Winterfest is a season of the Smoky Mountains that is, for all practical purposes, split into two sections - the Holiday season, and the "quiet" season.
The former is quite obvious - from early November to New Years day, the Smoky Mountains are in full swing celebration mode to bring families closer to the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years spirits (along with everything in between). We have several parades, one for each city in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, Dollywood transforms their entire park into a literal Winter wonderland, million-dollar lighting displays are put up throughout the cities, community choral events, holiday theater performances, and so many more special events, it would take years of repeated visits to see them all!
The latter refers to the after-holiday season that begins after the festivities. Naturally, after two months of solid special event planning, the area goes on an unofficial break period until March. Dollywood and the major special events go on hiatus, many of the arts and crafts and several other mainstream businesses around close for the season, and we see a marked reduction in traffic.
While it sounds like there isn't much to do in that part of Winterfest, it's a unique time for a unique atmosphere in the Smokies. We have several occasions throughout the year reserved for reflection, but this is the time it really comes alive. The cold air, the snow-peaked tops in the distance, and the stillness of the environment really create an air of dignity and a simple beauty you almost can't get at any other time. It's a great time to be hiking, planning a honeymoon weekend in Gatlinburg, or even breaking out the snowboard for nearby Ober Gatlinburg's Winter Sports season as well.
At Deer Ridge, we don't take a vacation, we work year-round to provide you with yours. Whether you come to the Smokies for a Christmas or Thanksgiving filled outing for the family, a chance to take advantage of the romantic qualities the Smokies offers in February, a weekend to get in the snowboarding and skiing up at Ober, Deer Ridge will accommodate all your wants and needs. We're just 15-20 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg, 30 minutes from Pigeon Forge, and 10 minutes from the newly opened Rocky Top Sports World.
See our discounts and other things we can offer you at www.deerridge.com.
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