Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
New Year's Eve In The Smokies
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on December 27, 2023
The holiday gauntlet continues this week with the departure of 2023 and the arrival of 2024. For many celebrants, that will include attending some sort of December 31 bash culminating with a high-spirited countdown to the new year. For others, that might mean staying at home and watching such festivities transpire on Times Square from the comfort of their living rooms.
Regardless of what your past tendencies have been, you might consider venturing to the Great Smoky Mountains this weekend to say Happy New Year! Not only are there more options than ever for finding a celebration, but there are also countless other things to do while you're in town, from attractions and dining to post-holiday shopping and hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
But this week, we're going to focus just on the New Year's Eve happenings. And we'll start with one of the longest-running events and what many consider the granddaddy of NYE celebrations in the Smokies - Gatlinburg's New Year's Eve Ball Drop & Fireworks show. This takes place at the base of the Space Needle attraction, which is at traffic light #8 on the Parkway.
Live music begins there at 10 p.m., then starting at 10:30, Airport Road/Historic Nature Trail will close from Parkway to Cloverleaf Lane. At 11 p.m., Parkway will close from Reagan Drive to LeConte Street. Just before midnight, the celebratory ball - decked out in lights - will descend from the top of the Space Needle and signal the countdown to the beginning of 2024. But that's not all; the stroke of midnight will trigger a stunning lights and fireworks show at the Space Needle.
Each year, some 50,000 visitors gather downtown to watch the spectacle, so if you plan to attend, we recommend getting a hotel room and approaching on foot. Or if you are driving in just for the day/evening, get there earlier in the day so you can find a parking spot and stake out an advantageous place to watch the countdown.
Gatlinburg's not the only place hosting New Year's Eve celebrations in the Smokies that evening. In Pigeon Forge, you might consider attending New Year's Fireworks At The Island. This event is also free to the public and will feature a live performance by Stephen Goff and the Royals beginning at 10 p.m. Then at midnight, get ready for what they're billing as one of the South's largest firework displays, a show that features some 500 shells fired from multiple locations. Local radio personalities Joey Tack and Nancy Barger will be on hand to emcee the event, which will be simulcast on WIVK 107.7. Onsite parking is free - if you can find a spot.
Several other Pigeon Forge venues are also planning NYE parties. They'll be having throwdowns at The Mountain Mile Tower & Shops as well as a separate event at Downtown Flavortown, which happens to be located at The Mountain Mile. Meanwhile, Hard Rock Café is hosting a party featuring music by Whisky Business from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The event is free and family-friendly. Reservations are not required but are recommended, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you plan to be in Sevierville that evening, you might consider dropping in at The Pines downtown. That celebration kicks off at 8 p.m. and continues until 1 a.m. A champagne toast will lead up to midnight, and then the new year whisks in with a massive balloon drop. The Pines will be serving assorted munchies that evening, including pizza, tat tots, wings and more.
And this week also marks the last week of the season here at our Smoky zip line attraction. We hope you all have a wonderful 2024, and we look forward to seeing you when we kick off our new season in March!
