Cirque de Chine

For more information about live shows and attractions in the Great Smoky Mountains, visit www.escapetothesmokies.com.

Dollywood to Host KidsFest 2010

This summer, a new spin on a familiar favorite is in store for KidsFest (June 11-Aug. 1, 2010) at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, as a different headliner appears each week in the park’s new Adventure Theatre. Special family entertainment includes The Paper World Show by Mimirichi, comedic juggler Mark Nizer, extreme magician Curtis Adams, master ventriloquist Kevin Johnson, Fan Yang’s Gazillion Bubble Show, The Passing Zone and much more. Don’t miss it! For more information about KidsFest at Dollywood, visit www.dollywood.com.

Planning to visit the Great Smoky Mountains this summer? Check out the latest deals at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort features the 60,000-square-foot Wild Bear Falls water park (the largest indoor water park in the South), two outdoor pools, two hot tubs, fitness facility and 24-hour marketplace. Enjoy award-winning barbecue at the casual Westgate Smokehouse Grill. The adjacent Mason Jar Lounge serves appetizers and snacks along with your favorite beverage. Escape to the new Serenity Spa by Westgate and indulge in a mountain hot stone massage, manicure, pedicure or facial. For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wgsmokymountains.com.

Flashback: Goldrush Junction, ca. 1966

Rebel Railroad, which opened in Pigeon Forge in 1961, was renamed Goldrush Junction in 1966. In 1976, Goldrush Junction was renamed simply “Goldrush.” In 1977, Goldrush was renamed Silver Dollar City Tennessee. In 1986, country music superstar Dolly Parton became co-owner of Silver Dollar City Tennessee and the name was again changed to Dollywood. And now you know the rest of the story!