Sevierville Community Center

You could say that the Sevierville Community Center is a modern-day YMCA. Operated by the Sevierville Parks and Recreation Department, this multi-faceted facility was constructed to house two racquetball courts, a ten-lane bowling center with an arcade area, a weight room, a game room (with a pool table & air hockey table), a indoor pool (with balcony area), gymnasium, locker rooms and a meeting room. It’s open to the public and has become a focal point in the town’s ongoing effort to provide its citizens with the best in recreational opportunities.

The Sevierville Community Center does operate under a coordinated effort when it comes to operating its indoor pool. There is a listed pool schedule and it’s strictly operated in order to provide everyone who wants to take advantage of the pool equal time.

Sevierville Community Center Swimming Schedule

Monday/Wednesday/Friday:

8AM – 9AM: Map Swim/Exercise
9AM – 11AM: Open Swim
11AM – 1:30PM: Lap Swim
1PM – 2:30PM: Water Exercise Class
2:30PM – 3:30PM: Half Price Swim
6:30PM – 8:30PM: Open Swim

Tuesday/Thursday:

8AM – 9AM: Lap Swim
9AM – 11AM: Open Swim
11AM – 1PM: Lap Swim
1PM – 3:30PM: Open Swim
6:30PM – 8:30PM: Open Swim

Saturday:

9AM – 10AM: Lap Swim
10AM – 3:30PM: Open Swim

SUNDAY:

1PM – 5:30PM: Open Swim
In The Summer, The Pool Is Closed On Sundays

The Cost For Swimming Is:

$2.20: Adults, Age 13 And Over
$1.50: Children 12 And Under (And Seniors 55 And Over)
FREE For Children Under Age 3
SEASON PASSES:
$38.85: Adults
$27.80: Children & Seniors
SPECIAL BOOK OF 25 TICKETS:
$33.10: Adults
$22.05: Children & Seniors

Children Age 7 And Under Must Be Accompanied By An Adult 18 Years Of
Age Or Older.

Information, prices, specifications, hours, etc. subject to change.

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:

Take to the outdoors in Sevierville!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located just outside Sevierville Tennessee, is THE most visited park in the nation’s national park system. On an annual basis, over 10 million visitors take in the half-million acre preserve whether it be walking one of the numerous hiking trails, taking a self-guided nature tour, fishing, enjoying the many waterfalls, spring wildflowers, and spotting wildlife.

Several towns including Sevierville TN have grown consistently due to the popularity of the park. Sevierville is known for its wide array lodging opportunities, fine dining and exciting attractions. Lodging accommodations include a number of luxury cabin and chalet rentals that overlook the park.

National park plans originated the 1920s thanks to groups in both Knoxville, TN and Asheville, NC who wanted to protect the area’s natural beauty. At that time lumber companies owned most of the land while the rest consisted mainly of small farms. Congress officially established the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. The Rockefeller family donated the final $5 million needed to complete the park, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Park in 1940.

To this day, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park operates 3 visitor centers, preserves 77 historic pioneer structures, and maintains 1,100 campsites (including 100 backcountry campsites), 11 picnic grounds, over 800 miles of trails and 700 miles of pristine streams.

Hiking Trails – With over 800 miles of trails, there’s a trail for everyone from beginner to the expert hiker. Park and trail maps can be bought at any of the three visitor centers in the park. In addition, several excellent outfitters are in surrounding towns and villages that can provide them.

Fly Fishing – Trout fishing in the park requires a valid Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license. Trout fishing is a year-round practice in the Great Smoky Mountains—from a half hour before sunrise and up to a half hour following sunset. Know your fish, especially the brook trout, because there are some restrictions.

Cades Cove – Only minutes from Sevierville, Cades Cove is one of the most beautiful, and scenic areas of the park. The Cove’s pioneer homesteads, mountain vistas, deer, wild turkey and American black bear draw millions to area annually looking for that perfect Smoky Mountain photo. The National Park offers a self-guided tour book at the entrance. An 11-mile loop road that takes a little over one hour to complete in your vehicle, and circles the Cove.

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.

Tennessee Smokies Baseball

The Tennessee Smokies minor league baseball team begins play in April at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tn, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, the Tennessee Smokies are the Double-A minor league affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

The team’s ballpark, Smokies Park, is located between Knoxville and Sevierville, Tennessee in the small town of Kodak, just off Interstate 40. The park officially opened in 2000, and seats up to 8,000 fans.

