Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Each year the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival begins as the deep, green forest hues of the towns nestled in the Smoky Mountain foothills start to erupt with vivid autumn colors. For almost two months the towns of Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg merge to display the beauty of autumn and the creativity of Smoky Mountain residents.

Visit Pigeon Forge this year to take a leisurely stroll through the streets and behold the fall splendor adorning the shops September 15th through the end of October. You don't want to miss this time of beauty and excitement in the towns that surround the Smoky Mountain foothills. The Southeast Tourism Society (STS) named Harvest Festival as one of the Top 20 Events to visit!

Keep in mind, seasonal decor is by no means the only thing to experience. The Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival hosts a myriad of activities, including craft shows, sidewalk sales, live music and other special events. Read on to find a list of planned activities to visit for autumn entertainment this September and October. And, please stay tuned for more event listings as the 2006 Harvest schedule is finalized. Read on to learn what's going on this month in the Smokies.

Here are some SEPTEMBER events to look forward to:

September 15-October 31: 10th Annual Pigeon Forge Harvest Festival. -Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg, TN.

September 15-17: Fall Grand Rod Run: Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center. Call 1-800-251- 4444 (Individual) or 865-687-3976 (Car Registration). -Pigeon Forge, TN.

September 23-October 30: Dollywood's National Music and Harvest Celebration. For more information, dial 1-800-DOLLYWOOD. -Pigeon Forge, TN.

September 23-24: Tennessee Museum of Aviation Warbirds Weekend includes a weekend full of impromptu flights. For more information, call 866-286-8738. -Sevierville, TN.

September 25-28: Model A Car Show: Music Road Hotel and Convention Center. For more information please call 423-623-2446 or 1-800-429-7700. -Pigeon Forge, TN.

September 28: 9th Annual Taste of Autumn! This United Way fundraiser will take place from 5-8 p.m. in the Gatlinburg Convention Center. For a $25 donation, attendees may sample from countless amazing restaurants and bid in a live auction with all proceeds going to the United Way. -Gatlinburg, TN.

September 29-30: Great Smoky Mountain Auto Fest at Smokies Stadium. See vehicles from 1974 and before. Registration limited to 1,500 cars. Call 865-368-9013! -Sevierville, TN.

September 29: Nashville Legends Concert featuring Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Moore and Moore, and Jean Shepard at Country Tonite Theatre. To purchase tickets, dial 1-800-792-4308. -Pigeon Forge, TN.

September 30-October 8: Gatlinburg Art & Crafts Heritage Days Festival! Come tour Gatlinburg's crafts community to celebrate the history, culture, and arts and crafts of this area. This festival takes place along an 8-mile loop with more than 90 shops and restaurants. It is located off of Highway 321, just a few miles outside of downtown Gatlinburg. -Gatlinburg, TN.

October will feature another month of delightful events, fall decorations, and beautiful changing leaves! Visit the Smoky Mountain area to see colorful leaves in the fall. Depending on the weather, leaves will begin to change some time in October. For more information, call the Fall Color Hotline at 1-800-697-4200 for updated color information.

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There’s a Pigeon Forge barn full of bears. Inside are black bears, brown bears, polar bears, large bears, small bears, but they’re all teddy bears. Yes, these are the collectible Boyds Bears, residents of the Boyds Bears Big Ole’ Barn. The bears will be gone by the end of October, however. Many visitors to Pigeon Forge have expressed regret for losing what has come to be a highlight of their visit. They are not alone; the community will miss Boyds Bears as well. Boyds Bears opened in late 2004 and has been a friend to Pigeon Forge ever since. Besides giving everyone a place to enjoy the lovable bead-filled, posable teddy bears, Boyds has sponsored community events like Young Patriot’s Day for children. In light of the popularity of the bears and the big red barn in Pigeon Forge, it’s surprising to hear that Boyds Bears will soon close.

Collectible Boyds Bears have been around for over 20 years, with the first one handmade in 1984. In 2002, the first Boyds Bear barn was built in Pennsylvania at Gettysburg, where Boyds is based. Before that, the bears were sold wholesale to independent retailers. The idea of the bear barn was to create a fun place for families to enjoy together. That goal is a natural fit for family-centered Pigeon Forge, so it makes sense that the company built a bear barn in Pigeon Forge two years later. But why leave now?

The official explanation is that the company wants to refocus on the independent retailers. That marks a major shift from earlier plans to build two more bear barns in Branson, MO, and Myrtle Beach, SC. The barns are a huge investment for Boyds, the Pigeon Forge barn cost $15 million. Sales were not down at the Pigeon Forge location, according to the company. Boyds Bears was recently reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, so this may be the true reason for the closure.

It’s an unreasoned closure, considering that the Pigeon Forge area is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the nation.10 million visitors come to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park annually. Most of those 10 million visitors pass right by the Boyds Bear barn on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge. Aside from the location, Pigeon Forge attractions are for families, the very audience Boyds appeals to. Also, of those 10 million visitors, who can guess how many knew of Boyds Bears before their visit to Pigeon Forge? Now, with the closing of Boyds Bears, no one will discover a Boyds Bear while on vacation. It is unfortunate that the city is losing Boyds Bears. Everyone loves a teddy bear, and there’s no better home for a bear than in the Smoky Mountains. If you collect Boyds Bears and you want to make a last trip to the Boyds Bears barn, plan on doing so before October 29. For more information, call Boyds at  (888)654-6215.

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