Celebrate New Years Eve in Gatlinburg!

After a wild year with many ups and downs, we are soon to commit 2016 to history and transform it as 2017 - and one of the best ways to do that here in the Smokies is to enjoy the festivities on December 31st in downtown Gatlinburg not far from us!

Downtown Gatlinburg on the 31st will be bustling with activity and positivity throughout the day in anticipation for the party to come. As the night comes on, more entertainment comes out from the many establishments surrounding the Space Needle. Then at 10:00PM, live entertainment will begin near Stoplight #8, which is Airport Road and where Bubba Gump is located at. It will definitely keep the energy electric as it gets closer to the magic hour.

Then, just before it turns midnight, the ball begins to drop from the top of the Space Needle and once it turns Midnight, January 1st, 2017, we celebrate the first 15-20 minutes of the year with fireworks that light up the night sky, shot from the tower itself. It's an amazing sight.

You can see more on this at www.gatlinburg.com. We hope we get to see you in 2017!

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Three Jimmy's Thanksgiving in Gatlinburg

We would like to post this on behalf of Three Jimmy's in Gatlinburg.

"Introducing Three Jimmy’s Thanksgiving Feast!
Join us for a tradition dinner on Thursday, November 24th between 11:00AM to 10:00PM.

Our menu includes:
* 12-14 lb. turkey
* Cornbread stuffing
* Creamy mashed potatoes
* Rich turkey gravy
* Green bean casserole
* Fresh yeast rolls
* Candied yams
* Pumpkin Pie

All homemade!

Adults - $17.95
Kids - $9.95
Children Ages 6 and under are FREE.

You can take all the fixins' home by having it delivered! You will need to order in advance as quantities are limited.

Place your order by calling 865-325-1210."

See more on Three Jimmy's at www.threejimmys.com.

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Winterfest Kickoff Events For 2016

We had a lot of fun with Sunset Festival this year and we were lucky enough to have FIVE of them to celebrate the season and leaf changing with. Now we say goodbye to the Harvest Festival for another year and move on to Winterfest, of which Gatlinburg will officially be kicking off this week with the Gatlinburg Chili Cookoff/Winterfest Kickoff on November 9th from 5:00PM to 8:00PM.

As is tradition in Gatlinburg, we celebrate Winterfest with a Chili Cookoff in downtown Gatlinburg between Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies and Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. This event is so big that the city of Gatlinburg shuts down a whole section of the downtown parkway just to hold it. The first part of the event is the chili cookoff where dozens of tables featuring dozens of local restaurants (as well as those from abroad) set up to serve all-you-can-eat chili. The purchase of an admission "spoon" is you all need to enjoy the best chili in the Smoky Mountains. Then later the switch will go on and BOOM, Gatlinburg will finish putting on the last of the Winterfest lights with their own trolley tours to follow.

See more on this event at http://www.gatlinburg.com/events/details.aspx?id=11.

Two Nighter Getaway Special:
Book now and stay between March 1st – December 18th! Stay any 2 nights in any size condo or cabin and receive 10% off our regular nightly rates.

Three Nighter Long Weekend Special:
Book now and stay between March 1st – December 18th! Stay any 3 nights in any size condo or cabin and receive 15% off our regular nightly rate.

Weekly Special:
Book now and stay between January 1st – December 31st! Stay a week (7 consecutive nights) and pay for only 5 nights. Valid on any size condo or cabin.

See more on our specials at http://deerridge.com/specials/.

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Gatlinburg Special Event - Scenes of the Nativity

We received a request to post this on behalf of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gatlinburg, TN.

"Our Savior Lutheran Church invites you to celebrate the season at its Scenes of the Nativity Open House held at the church on Historic Nature Trail road in Gatlinburg. Scenes of the Nativity will be open on Saturday, November 26th from 10:00AM to 2:00PM and on Sunday, November 27th from noon to 2:00PM.

Member and friends of the congregation will display their own Nativities. There will be one-of-a-kind Nativity sets from around the world, pieces, and collectibles like the Hummel and Willow Tree, hand-carved, humorous, new and old, papier-mâché and more.

