town.

Take note all you coupon-clippers and bargain hunters – the 2013 Tax Free Weekend in Tennessee takes place on the first Friday of August (Aug. 2) starting at 12:01 a.m. that Friday and lasts until 11:59 p.m. the following Sunday night. This is a perfect time to visit Sevierville, TN if you love to shop! Sevierville’s outlet malls and stores will be loaded with back-to-school essentials and other items to save on. Be sure to peruse Five Oaks Mall in Sevierville, TN, which has plenty of great stores such as:

  • Under Armour, Rockport, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, J.Crew, Old Navy, Pac Sun, Gap, Sunglass Hut, Carter’s, Children’s Place, Polo Ralph Lauren, Strasburg Children, Hartstrings, Bath & Body Works, Disney, Adidas, Lids, and so much more!

There are tons of items that can be bought and not have to pay taxes on. According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, here are the following guidelines for what can be purchased tax-free:

Clothing – $100 or less per item
School & Art Supplies – $100 or less per item
Computers – $1,500 per bundled package

If you have questions about the tax free weekend in Tennessee, you can call (800) 342-1003 Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and they can help you understand what can be bought and how much can be spent in order to not have to pay taxes on it.

What’s better than not having to pay taxes on your purchases? Well….not much…but coupons help out!!! Be sure to visit our coupons for Pigeon Forge page to find the best discounts and Pigeon Forge and Sevierville coupons for your shopping spree…you can also save money on food, entertainment, and accommodations with our list of coupons!

You can also visit the Sales Tax Holiday Web site at www.tntaxholiday.com to learn more about the weekend’s exempt items.

Enjoy your tax free weekend of shopping in Sevierville, Tennessee!

The Fourth of July in Sevierville

The Fourth of July holiday weekend means a handful of celebrations in and around Sevierville, TN including Gatlinburg’s Midnight Independence Day Parade.

As with every year, the July 4 weekend looks to be an especially busy one around Sevierville as a number of festivities have been planned in celebration of our Independence Day. This all leads up to the Gatlinburg Midnight Parade – a favorite in the area and widely known as the country’s first Fourth of July parade. Not withstanding, here are a few other happening around town that starting with a BIG SALE:

July 4-7: You’ll find great savings this weekend at numerous stores during the big 4-day 4th of July Weekend Sale at Tanger Five Oaks in Sevierville. Check out Tanger Five Oaks’ latest coupons and sale offers.

July 4-8: Step up to the plate and begin your Independence Day festivities early with Tennessee Smokies Baseball. The Smokies face off against the Huntsville Stars followed by a rousing fireworks display each night.

July 3: See America’s first 4th of July Parade (which begins at 12:01am on July 4) in downtown Gatlinburg.

July 4: The Grand Majestic Theater has invited everyone to a big afternoon cookout during their ALL-AMERICAN DAY! Included is free live entertainment before experiencing a one-of-a-kind show honoring our veterans, servicemen and women. A military ID equals complimentary free admission. “America’s Hit Parade” will be performed along with special guests Michael Keating of “Grand Magic” and “The Stylistics”. Event begins at 1pm. Call (865) 774-7777 for reservations and group rates.

July 4: 23nd Annual Patriot Festival at Patriot Park. Enjoy great entertainment from country band Restless Heart and more, plus a free Kids Karnival. A spectacular fireworks display finishes the evening. The event is free and open to the public.

Parker’s Greatest Knife Show

Parker’s Greatest Knife Show is the biggest antique knife show in the Great Smoky Mountains region in Sevierville, Tn.

Parkers’ Greatest Knife Show is one of the premiere antique knife shows in the country and definitely in the Smoky Mountain region.

From June 13-15, Parkers’ knife show will be at the Sevierville Events Center at Bridgemont. This new, state-of-the-art events center is located right off Highway 66 in Sevierville, TN. You can even see it from the road, just look for the Music Outlet and then pull across the bridge into the events center. This astounding facility only makes the knife show that much better. Countless knife and hunting-related vendors and knives as far as the eye can see. There will be knife collectors from around the region and across the country to trade with, converse, and talk shop with all day.

