Smoky Mountains Around Town May 2018

Page 4 Around Town
By A. Jann Peitso
Things Just Aren't the Way 'They Used To Be'…according to
some visitors as they travel the 8 mile loop through the Great
Smoky Arts & Crafts Community.
One has to ask in return, “When was Used To Be” for you?
My “Used To Be” and a forty year old's remembrances of times
past are totally different. Ask local folks about the Loop around
Glades and Buckhorn roads and how things “used to be”.
Gerald Moyers will tell you that Glades Road used to be a dirt
road with clouds of dust being kicked up like a storm when
someone drove a bit too fast on a hot, dry summer afternoon.
Firefly Glass Studio used to be a rather large greenhouse but now
houses Gerald's daughter, Nancy's fused glass studio equipped
with a kiln.
Drive The Loop a bit farther and you come upon Make It Magic.
The old farmhouse actually used to be two cabins, one
disassembled and moved here from Anderson County,
Tennessee and the other from Virginia.
Things sure aren't like they used to be. At the corner of Glades
and Buckhorn sits G. Webb's Gallery.
Now Bause Watson used to live there before the Webbs
purchased the property and some folks say that “crafts used to be
sold off the front porch”. You have to go inside now to view and
purchase the watercolor works of G. and his daughter, Cami.
Crafts & Gifts
Hand-Crafted in the
Smoky Mountains
Used To Be mud puddles “big as a house and deep as a pit” in
front of stores and homes along the now-designated Tennessee
Heritage Arts & Crafts Trail that we call “The Loop”.
Mr. John Cowden used to work in wood before he passed away.
Used to be a wood spirit carver on Buckhorn but he quit the
carving business and started driving a taxi in Sevierville. Used to
be a man from “the landed gentry of Virginia”, as he told
everyone, and he made clay tiles for tabletops. Beautiful work,
but after six months he decided to return to his gilded roots of
Virginia, never to be heard from again in our land of “used to
be's”. There are many tales and questions of what and who used
to be. Today, we are living in someone's “used to be” time.
How many years before the young people of today will reminisce
about 2018 being their year of fondest memories In The Loop
and wonder what happened to those people and places that used
to be here?
The Loop of the future will be different from the Loop of today,
which is for certain. A sure bet also will be that someone will
navigate through the loop and proclaim, “This is not how it used
to be”!
No, our future is not how it used to be, but it might be better, just a
bit different, In The Loop.
A. Jann Peitso, art!
www.ajannpeitsoart.com
170 Glades Road, Gatlinburg • 865-436-2363
Sparky’s Glassblowing
Ask About Our Glassblowing Classes!
Come and watch
Gary at work!
Gary Will Make You A Special Glass Piece
For Your Loved Ones Ashes
Glassblowing at its best!
Beautiful, handcrafted blown & sculpted glass
(865) 325-8186
www.sparkysglassblowing.com
Smoky Mountains Art’s & Crafts Community
849 Glades Road (Covered Bridge Complex)
We Loan On Anything of Value!
Great Selections On New And Pre-owned Valuable Items
Gold • Diamonds • Guns
We specialize in handmade soy candles,
soaps, and fragrant air fresheners
(865) 325-8142
Located at the Covered Bridge in the Glades
Gatlinburg's Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community
Misty Mountain Soap Co.
A Healthier Choice In Skin Care
Natural Soaps, Lotions & Bath Products
Hand Crafted In Our Shops!
www.mistymountainsoap.com
601 Glades Road (Morning Mist Village)
849 Glades Road (Covered Bridge Complex)
Park Announces Synchronous Firefly Viewing Dates
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
officials have announced the dates for firefly
viewing in Elkmont. Shuttle service to the
viewing area will be provided on Thursday,
June 7 - Thursday, June 14. All visitors wishing
to view the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont
must have a parking pass distributed through
the lottery system at www.recreation.gov.
Every year in late May or early June, thousands
of visitors gather near the popular Elkmont
Campground to observe the naturally occurring
phenomenon of Photinus carolinus, a firefly
species that flashes synchronously.
The lottery was open for applications from
April 27 until April 30 at 8:00 p.m. Results of
the lottery will be available on Wednesday,
May 9. A total of 1,800 vehicle passes will be
available for the event which includes: 1768
regular-parking passes (221 per day) which
admit one passenger vehicle up to 19’ in length
with a maximum of six occupants, and 32
large-vehicle parking passes (four per day)
which admit one large vehicle (RV, mini-bus,
etc.) from 19’ to 30’ in length, with a maximum
of 24 occupants. Lottery applicants must apply
Around Town
visit our website and read on line
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www.smokymountainsaroundtown.com
11510 B Chapman Highway, Seymour (865) 579-1026
1424 Winfield Dunn Parkway, Sevierville (865) 453-1512
Nature lovers, hikers and outdoors enthusiasts unite for
Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge!