“Many of these displays are family treasures,” says Robin Whiting, event organizer. “These Nativities have been in our homes passed down through the family or gifts from special friends for ages. This open house is our gift to the community and to our Gatlinburg visitors. We hope that the thirty or so minutes you spend here viewing these artistic  expressions of the Christmas story will renew a spirit of Christmas and christian tradition for you.”

In addition to the Nativities, there will be cookies and hot apple cider, and childrens’ activities centering on the Christmon Tree and the Season of Advent. A Nativity scene will be given away each day. Parking is free at the church. There is no admission charge but donations will be accepted for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Smokies. We encourage everyone to also attend the Gatlinburg Festival of Trees at  Mills Auditorium, which also benefits the Boys and Girls Club.

Please visit our website at www.gatlinburglutherans.com for additional information or contact Robin Whiting at whitingr@bellsouth.net.

Our Savior Lutheran Church is located at 423 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 and their phone number is 436-5641."

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Free Lunch For Veterans on November 11th.

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Sunset Festivals For 2016

What are the three best things you can get from the Smoky Mountains during Autumn?

1. Views of the full Autumn bloom.
2. Top restaurant-quality food from local favorites at a special event.
3. A self-sufficient luxury resort with everything you need to get the Smoky Mountain vacation you deserve.

And what luck, Sunset Festival at Deer Ridge provides all three for NO extra cost!

The Sunset Festival is Deer Ridge's long-running tradition of holding a fun little party every Saturday evening with free food and all the views of the full bloom of the Smokies your camera can hold. The night air is crisp and dignified, and it's an excellent way to unwind and get the true Appalachian experience the mountains provide in this season.
   
This year, our food is being provided and sponsored by high-class restaurants in nearby Gatlinburg. Our sponsors for this year include:

* Three Jimmys
* Friendly Falls
* Texas Roadhouse
* Brainstorm Cafe

Our availability for Sunset Festival accommodations, as of writing, are as follows:

October 1st    ***** Available ***** 
October 8th   ***** SOLD OUT *****
October 15th   ***** SOLD OUT *****
October 22nd   ***** SOLD OUT *****
October 29th   ***** Available *****

And be sure to ask about our Past Guest Discount at the time of your reservation booking!

Reserve a condo or cabin for Sunset Festival today or call us for more information at 877-333-7743. www.deerridge.com
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Labor Day Weekend and the Upcoming Rod Runs

Labor Day Weekend starts today! And we're thankful for the break. It's been QUITE a summer here in the Smokies with blazing hot temperatures, a lot of activity and a lot of work needing to be done. There's no better place in the South to enjoy a 3-4 day weekend than the Smokies and we hope you all come out to visit us!

One thing to note particularly is that Dollywood will be having a brand new special event going on tomorrow on park. "Rock The Smokies" will provide several rounds of Christian rock artists throughout the park that perform at 1:00PM, 4:00PM and 7:00PM. There will also be fireworks going off to celebrate Labor Day on September 3rd and 4th. See more on this at http://www.dollywood.com/themepark/Festivals/RockTheSmokies.

And then, you guessed it, it's Rod Run season in Pigeon Forge! Shades of the Past Rod Run XXXIII rolls into town from September 9th to the 10th and the Pigeon Forge Fall Rod Run begins the next weekend between September 15th and the 17th. The Shades of the Past Rod takes place up at Dolly's Splash Country while the Fall Rod Run takes place at the LeConte Conference Center in Downtown Pigeon Forge, but you can still expect the entire town to be in automotive party mode during the nights on those two weekends. See more information on that at www.mypigeonforge.com.

There's more events coming up in September and we'll be back in a little while to tell you about them. Reserve a condo or cabin today at Deer Ridge to capitalize on a Fall getaway to the Smokies with a luxury vacation rental that offers the BEST views in the Smokies! www.deerridge.com.

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Lots to Talk About in August

 Well sir, it's the last month of the summer season, but even though folks will be going back to school, our early August blog entry is full of things to talk about. Let's look:

* Our 30th Anniversal Special for August *
End of Summer Special – stay 4 nights and only pay for 3 nights or stay 7 nights and pay for only 5 nights. Let us know you are a Past Guest and receive an additional 5% off. (Valid on any condo or cabin, cannot be combined with any other special or promotion.)