The knife collecting community is one of the greatest set of hobbyists around. The information obtained over many years from shows to personal research about their collectibles makes any collector you’re sure to run in to a veritable scholar on knife history. Whether you’re searching for pocket knives or fixed blades, WR Case or Boker you’ll find some amazing blades and learn a lot about the history of the particular knife itself. The vendors that will be on hand have been in the knife collecting business since they were children. It’s not uncommon for many to relay stories about getting their first knife handed down to them from a parent or grandparent. There are sure to be a number of one-of-kind pieces or knives that were limited production runs available for purchase as well.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the late Jim Parker, part of the original Parker Knife family, and the work he did to make this such a successful show. Parker’s Greatest Knife show has now been around for 20 years and has grown considerably. In the knife world, the Parker name is held up with the likes of Case. From owning their own knife company to selling and trading the biggest brands in the knife world, this is the show to experience. Even if you are not a knife collector you will enjoy the greatest knife show on earth! If you are in the Pigeon Forge area in June, set aside some time for this special event.

The show begins Thursday, June 13 at Noon and runs till 6 pm. Friday, doors open at 9 am and close at 5 pm. Saturday, things get started at 9 am and go till 2 pm. Admission is $7 per day, or $15 for a 3-day pass. For those of you who want to get a head start on things, you can purchase an early bird pass for $20 which allows for special entry time each day and Free parking at the event.

Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass

Sevierville’s 8th Annual Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass festival returns May 18-19.

Bloomin’ BBQ & Bluegrass is back and better than ever for its 8th year with exciting new events beginning Friday, May 17 and running through Saturday, May 18 downtown. There will be something for everyone including a new mascot parade and dance competition on Friday evening. Then watch as the kids fire up their grills for the annual Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union Kids’ Que.

Of course, there are lots of new food vendors and plenty of great new entertainment. Hear The Bluegrass Album Band performs live on stage Friday May 18th in a free concert. This iconic bluegrass group has only performed live together a handful of times in the last thirty years. For bluegrass fans, this will be a concert-of-a-lifetime opportunity. See all of the original band members, including Doyle Lawson, J.D. Crowe, Tony Rice, Bobby Hicks and Todd Phillips live on stage. Plus, Rickey Wasson and Phil Leadbetter will join them.

Speaking of new food vendors, Carolina BBQ Company, Carolina Rib King, Smoky Mountain Smokers, Evelyn’s Ice Cream, The Diner and Tony’s Kettle Korn are just a few of the vendors that will be on hand offering some of their best recipes over the weekend.

Friday evening, bands like The Roys, Jimbo Whaley & The Greenbrier, and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver will take the stage to the delight of all in attendance.

On Saturday, take time to browse through all the unique handcrafted items before seeing the bands on the main stage. Saturday performances include:

11 am – Cirque de Chine (Back Porch Stage)
11:30 am – Mountain Soul Vocal Competition (Back Porch Stage)
11:30 am – Lumberjack Feud (Main Stage)
Noon – Cirque de Chine (Main Stage)
1 pm – Mountain Ruckus (Main Stage)
1:30 pm – Lumberjack Feud (Back Porch Stage)
2 pm – Rickey Wasson & American Drive (Main Stage)
3 pm – Cumberland River (Main Stage)
4 pm – The Rigneys (Main Stage)
5 pm – Rickey Wasson & American Drive (Main Stage)
6 pm – Cumberland River (Main Stage)
7 pm – The Rigneys (Main Stage)
8 pm – The Bluegrass Album Band (Main Stage)

For those who love to Que, come to Sevierville early and enlist in our BBQ Boot Camp. May 15, 16 & 17, pick up tips and tricks for backyard BBQing, advanced BBQ smoking and even learn some new summertime dessert recipes! BBQ Boot Camp classes will be taught at the Rel Maples Institute for Culinary Arts at Walters State Community College in Sevierville, TN. This new facility offers state-of-the-art kitchen facilities rivaling major cooking schools nationwide.

For more information on this year’s festivities, check out BloominBBQ.com.

Loretta Lynn Comes to the Smokies!

