Fall Weekend activities in the Great Smoky Mountains October 18th – 19th

Looking for activities to do on a budget this weekend in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee? We have 2 big events going on here in the Smokies and the most expensive one is only $2 a carload!

This weekend we have activities going on in Cosby Tennessee and Walland Tennessee both evens are in sight of the Great Smoky Mountains national park and both Smokies events are a few minutes drive from Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville Tennessee.

The first event this weekend actually started today at the Cosby visitors center on 321 at the Moonshine Capital of the world Cosby TN - the 11th annual On Cosby outdoor festival.

Here at the On Cosby festival for the price of parking which goes to the local fire department, you an enjoy live musical shows, dancing, demonstrations, talent shows, events and free games for the kids, antique tractor and car show, story telling and so much more. On Cosby Festival Schedule.

The On Cosby show is a great way to meet and mingle with the locals from the Smoky Mountains and is the best family friendly entertainment value of the year - perfect for everyone whether you are on a budget or not.

You will also see local artwork and handicrafts and there are plenty of booths to shop for bargains and taste some locally made food. Be sure to bring back some of the locally delicacy: sourwood honey!

Further down 321 a short drive past the Foothill Parkway you will find the Carver families Apple groves and their retail store which features more apple varieties than you have ever seen before - most locally grown and tasting is encouraged.

People drive up as far away as Alabama during apple season to buy apples as well as their famous fried apple pies. Be sure to pick up a gallon on fresh pressed apple cider - it delicious and unpasteurized for a full bodied flavor.

On the other end of the Great Smoky Mountains national park 12 miles west of the Townsend entrance and 11 miles east of Maryville the national park service will be holding a open house Autumn Leaf driving tour on the Foothills Parkway.

The Foothills Parkway is a stunning section of roadway that is meant to stretch from the east end of the park to the west on the Tennessee side connecting the Towns of Cosby from I 40, Pigeon Forge Gatlinburg, Wears Valley, Townsend, Walland and ending up on 129.

There is also a section of the Foothills Parkway known as the Spur which connects Gatlinburg with Pigeon Forge and has a short cut via a bypass into the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

The Foothills Parkway has some of the most beautiful scenery in the South Eastern US that can be seen from any roadway and is maintained and patrolled by the national park service.

Even though the construction of this road started in the 1970's, only parts of the Foothills Parkway are finished because of construction problems and budgetary issues.

2 sections of this incomplete road just need to have a so called Missing Link connecting both these sections of the Foothills Parkway finished which is expected to be done by some time in 2009.

Since the fall colors are starting to peak here in the Great Smoky Mountains the national park service will be opening one of these sections to motorists this weekend so they can enjoy the beauty of this road while being enveloped by the beautiful fall colors of the Smokies.

Drivers will be allowed to ride on the Foothills Parkway from 9 am to 3 pm this Saturday and Sunday and the entrance is at the Foothills Parkway interchange off US 321 where you will be directed.