* Special Events *
We actually have quite a few for this month and they're less of the "party" variety and more of the homegrown local flavor for something more potentially and personally enriching. These events include Stringtime in the Smokies in Pigeon Forge on August 6th (Old Mill Square), the Smoky Mountain Singer-Songwriters Festival between August 24-28th (all throughout Gatlinburg) the Heroes Tribute to Veterans and First Responders in Pigeon Forge between August 15-18th at the Smoky Mountain Resort Convention Center and, finally, the Welcome Home Veterans Parade on August 27th.

More information on these events can be found on www.mypigeonforge.com/events and www.gatlinburg.com/events with the latter two being part of Pigeon Forge's Celebrate Freedom - which leads us to:

* Celebrate Freedom *
Throughout the month of August, the city of Pigeon Forge initiates "Celebrate Freedom", where many businesses offer discounts to current and former military personnel as well as currently employed emergency personnel/first-responders. The full list of what which businesses are offering discounts can be found here.

And of course, Deer Ridge continues to offer the best military discount (27% off!) for lodging in the area whether it's August or not. See our military discount here.

* Sunset Festival *
Not an August event here, but it's good to talk about it anyway as we're already taking reservations for our famous Sunset Festivals here at Deer Ridge. Sunset Festival is each Saturday of the month of October where we host a small soiree on our big sun deck and bask in the changing colors of autumn with the Best Views of the Smokies spread miles in front of us. We offer free dinner for this event and it's every bit as wonderful as it sounds. Reserve today to get your place in time for Sunset Festival!

Wow, that's a mouthful. Don't let August be the final authority on the end of your summer, come see what the month could offer you at Deer Ridge.

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317th Engineers' Battalion

Over the weekend of June 24-26, we were privileged to be the reunion headquarters for the 317th Engineer's Battalion that were deployed during the Desert Storm of the Gulf War.

And this is a video taking of the reunion doing a 25th anniversary formation as well as a bugler playing "Taps".

Thank you, 317th Engineers' Battalion for making Deer Ridge your group headquarters for this reunion! We hope to see y'all again. www.deerridge.com

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Fourth of July in Gatlinburg for 2016

The 4th of July is coming up very soon and we wanted to keep you up to date on the events going on here in the Smokies.

In Gatlinburg, the events start as soon as the 3rd of July ends with the 4th of July Midnight Parade on the main downtown street where you and your whole family can see some of the best, brightest and most patriotic floats in the country for over an hour of fun.

Then, the morning after, The River Raft Regatta starts at 10:00AM and is another fun activity for the whole family, particularly younger kids, as you can watch all manners of small objects race down the river to cross the finish line first at Ripley's Aquarium. You can see more information on that at http://www.gatlinburg.com/events/details.aspx?id=33.

Finally, the big show begins at 10:00PM with the Independence Day fireworks you've all been looking forward to, and you don't have to go anywhere but the main sidewalk in downtown Gatlinburg to see the fireworks overhead. Gatlinburg has been celebrating the 4th of July this way for years and it just gets better each time it comes around.

We hope to see you this Independence Day and we'd like you to see our specials and packages at www.deerridge.com to save on your Smoky Mountain vacation while adding even more to it. Hope to see you soon! Read More!

Tax Free Weekend 2016 Info

We received this email some time ago and felt it was relevant to share here.

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Deer Ridge Wins The Certificate of Excellence From TripAdvisor

We are happy to announce that, like our title indicates, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort has received the Certificate of Excellence Award from TripAdvisor due to our consistently high reviews as reported by the many visitors we have provided for over the course of the year.

Just listen to some of our recent visitor reviews to see how we came upon this award:

Joseph M
Hialeah, Florida
Reviewed yesterday.

We stayed at one of the cabins at this resort community during the last week of 2015 into 2016. The cabin was very nice and fit us 6 comfortably. It's about 30 minutes from Downtown Gatlinburg and The smokey mountains . There are a few close restaurants and a grocery store 20 minutes away. The drive up to our cabin was scary as we've never been up so high specially at night. The resort has a common area you can use but we didn't because there's so much to do around you won't be in the cabin only to sleep.

Janice14
Indianapolis, IN
Reviewed last week.