If you’re a fan of country music, or just music in general, you know or have heard some of Loretta Lynn’s songs. The Coal Miner’s Daughter is set to appear locally in April at the Country Tonite Theater in Pigeon Forge. More specifically on April 12 to what is likely a sold out show.

Loretta Lynn has been performing her hits for over 50 years. Her work has been as well-received, commercially successful, and is as culturally significant, as any female performer that came before her or has come onto the scene since. Her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike.

The Coal Miner’s Daughter, which is a reference to one of her hit singles, an album, a best-selling autobiography, as well as an Oscar-winning film, and to Lynn herself came from the Kentucky hills all the way to Nashville super-stardom. She’s simply an American icon. Other hits include “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)”, “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”, and “Fist City”.

With over 160 songs and 60 albums under her belt, Lynn is one of the most talented artists in the business. She has had ten Number 1 albums and sixteen No. 1 singles on the country charts. Lynn has won dozens of awards from many different institutions, including four Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, twelve Academy of Country Music, eight Country Music Association and twenty-six fan voted Music City News awards. She was the first woman in country music to receive a certified gold album for 1967’s “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)”.

In 1972, Lynn was the first woman named “Entertainer of the Year” by the Country Music Association, and is one of six women to have received CMA’s highest award. She was named “Artist of the Decade” for the 1970s by the Academy of Country Music. Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. She was also the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors in 2003. Lynn was the first female country artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1977.

Spring Corvette Expo & Auction

If you’re idea of a great Saturday consists of sitting behind the wheel of a classic ‘Vette, or talking Corvettes with other ‘Vette entusiasts, then be sure to be in Sevierville March 23-24 for the Spring Corvette Expo & Auction at the Sevierville Events Center.

If you’re idea of a great Saturday consists of sitting behind the wheel of a classic ‘Vette, or talking Corvettes with other ‘Vette entusiasts, then be sure to be in Sevierville March 22-23 for the Spring Corvette Expo & Auction at the Sevierville Events Center. The show features a Corvette auction, swap meet, park n’ show and more!

It only happens twice a year, so if you’re a lover of original American muscle, you won’t want to miss the Corvette Auction & Expo. The Corvette Expo in Sevierville features a large auction, indoor/outdoor swap meet, sales corral, Corvettes’ Cruise and a competition show! And it’s all open to the public starting at 10 a.m. Saturday the 23rd.

Last year, thousands of spectators came through the gates of the Events Center to see the 75-plus show cars, 114 auction cars, and a whopping 550-odd vehicles in the Sales Car Corral! Over 250 vendors setup booths both inside and outside.

The Corvette Expo & Auction is the perfect family-oriented show. With so many things to do in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Dollywood – just minutes away, this show is the perfect family getaway…and for all you gearheads, it’s just another excuse to take that hot rod out of the garage to show off!

The Corvette Expo & Auction is just one of the many classic car shows in the Sevierville area this spring, all leading up to the Grand Spring Rod Run in Pigeon Forge. Looking for a place to stay while you’re in town? Check out the best Sevierville cabin rentals, as well as Sevierville restaurants and the full Sevierville Calendar of Events.

The expo has actually been ongoing for over 30 years now, just not in Sevierville. The first Corvette Expo was held at Knoxville’s Chilhowee Park in March of 1977 before moving in 1980 to the Bill Mullins Exhibition Center in East Knoxville. The fall show in 1983 was held at the Knoxville Convention Center. Then, in the fall of 1987, the show shifted yet again to the Knoxville Auto Auction out west. In 1988, the event returned to Chilhowee Park, where the Corvette Expo enjoyed a 19-year run before moving to the new Sevierville Events Center.

For more information about the spring Corvette Expo & Auction, call 865-687-3976 or go to corvetteexpo.com.

Fall 2012 Corvette Auction & Expo video:

Roots & Boots Tour

Sevierville will be one of the tour stops this year for the popular “Roots & Boots” tour featuring country superstars Joe Diffie, Sammy Kershaw, and Aaron Tippin. The stop is scheduled for May 24 at the Country Tonite Theater in Pigeon Forge.

