When it comes to autumn in the Smokies, the only thing better than the delightful weather and beautiful fall foliage is all of the special seasonal events taking place throughout the area! This is a chance to see your favorite local attractions transform into a fall showcase of live musical entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, pumpkin displays, and much more! Here are 4 exciting fall festivals in the Smoky Mountains you won’t want to miss:
1. Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta
The Bear-Varian Fall Festival at Anakeesta features autumn-themed decor throughout the park, seasonal entertainment for the whole family, and delicious Bavarian-inspired eats! For an additional add-on, you can also purchase a Bear Tasting Card to sample beers from several local and regional craft breweries! Enjoy your beer in front of one of Anakeesta’s stages, where you’ll find an unforgettable cast of characters, including steampunk zombies, 60s vampire vixens, rollicking polka trios, and acoustic duos who will be bringing you live music and spooky vibes all season long!
2. Apple Harvest Festival at SkyLand Ranch
Another one of the exciting fall festivals in the Smoky Mountains you won’t want to miss is the Apple Harvest Festival at Skyland Ranch! This lively celebration features everything from crisp apple flavors to the vibrant colors of changing leaves, so be sure to come hungry and bring your camera! Some of the seasonal apple-inspired treats you can expect to find include homemade apple cinnamon bread, fresh apple bakery goods, and dipped caramel apples! While chowing down on one of these tasty treats, take in the breathtaking scenery as the Great Smoky Mountains turn vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold!
3. Dollywood Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin Luminights
The Dollywood Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin Luminights is a spectacular celebration of the fall season, complete with thousands of creatively carved pumpkins, mouthwatering food, live musical entertainment, and lots of other fun surprises! Take advantage of the cool fall weather to enjoy your favorite rollercoasters, such as the Wild Eagle, Thunderhead or Lightning Rod, or go on a scenic train excursion aboard the Dollywood Express! In the evening hours, watch all of the pumpkins come alive as they glow among the night sky and gaze up at a towering 40-foot pumpkin tree!
4. Ober’s Oktoberfest
Ober’s Oktoberfest is a beloved annual event featuring Bavarian-style food, drink, and music, so come out to enjoy some of the time-honored traditions of the original Oktoberfest festival in Munich, Germany! The Bavarian Fun Makers Band will perform daily throughout Oktoberfest in their authentic costumes, so join the fun with traditional Bavarian folk dances, schuhplattling, oompah music, sing-a-longs, and yodels! You’ll also have the chance to enjoy special Oktoberfest Biers, as well as traditional German wurst, schnitzel, sauerkraut, strudel, pretzels, and other goodies!
Check out all of our condo rentals in Pigeon Forge TN today to plan the perfect autumn vacation near these exciting fall festivals in the Smoky Mountains! We look forward to welcoming you to the Smokies!