Winter Heritage Festival in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Winter Heritage Festival in
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Posted: February 2, 2008

Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Townsend TN will hold the Winter Heritage Festival at several venues in Townsend and in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is celebration of the history, people, and traditions of Townsend, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The event is an in-depth look into the rich heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cades Cove community, and it is designed to celebrate the culture, history, natural beauty, and heritage of the area. Through classes, tours, exhibits, music, hikes, and demonstrations, visitors can experience:

• Stories of mountain life and families of the Smokies
• Logging and railroad days
• Illustrated talks and displays about people and the land
• History, stories, music, and plant lore of the Cherokee Indians
• Mountain music and crafts
• Cades Cove guided walks
• Creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Cades Cove Military History
• Displays from family archives and old fashioned portraits at Townsend Visitor Center
• Exhibits at the Heritage Museum, Little River Railroad Museum, Thompson Brown House, Blount County Historic Trust, and Art Exhibit at Mountain Sage Gallery

Schedule:
Thursday, February 7, 2008
6:00pm--9:00pm Kick-off Reception and entertainment at the Dancing Bear Lodge:
Heavy Hors D'Oeuvres, (fee charged) for reservations, call 865-448-0044
(programs only, free)

Friday, February 8, 2008: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m-talks, walks, music, and tours:

Some of the highlights include a Music Heritage Program with Lisa Free, lunchtime program on "Hiking the Smokies" with Sue Jenkins, "Fire Towers of the Smokies" talk by Charles Maynard, "Geology of White Oak Sinks" with Harry Moore, plus walking tours in Cades Cove, music at Tremont, and Cade Cove Preservation Association illustrated talks at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center

In the evening, Townsend area restaurants are featured at "A Taste of Townsend".

Saturday, February 9, 2008: 9 a.m. to 5: p.m.-talks, walks, art, demonstrations, music, Cherokee history:

A few of the highlights include "Drawing History" workshop with Andrea Wilson, "Cades Cove Military History" with Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, "Wild Edibles of the Smokies", Ila Hatter, Logging and Railroad History and walks, "Cades Cove Photography" with Bill Lea, Cherokee Storytelling and music, plus a wide variety of sessions on the special places and families of Cades Cove.

Saturday, February 9, evening at The Barn Event Center of the Smokies:

Mike Clemmer, dulcimer music
Star-gazing with the Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society
Catered supper by Miss Lily's
Bo Taylor, Native American Culture program
Sunday, February 10, 2008-At the Richmont Inn: "The Walker Sisters", with Robin Goddard and Harp Music with Jennifer Love. At the Valley View Lodge: "Precious Memories--A Cades Cove Homecoming" panel discussion.