These three men have placed over one hundred songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart over the years and stand behind 0ver 40 Top 10 hits. Last year’s inaugural “Roots & Boots” tour resulted in one of the most successful tours for the country signers so it was a no-brainer that the tour re-up for 2013.

Kershaw, whose hits include “Cadillac Style” and “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” says, it’s a very loose, fun tour and he didn’t give a second thought to going back on the road.

People come for the music and get to see a more intimate side of the artists as they interact with each other and fans during each show. All three are on stage at the same time. They play their hits songs one after the other.

Diffie had previously done similar tours with Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Lawrence called the ‘Rockin’ Roadhouse Tour.’ That tour was complete with a full band. Fans attending the Roots & Boots Tour get to see a side of the artists they might not normally see. Diffie reiterates that there is some goofing off mixed in with a little talking and storytelling.

“Workin Man’s P.H.D.” and “You’ve Got To Stand For Something” are two of Tippin’s signature songs that you’re bound to hear at each tour stop, which is consistently selling out no matter the venue

Every show is unique, with a set list that changes from night to night. The trio are even making plans to collaborate on a new album that will feature each artist doing three songs separately – as well as three songs together, with plans to work the new material as possible singles.

“Who knows, maybe radio will give three country singers a shot,” said Kershaw, who added that he thinks the tour is working so well because of the unique vocal styles of the three men on stage.

“I think that’s what we all loved about country music. I think Joe Diffie is the greatest country singer in Nashville. When you hear Aaron Tippin on the radio, you know exactly who it is. And, he can deliver those songs like nobody else. I am such a fan of his. He’s a great live singer. Some singers have great records, but can’t sing live. That’s the truth.”

For more information, call (865) 453-2003 or visit www.firstclassconcerts.com.

Southeastern Select Alpaca Show

If you’re planning on bringing the kids into town, especially during the first weekend in March, a unique way to spend one of the days would be stopping by the Southeastern Select Alpaca Show.

Alpacas will be shown, and their fiber sold during the Southeastern Alpaca Association’s (SeAA) Southern Select Alpaca Show. The show will be held at the Sevierville Events Center March 1-3, 2013. Admission is FREE and open to the public. Friday, doors open at 8 a.m. and festivities will conclude Sunday at 6 p.m.

Alpacas from all across the south including all states that border Tennessee will be featured in the show ring competition. Alpaca enthusiasts, mark this on your calendar! Again, bring the kids to the show! The show will be comprised of classes judging and fleece quality judging in categories for both Suri and Huacaya alpacas.

Saturday morning will feature the halter classes, then the performance classes will be judged before things get started with the costume classes. If you decide to come out, the costume class judging is a great event to take in. Four age groups (under 9 years old, 9-11 years old, 12-14 years old and 15-19 years old) will strut their stuff with their costumed alpacas in the main show ring. This will all occur before lunch by the way.

The way this part of the judging works is that alpacas will be graded on the covering of the animal, the comfort of the animal with foreign objects on their head, legs and feet, how imaginative the costume is, as well as the story. Participants in this class must write in informing judges about their costume, the story, etc.

After the costume competition, fleece show winners will be presented at a special luncheon. Attendance is key if you are interested in learning more about the focus of the alpaca business.

Also on Saturday, an alpaca auction will begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free and appetizers will be served. A cash bar will be available. This auction is sure to keep you on your toes, showcasing top quality herd sires and a room full of energy and anticipation!

Throughout the weekend, artisans will showcase alpaca fiber and examples of felting, fiber arts and more. Dozens of vendors and farm displays will sell the latest alpaca fashions and hand-crafted items.

Martin Luther King Day in Sevierville

Martin Luther King’s life, legacy, and teachings will again be celebrated at First Baptist Church in Sevierville this year on January 21 with a program featuring choirs, speakers, and much more. The day of remembrance is one of Sevierville’s annual featured events marking Dr. King’s birthday.

It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King’s actual birthday is January 15. The floating holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, though the act predated the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by 15 years.

King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed on January 20, 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

A Baptist minister, King led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957. He led the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. On October 14, 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolence.

King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986. Hundreds of streets in the U.S. and beyond have been renamed in his honor in the years following his death.