From educational programs designed specifically for the
youngsters to guided hikes into the Great Smoky Mountains for
the more adventurous folks, Wilderness Wildlife Week offers a
variety of programs for all ages and interests. What better place to
celebrate the features, creatures, and cultures of Great Smoky
Mountains National Park than in the Center of Fun in The
Smokies?
This spring celebration of the great outdoors is free and open to
the public Seminars and workshops are offered daily at the
LeConte Center.
Young Experts Program - A major addition to this year’s
Wilderness Wildlife Week is the Young Experts Program. This
special incentive program has been designed to provide youth
ages 12 and younger an immersive and unique way to learn about
wildlife, wilderness, old-time arts, area history, Appalachian
culture and to connect to the great outdoors. More than 125
classes and excursions are available in this inaugural year.
Session attendance and participation also allow each youth
participating the opportunity to receive credit to redeem for free
gifts for participating in the program. Gifts include coloring
for either a regular-parking pass or largevehicle
parking pass and then may choose two
possible dates to attend the event over the
eight-day viewing period.
The lottery system uses a randomized
computer drawing to select applications. There
is no fee to enter the lottery this year. If
selected, the lottery winner will be charged a
$20.00 reservation fee and awarded a parking
pass. The parking pass permits visitors to park
at Sugarlands Visitor Center and occupants to
access the shuttle service to Elkmont.
Parking passes are non-refundable, nontransferable
and good only for the date issued.
There is a limit of one lottery application per
household per season. All lottery applicants
will be notified by e-mail on May 9 that they
were “successful” and awarded a parking pass
or “unsuccessful” and not able to secure a
parking pass.
The number of passes issued each day is based
primarily on the Sugarlands Visitor Center
parking lot capacity and the ability to
accommodate a large number of viewers on
site. Arrival times will be assigned in order to
relieve traffic congestion in the parking lot and
also for boarding the shuttles, which are
provided in partnership with the City of
Gatlinburg. Shuttle buses will begin picking up
visitors from Sugarlands Visitor Center
parking area at 7:00 pm. A $2.00 round-trip,
per-person fee will be collected when boarding
the shuttle. Cash is the only form of payment.
PLEASE
Don’t Feed The Bears
Wilderness Wildlife Week
May 8 - 12
books, teddy bears, Frisbees and other special prizes and treats.
Complete information will be available in the Event Program
Guide and at Information Desk during Wilderness Wildlife Week
First-Ever Film Race Competition - Another major addition for
this year’s Wilderness Wildlife Week is the first-ever 48 Hour
Film Race. The total prize money up for grabs in the contests and
categories is $1,500. Please note this is a family-friendly event
and entries featuring profanity or nudity will not be accepted.
For the 48 Hour Film Race, the contest theme will be announced
during Wilderness Wildlife Week at 10 AM on Tuesday, May 8 in
Greenbriar Hall C. Those participating have until 10 AM on
Thursday, May 10 to submit their short films (no longer than 3
minutes) for judging and showcasing. All submissions will be
shown with winners announced beginning at 4:45pm on
Saturday, May 12 in Greenbriar Hall C.
Wilderness Wildlife Week Photography Contest Goes to Digital
Display Format - For our photography friends, there are some
major changes for this year’s photography contest. For the first
time ever, submissions for the contest will be digital only. What
this means is the contest will no longer display printed images for
judging and will be a Digital Display Photography Contest. This
change has been made for a myriad of reasons as we know it will
make the contest easier and more affordable to enter.
Additionally, the categories and submission guidelines have also
changed. Additionally, there will be special physical
photography displays you do not want to miss!
Wordsmiths of the Smokies: A New Programming Track - As a
way to celebrate those who use the art of spoken and written
words, Wordsmiths of the Smokies is a special programming
tract celebrating authors, storytellers, and poetry of the Great
Smoky Mountains. This special series is set for Saturday, May 12
in North 2AB. For a complete schedule of programs in this series,
please see the Saturday program schedule. 800-251-9100
Steaks • Escargot • Lobster • Shrimp • Tilapia • Prime Rib • Trout • Pork • Chicken
Pasta • Appetizers • Soups • Salads • Desserts • Kids Menu • Full Cocktail Service
Shuttle service is the only transportation for
visitor access during this period, except for
registered campers at Elkmont Campground.
Visitors are not allowed to walk the Elkmont
entrance road due to safety concerns.
Vi s i t o r s m a y v i s i t t h e w e b s i t e a t
www.recreation.gov and search for “Firefly
Event” for more information and to enter the
lottery. Parking passes may also be obtained by
calling 1-877-444-6777, but park officials
encourage the use of the online process. The
$20.00 reservation fee covers the cost of
awarding the passes, viewing supplies, and
nightly personnel costs for managing the
viewing opportunity at Sugarlands Visitor
Center and Elkmont.
www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm