Add These 15 Under-the-Radar Holiday Events in the Smoky Mountains to Your Itinerary
In the blissful blur of holiday lights and festive celebrations, the Great Smoky Mountains communities rival even the North Pole for holiday spirit. The big attractions go even bigger, but the hidden gems of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina truly embody the spirit of Christmas.
Whether you’re looking to avoid the crowds, find something new to do, or just want to explore beyond the Parkway, we’ve stuffed a lot in this holiday stocking of an article.
Let’s look at some of Santa’s favorite stops from Sevierville to Asheville.
Meet the Reindeer
Santa gets a lot of the Christmas credit, but the reindeer do the heavy lifting. At Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo in Sevierville, reindeer retreat before and after the biggest night of the year.
Even if you plan to leave carrots out on Christmas Eve, reindeer are waiting for snacks among other exotic buddies like zebra, zonkies (zebra+donkey), and pot-bellied pigs. The farm is only closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Feel Festive at the Farm
Winchester Creek Farm in Waynesville hosts an annual Santa Holiday Farm Tours between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The event generally runs from Fridays through Sundays. Guests experience the magic of the holiday on a country farm, where hungry alpacas roam, and a direct mailbox to Santa is waiting for your wish list.
Don’t forget to shop in the alpaca fiber gift shop, where you can find unique gifts for someone special.
Cut Down A Christmas Tree
As Clark Griswold said in Christmas Vacation, “This is what our forefathers did; they walked out into the woods, they picked out that special tree, and they cut it down with their bare hands.”
Clark’s comical take on this holiday tradition still can’t compare to the wonder of finding and cutting down the perfect unique tree for your family. You can get away from the big holiday crowds of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge by heading to the North Carolina side of the Smokies.
We checked with each vendor listed below to ensure the September 2024 storms didn’t impact business or tree availability.
Haywood County offers several options:
Splurge on Apple Stack Cake
One of the mainstays of holiday dessert tables in Appalachia is the Apple Stack Cake. The history dates back to before refrigeration when dried fruit and sorghum could last into winter. You’ll find this tasty treat on the menu of many home-cooked restaurants like The Old Mill.
For the most authentic Apple Stack Cake dessert experience, you can bring Appalachian Christmas home with the Walker Sisters recipe. If you don’t know the story of the sisters who lived in what is now Great Smoky Mountains National Park, read about them in our Hidden Gems article.
Celebrate “Old Christmas”
We get it; the holidays are busy. It’s not always easy to find time to celebrate a Smoky Mountain Christmas with the influx of parties, decorating, wrapping, and work. The Appalachian Tradition of “Old Christmas” means a great chance to celebrate on January 6.
Why that date? In the 1500s, the Julian calendar was replaced with the Gregorian calendar, and the Pope decided to move Christmas Day from January 6 to December 25. It just took a really long time for the message to spread globally, as there were no televisions, text messages, or phones to get the word out.
Since most holiday events and decorations stay up across the Great Smoky Mountains, it’s like getting two Christmases in one season. Plus, legend has it that on Old Christmas Eve at midnight, wild animals will start praying.
Celebrate Christmas in a Cave
This next holiday gem is just outside Knoxville, but it’s worth a special detour to experience Christmas inside Cherokee Caverns. The Christmas in the Cave celebration is one of the only events of the year when tours are available.
Holiday decorations, special characters, and unique cave formations make this a one-of-a-kind holiday celebration. It’s open just three weekends in December. Santa is also making special underground appearances.
Don’t be surprised if you see Clark Griswold’s eccentric Cousin Ed looking to take a selfie with you.
Wander through Waynesville
While each town in the Smokies offers a cool holiday festival, Waynesville is known for its authentic old-fashioned Christmas celebration. Take part in events like the Mistletoe Makers Market, the holiday parade, an Elf Walk for kids, and the Night Before Christmas celebration. Plus, the special stores of this historic town certainly hold the perfect presents.
Kick Off Christmas with Thomas Kinkade
The holidays shine a little brighter in Thomas Kinkade’s paintings, which are on display at the new gallery location in Pigeon Forge. Look for some of your traditional favorites and limited-edition holiday pieces.