The team’s nickname, “Smokies”, refers to the mountain range for which the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is aptly named. The Great Smoky Mountains are known and often seen clouded in a hazy mist that gives the appearance of smoke rising from the forest. The Cherokee Indians long ago gave the mountain range the name “Shaconage” for the blue-gray haze.

As for area’s minor league team, the Smokies were the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals prior to 2005 and before that the Toronto Blue Jays. However, when the Cardinals purchased the El Paso Diablos, which had been the Arizona Diamondbacks’ AA affiliate, the Diamondbacks retained the Smokies as their new AA affiliate. On September 21, 2006, the Chicago Cubs reached a two-year player development contract with the Smokies through the 2008 season. The contract was renewed before the 2009 season and renewed again following the 2012 season.

Prior to 2000, the team was based in Knoxville, Tennessee and called the Knoxville Smokies for many years before moving and changing its name.

For scores, schedules and other information about the Smokies, visit their website here.

Wears Valley Zipline

Want to soar through the Smoky Mountains without the use of a plane or helicopter? Try ziplining at Wears Valley Zipline and see the Smokies in its most natural state. Fly through the trees like one of birds as you zip down through the Smokies’ lush canopy.

It’s a myth that it takes driving into the middle of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to experience the majestic views you see on postcards and the like. When you arrive at Wears Valley Ziplines, they bring the view to you! Let them prove to you. Their ziplines are some of the newest in high adventure in the Smokies. Wears Valley Ziplines is easy to find, they’re just four miles from the parkway in Pigeon Forge, between Pigeon Forge and Wears Valley.

Wears Valley Ziplines has such great views because they’re located on 43 private, unspoiled acres, and they’re vantage points are really something brag about. In fact, you’ll need to park in the parking area right on Wears Valley Road and let them transport you to the mountaintop office via four-wheel-drive shuttle.

Once you’re at the office, you may not be in a hurry to go ziplining, because you’ll see (weather permitting) majestic views of the Smokies range, including Mt. LeConte right from the front porch.

Though, once you begin your zipline tour, you’ll be amazed by the great views as you make your way along – a mile and a quarter’s worth of zipline fun. Wears Valley’s longest line measures 2,000 feet-nearly a half-mile-and gives you nearly a full minute to hang out and look at the surrounding mountain terrain as you speed through the air. Another of the lines is 300 feet above ground level and gives you a real bird’s-eye view of the surrounding terrain.

So if you’re looking for the best place to see mountain views and also zipline, Tennessee is where you’ll find it at Wears Valley Ziplines.

Sevierville – A Great Road Trip.

Planning an upcoming road trip to the Smoky Mountains? Take a look at the Sevierville area as a destination point. Nestled at the foot of the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, Sevierville is the county seat of Sevier County and next door neighbor of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. This time of year especially is a great a time to road trip to Sevierville with all the Winterfest lights, Christmas decorations along the parkway as well as down main street.

But don’t just limit yourself to Sevierville. As mentioned, although plenty of attractions and activities can keep you entertained there for a few days, you could easily fit in a visit to Pigeon Forge right next door, or a quick jaunt over to Gatlinburg. For information on regional attractions, visit www.smokiesguide.com or www.insidesevierville.com

Majestic views

When you arrive in Sevierville on this road trip, a good first activity might be riding one of the many scenic helicopter tours offered in town. You’ll travel over Sevierville to the Smoky Mountains and back, and get a spectacular view of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg as well.

Believe it in Sevierville

When you think of Ripley’s, Gatlinburg and the Believe It or Not, or the Guinness World Records Museum usually comes to mind. However, Sevierville is home to one of the most fun Ripley’s attractions in the area – Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Farm Mini-Golf. Here, you can enjoy putt-putt golfing on an animated turf with comical cows, possums, skunks and other animals.

Details: www.ripleys.com

Celeb cars

For fans of real American, Detroit muscle, check out Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum. This is the place where American steel meets horsepower and classic 60s and 70s design and craftsmanship. Whether you’re looking for that ’70 Chevelle Super Sport or that ’68 Impala, or that ’71 Pontiac GTO, Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum in Sevierville has the type classic ride you’ve dreamed about. Come by and stay for awhile.

