10 Winter Festivals In Tennessee That Are Simply Unforgettable
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Meghan Kraft
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A wintry southern festival is just what the doctor ordered if you’re looking for a holiday wonderland without the biting cold. Yes, Tennessee can get a little bit chilly – but nothing like the north. Brrrr. Take a look at these 10 winter festivals in Tennessee that will forever make lovely memories and good stories. They’ll take you all over the state!
The Opryland Hotel knows how to do Christmas. You can walk through the hotel and grounds for free to see all of the lights, trees, and displays. Or, you can book a hotel package that includes a room, tickets to all of their holiday shows, and a picture package with Santa himself!
The local churches come together to put on this one-night-only, unique holiday celebration. Participants will hear Christmas messages at five downtown churches as they walk through the city's historic downtown by candlelight. The 2016 Advent walk is scheduled for November 30th, for those who want to join.
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Scheduled for December 3rd, 2016, this parade is the quintessential hometown parade. Come for the parade and stay for the Smoky Mountain Winterfest in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, a 25-mile stretch of Christmas that features over 15 million lights!
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The Christmas Underground features family activities including the Sugar Plum Fairy Village, an interactive journey to search for the "Joystone," and a secret underground ice cave that leads straight to Santa at the North Pole!
Santa comes to visit Jonesborough every Saturday after Thanksgiving. All of the Christmas activities are free, and the stores in the downtown area even offers free gift wrapping on any purchases.
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The celebration of lights features the lighting of the town Christmas tree in Krutch Park. There are also crafts for kids, put on by local businesses, as well as live music and pictures with Santa. The event is free, but it has already passed for 2016 - so mark your calendars for next year.
Downtown Bell Buckle ushers in the holiday spirit with this festival that features live reindeer and free sleigh rides with Santa. The festivities are every Saturday afternoon in December.
Each year at Thanksgiving, the mansion is decorated in Victorian Era style. The mansion throws luxurious (and pricey) luncheons and dinners with all proceeds going towards the restoration of the property. You can still take a standard tour though to see the Christmas display.
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Located in Memphis's Shelby Farms, the Starry Nights festival features nearly two million lights along a 30-45 minute drive-through display. There's even a petting zoo with kangarros, camels, and llamas.
Located in historic Downtown Franklin, this festival has been going strong for 32 years. Musicians, dancers, and period characters from Charles Dickens' stories. This year's festival is December 10th and 11th, and the forecast calls for a 100% chance of snow (it might be fake).
If you’re all set on the Christmas front, check out these free things to do in Tennessee!
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