The “Painter of Light” would be proud of this new location on Teaster Lane. Look for paintings by his nephew, Zac Kinkaid, as well.
Slide Into the Holiday Spirit
After leaving the gallery, head across the street to Pigeon Forge Snow. The indoor snow park uses high-tech tools to keep the snow fresh without the blustery cold weather.
For more vertical drops and a longer slide, Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Snowpark takes you 70 feet up to ride 500 feet down the snow slide. One ticket buys 90 minutes of as many slides as you’d like. Plus, the attraction is open on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
As another option, Jayell Ranch Family Adventure Park also has winter snow tubing available on a 500-foot slide.
Experience the Enchanted Island of Lights
Just outside the Oconaluftee entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the town of Cherokee. Located in the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the holidays take on special meaning here, too.
Oconaluftee Island Park transforms into the Enchanted Island of Lights. Visitors can walk through the light-lined paths along the river. Check the schedule for the annual Ice Skating and Food Truck Rodeo, too.
Add an Apple Valley Detour
Everyone with an internet connection and holiday spirit will tell you to visit The Amazing Christmas Place. However, holiday crowds can tap your inner Grinch. Skip the long lines and head to the Christmas & Candle Shop at the Apple Barn.
While you’re there, get a free sip of Apple Barn cider, grab a bottle of wine for Christmas Eve, or explore the Apple Barn Dessert Wine Shoppe for something unique. A general store, two restaurants, a candy shop, and a creamery make this side trip off the Parkway a merry way to spend the day.
Walk in a Winter Wonderland
One of Asheville’s newest holiday traditions is back in 2024, a specially poignant one considering the devastation from Hurricane Helene in September. At the 4th Annual Winter Wonder Walk, the Asheville Plays! performers lead you through an immersive and dream-like experience straight out of a storybook.
Activities also include a Treetop Adventure Park Glow Trail through elevated trails. Shop at the holiday market inside a cozy, warm tent. Get ready for photos with Jack Frost and the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Be Festive in Bryson City
Ok, we know you probably know about the Polar Express train ride hosted by Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. What you might not realize is how much other Christmas spirit there is to find in this charming city.
2024 brings a revamped and high-tech experience at the Smoky Mountain Christmas Lights Spectacular. Custom-made displays, lasers, and an orb field are just a few of the newest show-stoppers.
While you’re in town, write a letter to Santa at the visitor’s center, grab a seat on the lighted hayride tour at Darnell Farms, and ice skate in The Yard.
Follow the Candle Trail to Dillsboro
Take a trip back in time for a more intimate holiday experience with the Dillsboro Lights & Luminaries event. More than 2,500 luminaries line the streets, honoring a Scandinavian holiday tradition.
The historic downtown is straight out of a holiday Hallmark movie, with 19th-century buildings adorned with decorations. Parents should know that the stores stay open late for holiday shoppers.
Make a side trip to nearby Sylva to see North Carolina’s Most Photographed Courthouse perched atop a hill with holiday trees along the 107 steps to the top.
Have a Heavy Metal Holiday Road Trip
Head to Brevard’s Transylvania Heritage Museum to see a holiday blast from the past. The Aluminum Tree and Ornament Museum is a pop-up variety, only there for the holiday season and carrying a heaping dose of nostalgia.
The museum’s display is almost as fleeting as the 1960s trend of aluminum trees. As a bonus, you get a history lesson in Shiny Brite ornaments. Looking at the gorgeous globes, I have a catch in my throat since I have a full box of them passed down from my grandma, hanging on my tree at home.
Walk through the business district when you’re done to see the competitive displays in business windows.
Merry Christmas To All…
If you’re wondering what the chances are of a white Christmas, you might want to visit Beech Mountain Resort, the snowiest spot in North Carolina. Mount LeConte gets the most snow in Tennessee, but the only paths there are for hikers.
The biggest hidden gem of a Great Smoky Mountains holiday trip is the memories you create with the ones you love. Hopefully, we’ve given you some events to round out your itinerary and take you from the Parkway to the plethora of hidden holiday gems in the Smokies.