Great Smoky Mountains

Don’t think you can just come to Sevierville and not take in the area’s prize attraction. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is world-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, is but a few miles away just down the parkway. You can explore the park with a ranger, hike, ride a bike, camp, enjoy waterfalls, look at wildlife such as elk and check out historic buildings. Whatever you plan on doing, don’t leave town without taking in at least a bit of the park.

Details: www.gsmnp.com

Sevier County Courthouse

The year 1896 was not only the centennial of the State of Tennessee, it was the completion date of Sevier County’s courthouse.

The former courthouse, built in 1856, was considered unsafe in 1892, so members of the county court decided that it would be best to build a new courthouse.  The current site, owned R. B. McMahan and his wife, Sarah, was deeded to Sevier County that year. Due to previous fire, officials wanted the new courthouse to be built in a location away from other buildings in order to keep the courthouse safe.

Kenneth McDonald of Louisville, Kentucky designed the new courthouse and the building was constructed by C. W. Brown of Lenoir City, at a cost of $21,000.

Measuring 85 feet by 70 feet, the courthouse is 3 stories tall, with a foundation made of limestone blocks, 24 to 30 inches thick. Hand-shaped limestone makes up the exterior walls to the first floor. In those days, the blocks were purchased and brought in by horse drawn wagons. Local brick masons made the bricks that make up the walls ab0ve the first floor.

Of course, once you see the courthouse, your eyes go immediately to the tower, which rises 75 feet above the structure. It rises 130 feet from the ground and is made of wood columns 10 inches by 10 inches rising from wood trusses. The tower’s large Seth Thomas clock carried a price tag of $1,353.45. Once manually wound, today it’s electric and is struck every hour. George G. M. Nichols, aka Sevierville’s “Tinner”, constructed the courthouse’s metal dome.

Age and overcrowding became an issue again in the 1960’s with some voicing a desire to tear it down and build a newer, more modern building. County historian Joe Sharp spearheaded the effort to preserve the current structure and won by a vote of 13-11.

However, the building did take on remodeling work in August of 1971. Complete demolition of the interior of the existing building, a reworking of the clock tower, installation of an elevator to serve three floors, cleaning and patching the exterior walls, and a complete new plumbing and electrical system were a few of the major renovation items. Still, the exterior character of the building was left intact, but renovations provided for the necessary modern needs the insides required in order for it to serve a modern world. It was officially dedicated in April of 1975 and cost nearly $1.4 million.

In 1976, the National Register of Historic Places recognized the Sevier County Courthouse. It was the first courthouse in Tennessee placed on the register.

An annex was added in 1990 at a cost of $1.4 million followed a passing vote and dedicated in 1993.  The dome and clock tower were also restored that year.

Douglas Lake

To really get out and enjoy the great outdoors in Sevierville, don’t just believe that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the be all, end all. Far from it. Just a quick drive down the road is Douglas Lake and all the fun that comes along with a summer spent on a Tennessee lake.

Douglas Lake, or Douglas Reservoir for those of you who prefer exact lake lingo, is known statistically for its large shoreline (550 miles) and the 44 square miles its liquidity takes up in eastern Tennessee. At full pool, it’s said to cover a surface area greater than 30,000 acres. Douglas Lake reaches a maximum depth of 140 feet in the summer, and retains its water due to a watershed totaling 4,541 square miles. Annual water fluctuation is about 54 feet. The French Broad River and Nolichucky River feed into Douglas Lake. The French Broad and Nolichucky each derive from the Tennessee and North Carolina Smoky Mountains.

Private property makes up most of the shoreline of Douglas Lake. Visitors can find recreational facilities provided by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) at Douglas Dam. A campground is located just above the dam. Campers can use its hookups, showers, picnic area, boat ramp, and swimming beach. For more information call 1-800-TVA-LAND.

My fishermen and women make Douglas Lake a yearly destination because of its Large Mouth Bass and Crappie populations. Between those two popular sport fish as well as White Bass, Sauger, Black Crappie, Striped Bass, Spotted Bass, Walleye, Blue Cat, Flat Head Catfish, Channel Catfish, Red Horse, Red Breast Sunfish and Bluegill, Douglas Lake is an angler’s paradise. It’s consistently rated as one of the top 5 Crappie fishing lakes in the United State, as well as a top 10 location for Large Mouth Bass fishing in the country. Be sure to bring your rod and reel if you’re coming to the lake in the spring or fall – the two preferred lake fishing seasons on Douglas.