| Pigeon
Forge, TN – October 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / Preparations are
underway for the 25th presentation of Wilderness
Wildlife Week, Pigeon Forge’s annual salute to Great Smoky Mountains
National Park and numerous outdoor recreation topics. Dates are Jan. 24-31,
2015.
East Tennessee wildlife photographer
Ken Jenkins had no idea his suggestion for a winter program about the Great
Smoky Mountains would become a much-loved winter event that draws visitors
from across the U.S.
The first year of what became
Wilderness Wildlife Week was a half-day of programs on a Saturday. It was
so successful that it blossomed into a weeklong event in its second year.
It now features 400 programs
spread over eight days, including a series of hikes and excursions in Great
Smoky Mountains National Park.
Wilderness Wildlife Week
2014 had attendees from 41 states. Hawaii wasn’t represented, but Alaska
was, event organizers noted.
Total program attendance
was 27,800, and almost 550 hikers logged 2,588 miles. New for 2014 was
the Southern Trout Fly Fishing Fair, a day of programs about mountain trout,
fly-fishing and fly-tying put on by the online magazine Southern Trout,
an online magazine. The second Southern Trout Fly Fishing Fair is set for
Jan. 31.
Each year offers photography
workshops, wildlife lectures, mountain music mini-concerts, crafts classes
and special sessions for children.
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More than 200 experts –
nature photographers, biologists, raptor rehabilitators, social historians,
musicians and just plain folks who grew up in the Smokies|–|donate
their time to lead the programs.
The Pigeon
Forge Department of Tourism organizes the week, and admission is free.
Most of the events are indoors at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge, a
city-owned special events facility.
Wilderness Wildlife Week,
named 10 times as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event, is a part of
Pigeon Forge Winterfest, which starts in November and goes through February.
Pigeon Forge completes Winterfest
with Saddle Up, a celebration of cowboy poetry, western music and chuck
wagon cooking, Feb. 18-22.
Information about all aspects
of visiting Pigeon Forge is at MyPigeonForge.com
or by calling 800-251-9100.
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Media Contact:
Tom
Adkinson, APR
for Pigeon Forge Department
of Tourism
615-341-8796 |