We had just stayed at Deer Ridge in January and booked a unit for next January then, but decided to return in the spring again, as well! They did not disappoint us at all; once again. Everyone is so friendly and eager to assist you with whatever you needed help with. The unit was very clean, and we love the views of the mountains! Enjoyed sitting on the balcony, drinking coffee in the mornings, and just letting the world go by. It is a bit of a drive to Gatlinburg, but we bought our groceries and didn't need to venture into that busy town at all. The unit had plenty of pots/pans/dishes/etc that one can cook your own meals. We enjoyed hanging out at the pool and the hottub every evening. They have a nice patio area outside the pool, of which we would sit there with a good book and read, taking in all the views. They have tennis courts, but we did not use them. Can't wait to return in January!

Wendy C
Chicago Illinois
Reviewed 2 weeks ago.

We stayed at Deer Ridge Mountain Resort the last week of March during our visit to the Smokey Mountains. The view from the condo was beautiful. It was a perfect distance from Gatlinburg and away from all the crowds, which were substantial that week. The indoor pool and hot tub were perfect after our long days of hiking. We used the washer and dryer a few times that week which were reasonably priced and worked very well.

We have been satisfying visitors like these for 30 years and we don't have any plans in sight to stop! See more reasons you should consider Deer Ridge for your vacation destination on our TripAdvisor page. Read More!

Black Bears At Deer Ridge - Spring 2016

Look who decided to pay us a visit:

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May Specials and Special Events

30th Anniversary specials continue at Deer Ridge! Here's our special for this month.

During the month of May, Wednesdays are only $30.00 plus tax with a minimum 3 night stay.

Valid on any condo or cabin, cannot be combined with any other special or promotion. Valid the month of May 2016 only.

Some additional reasons to consider staying at Deer Ridge during May? Take a look:

* Gatlinburg Beans and Cornbread Festival
May 12th, 2016
www.gatlinburg.com/events/details.aspx?id=138

* Dollywood Barbeque & Bluegrass
May 13th to May 22nd, 2016
www.dollywood.com

* Wilderness Wildlife Week
May 18th to May 22nd, 2016
www.mypigeonforge.com/events/wilderness-wildlife-week/

Hope to see you soon! www.deerridge.com. Read More!

April Special and New Developments in Gatlinburg

Here's our special going on for April:

"Celebrate your Wedding Anniversary or Birthday. We have a special with our “30th Anniversary Celebration Package or 30th Birthday Package,” both of which include a 2 night stay in a one-bedroom condominium, $75.00 dinner voucher at local restaurant, welcome basket and two tickets to the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.

Price: $299.00 plus tax and fees.

Valid on any 1 bedroom condo, valid April 1st – 30th. Special cannot be combined with any other special or promotion."

And here are some reasons why you should visit Gatlinburg during April:

* Pearl Harbor Ripley's Aquarium
Ripley's Aquarium keeps things fresh by having one section of their Aquarium change with new exhibits and themes, and this Spring we will see that exhibit turn into Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is a changeable, interactive exhibit featuring models of ships, planes, President FDR, an Arizona BB-39 Forward Magazine, info on the attack itself and the animals native to Hawaii. www.ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com

* New Show at Iris Theater in Gatlinburg
Starting on March 17th, the Iris Theater at the Space Needle complex welcomes The Impossibilities magic show featuring magical comedian Chris Collins and master mentalist Erik Dobell. You and the whole family will see magic, stunts and other things you could swear were impossible - expect to spend the rest of the night trying to figure it all out! http://www.iristheater.com/

* New Escape Game in Gatlinburg
If 2016 is anything, it's the year of the Escape Game, or rather the year of the grocery store AND the Escape Game, and the new one coming to downtown Gatlinburg is The Captured coming to the base of the Space Needle. We won't spoil anything further other than to say any additional info you want to find will be at www.thecaptured.com.

* Cal Ripkin Experience
This project was long in the making on Teaster Lane and it's finally open! The Cal Ripkin Experience is a sports complex with six baseball fields (made with synthetic turf), a 14,137 square foot clubhouse, a concession stand and more. There will be plenty of tournaments, events and more featured there. https://www.ripkenbaseball.com/youth_baseball/pigeon_forge

Among the usual awesome reasons to visit Gatlinburg!

Reserve today at www.deerridge.com.

