The 21st Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week starts today in Pigeon Forge Tennessee

The hottest ticket is the Great Smoky Mountains is at one of the free classes, lectures, activities or on the bus to one of the many guided hikes on the 21st Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week.

Some of these events that run from January 8th - 15th, 2011 will be standing room only and for good reason: the best of the best will be presenting, guiding and performing and everything taking place at the Wilderness Wildlife Week is free!

This year's Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week will take place again as it has for years at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center a block off the parkway in Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

What is new is that the location to sign up for any one of the more than 50 guided hikes taking place in the Great Smoky Mountains national park will be held at Holiday Inn Express across the street from Music Road Hotel & Convention Center.

This year’s hikes will have the added challenge of plenty of fresh snow. It is very likely that some of the hikes will be canceled or alternate hikes will be made as roads such as Newfound Gap Road between Gatlinburg and Cherokee are closed right now due to snow and ice and there is presently no access to Greenbrier and Cades Cove.

With the inclement weather, some of the lectures may have to be postponed, canceled or speaker may have to be substituted, but no matter what, if you love nature, photography, history, music, crafts, hiking or great stories, there is something for every one of all ages at this year’s 21st Annual Wilderness Wildlife Week Pigeon Forge Tennessee.

The Information Desk at the convention center is open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm and the Exhibit Hall is open from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Saturday January 8th, 2011 Wilderness Wildlife Week Schedule:

• 8:00 am - 11:00 am Learn to Use a Map and Compass. Presented by: Terry and Lavalla Edgington in the Ukelele Room. Limit 50 that must preregister at Information Desk.
• 7:00 am - 9:00 pm The Information Desk is open.
• 9:00 am - 10:00 am Rock Formations of the Smokies: Geological Past of Smoky Mountains. Presented by: Harry Moore in the Dobro Room.
• 9:00 am - 10:00 am NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Photoshop for the Nature Photographer Presented by: Larry Perry in the Violin Room.
• 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Nature Photography Workshop. Presented by: Kendall Chiles, Tom and Pat Cory and Harold Stinnette in the Guitar Room.
• 9:00 am - 11:30 am Fly Fishing in the Smokies Presented by: Greg Ward in the Harp Room.
• 9:00 am - 1:00 PM: Photo Exhibit Entry and Set Up - (Entry form must be submitted with photo) in the Cello Room.
• 10:30 am - 11:30 am Discovering October Roads: View Fall Colors of East Tennessee. Presented by: Fred Brown and Harry Moore in the Dobro Room.
• 10:30 am - 11:30 am Introduction to the Acoustic Guitar. Presented by: Tony Thomas in the Violin Room.
• 11:30 am Sunday hike sign ups at Holiday Inn Express across the street from the convention center.
• 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Groundhogology: Songs and Tales. Presented by: Doug Elliott in the Dobro Room.
• 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Update on Searching for Panthers in the Smokies. Presented by: Dr. Don Linzey in the Ukelele Room.
• 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm KIDS TRACK: Animal Olympics: Comparing Human Senses and Abilities to Those of Wild Animals, Interactive. Presented by: Ann Schlichting in the Harp Room. Limit 30 Children: Must Preregister at Information Desk.
• 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm KIDS TRACK: Learn About Bears Through Hands-ON- Activities. Presented by: Anne Allison and Kathy Sherrard in the Breakfast Room. Limit 20: Kindergarten-6th Grade: Must Preregister at Information Desk.
• 1:30 am - 2:30 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Weather Signs: Learning How to "Read the Signs" for Changes in Weather for Hiking and Camping. Presented by: Ila Hatter in the Violin/Guitar Room .1:30 pm -2:30 pm Serpent Handlers: Serpent Handling Religion in Appalachia. Presented by: Fred Brown in the Dobro Room.
• 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Grand Canyon Adventure, North to South, East to West, Top to Bottom a View for Everyone. Presented by: Bill Deitzer and Bob Turney in the Harp Room.
• 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Avent Cabin: The Inhabitants, Heritage and Folklore of a Historic Smoky Mountain Cabin Near Elkmont. Presented by: Carroll McMahan in the Ukelele Room.
• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Sunday Morning at "Moon"- Shine Missionary Baptist Church: Stories and Songs. Presented by: Mike and Kathy Gwinn in the Dobro Room.
• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: National History Day Students: Talented Local Students Share Their Knowledge of How to Document Your Local History. Presented by: Sabrina Gray in the Violin Room.
• 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Hands On History: Make a Quill Pen with Instructions and Materials to Make a Quill Pen. Presented by: Pat Thomas in the Breakfast Room. Limit 12 which must preregister at Information Desk.
• 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm Fly Casting. Presented by: Greg Ward in the Guitar Room.
• 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm UPDATE: Civil War in the Mountains. Presented by: A. Christine Tipton in the Ukelele Room.
• 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Waterton Lakes, Canada to Alaska and Return: A Photographic Travel Log. Presented by: Bob and Gloria Epperson in the Harp Room.
• 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm Ballads of the Great Smoky Mountains. Presented by: Boogertown Gap Band in the Violin Room.
• 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: KIDS TRACK: Booger a Tall Tale of the Mountains: Story Reading and Nature Program for Children and Adults: Wildflower Project. Presented by: Mary Phillips in the Breakfast Room. Limit: 25 Children ages 6-12 and 15 Adults. Must Preregister at Information Desk.
• 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm NEW WILDERNESS WILDLIFE WEEK PROGRAM: Wildwoods Wisdom: Exploring Our Spiritual Connection to Nature. Presented by: Doug Elliott in the Dobro/Harp room.
• 6:00 pm: Monday hike sign ups - Holiday Inn Express
• 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm Wilderness Wildlife Week Opening Comments. Presented by: Terry Maddox, Executive Director of Great Smoky Mountains Association: Jim Hart, Director of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Dale Ditmanson, Superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Dobro/Harp room.
• 7:30 pm: Opening remarks. Presented by: Ken Jenkins in the Dobro/Harp room.
• 7:45 pm: NEW: Keynote Program. "With NEW Eyes: Finding a Sense of Place in Nature": This presentation is composed of beautiful original photography and intriguing stories, Jeff takes us along a journey to some of the most beautiful places on earth and helps the listener find their own sense of a place close to home. Presented by: Jeff Rennicke in the Dobro/Harp room.