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Reasons to Visit For Spring Break

 Why should you choose Deer Ridge as your Spring Break destination in the Smokies? Let's look:

* Luxury and individually decorated condos all overlooking the Smoky Mountains and providing THE best views of the Smokies right as the temperature begins to warm up.

* Onsite indoor pool, hot tub and sauna at the main office.

* Lounge in the main office, tennis and basketball courts outside and golf course below.

* Vacation cabin rentals with access to the amenities listed above.

* Located within 20-30 minutes of everything you want to see in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

* Packages and discounts you can find on our main website at www.deerridge.com.

That's only a starting list, mind you. Go look at our website and you'll find many, many more reasons to stay with us during March!

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February Special!

Visit our main site at www.deerridge.com for more details. Hope to see you this February !

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Why You Should Choose the Smokies for January

If you missed coming to the Smokies over the holidays, with or without intention, or if you're still looking to unwind after all the Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years obligations you had, we'd like to invite you to come out during the post-holiday season as it is by far the quietest and most dignified atmosphere the Smokies has to offer throughout the calendar year.

Think of the atmosphere during Valentine's Day - the cool, crisp mountain air and the snow-capped peaks in the distance bringing a stillness that calls for reflection and appreciation... that time and atmosphere goes on from the start of January on through March. Any day can be Valentine's out here and you can take advantage of our current specials and discounts to add even more to a romantic getaway.

Our specials now are as follows:

Winter Special
Book between January 4th and February 29th, stay any 2 or more nights in any size condo or cabin and receive 30% OFF your stay.

Weekly Special
Book between January 1st – December 31st, stay a week (7 consecutive nights) and pay for only 5 nights. Valid on any size condo or cabin.


In addition to the specials we offer throughout the year, we also have year-round discounts that we make available for past guests, groups, veterans and more. If you haven't seen our Discounts page, we'll show you the details right here:

Past Guest Discount Program
Deer Ridge Mountain Resort unveils its past guest recognition program. All Deer Ridge past guests will receive an additional 5% discount off any promotion, discount, package or deal that we offer**.

Deer Ridge realizes that our business success is dependent upon our past guests returning for future stays and recommending Deer Ridge to their friends and relatives.

**Past Guest discount cannot used in conjunction with our Military Discount, Golf Packages and Members Only Club.

Value Card Discount Program
In Deer Ridge Mountain Resort’s effort to recognize and thank our country's fire fighters, police officers, teachers and small business owners, Deer Ridge Mountain Resort has created a Value Card Program that will offer discounts valid year-round.

Fire chiefs, police captains, school principals or small business owners are invited to call our Value Card coordinator at 865-436-2325 or email us at reserve@deerridge.com. Click here for details. This offer cannot be combined with other offers or package deals.

Members Only Club
The Deer Ridge Mountain Resort “Members Only Club” is an exclusive group of past guests who have agreed to pay a one-time membership fee and purchase their vacation time in advance in increments of two, three or four weeks at huge savings. Vacation days can be used a minimum 2 nights at a time. VIP benefits are extended to our Members that are not offered to the general public. Click here for details.

Group Discount Program
(Choosing 4 or more condos or cabins)
Deer Ridge specializes in hosting Family Reunions, Golf Groups, Church Groups, Class Reunions, Car and Motor Cycle Clubs, Couple Retreats, Corporate Meetings and Retreats, and Adventure Escapes. Our group sales staff can assist you in planning your event and can recommend caterers, group discount tickets to local attractions, meeting and gathering space, and event souvenirs. Group leaders should ask about our “Best Deal Dates”. “Best Deal Dates” are times of the year when our Group Sales Department can offer your group the largest discounts.

Group inquires and request for quotes should be directed to our Group Sales Manager at 877-333-7743 or email groupsales@deerridge.com or reserve@deerridge.com.
Click here for details.

Future Booking Incentive
Deer Ridge introduces an incentive program that rewards guests who book a future stay prior to departure. This new program will ensure that you will stay in the condo or cabin of your choice, will reduce your deposit requirement to hold your condo of cabin, and you will receive an in-house credit (amount based on length of stay) and will be allowed early check-in and late departure. See our front desk or click here for details.

We hope we get to see you and make your romantic getaway everything it should be!

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