Posted by: TheWiseman on: November 3, 2009
Celebrity narrators have been announced for the Epcot Candlelight Processional, which will take place November 27 through December 30, 2009. The Candlelight Processional, which includes a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra, will take place at America Gardens Theatre nightly at 5 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:15 PM.
Celebrity Narrator Schedule
November 27-29, 2009 – Isabella Rossellini
November 30 & December 1-2, 2009 – John O’Hurley
December 3-5, 2009 – Steven Curtis Chapman
December 6-8, 2009 – Anika Noni Rose
December 9-11, 2009 – Andy Garcia
December 12-14, 2009 – Vanessa Williams
December 15-17, 2009 – Abigail Breslin
December 18-20, 2009 – Whoopi Goldberg
December 21-23, 2009 – Brian Dennehy
December 24-26, 2009 – Edward James Olmos
December 27-30, 2009 – Angela Bassett/Courtney B. Vance
For more information about Epcot, visit http://www.orlando-florida.net.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: October 22, 2009
The 2009 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will feature a “rockin’ new stage show” called “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas!” that will star Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and other popular Disney characters. The interactive musical revue boasts “songs of the season” in the style of today’s hottest Radio Disney hits. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will also include Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, Holiday Wishes-Celebrate the Spirit of the Season fireworks spectacular plus special shows featuring Disney characters, carolers, festive tree lightings and more. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will take place at 7 PM on November 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 29, and December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 18, 2009. Advance tickets are suggested. Visit disneyworld.com/christmasparty for more information.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: October 1, 2009
House of Blues Annual Folk Art Festival – October 3-4, 2009
Local and regional artists will mingle with visitors are the House of Blues for a weekend of art, food, handmade collectibles and live music at the Folk Art Festival.
Shrimp & Jazz Festival – October 10-11, 2009
Combining the very best in live jazz and flavorful locally sourced shrimp, the Shrimp & Jazz Festival in Little River is a fall afternoon treat held each year in early October.
South Carolina Fossil Fair – October 31, 2009
Sure to bring out the inner scientist in everyone, the South Carolina Fossil Fair at the Ocean Lakes Family Campground’s Recreation Building features fossil identification and a fossil hunt.
Loris Bog Off – October 17, 2009
The community of Loris’ annual Bog Off is a celebration of heritage expressed through a top-notch cooking competition to determine the best chicken bog – a spicy blend of rice, chicken sausage, onion and black pepper served in a “big ‘ol bowl.” The festivities include a parade, arts/crafts and live entertainment.
Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Weekend Festival – October 24-25, 2009
Visitors of all ages will enjoy the fall festivities at the Harvest Home Weekend Festival at Brookgreen Gardens. Highlights will include live entertainment, scarecrow building contest, pumpkin painting, hay rides and more.
Murrells Inlet Annual Oyster Roast – November 21, 2009
The historic fishing village of Murrells Inlet serves up an afternoon filled with bushels and bushels of sweet local oysters during the community’s annual Oyster Roast. Oyster fans can enjoy a great all-you-can-eat afternoon of steamed oysters and great offerings from Dead Dog Saloon, Drunken Jack’s, Divine Fish House, Bovine’s, River City Cafe and more.
Seeking affordable accommodations during your next Myrtle Beach getaway? Look no farther than Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort, which features spacious accommodations, a variety of onsite amenities and an ideal location that provides easy access to area attractions. For more information about Westgate Myrtle Beach, visit www.wgmyrtlebeach.com.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: September 8, 2009
One of the best (and busiest!) times to visit the Great Smoky Mountains is during the month of October – the peak season for fall foliage when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park comes alive with a brilliant blaze of red, orange and yellow leaves, as well as fresh, crisp mountain air. Some of the best fall colors can be viewed along Newfound Gap Road, the scenic 32-mile stretch of U.S. 441 that winds the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to Cherokee, North Carolina.
An abundance of festivals and special events also take place throughout the Smokies during the autumn months. For example, the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival, which runs from September 18 through October 31, 2009, features live entertainment, old-fashioned hayrides, local crafts and more. Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Celebration, which takes place October 2-31, 2009, offers the best in Southern gospel music, along with the talents of more than 100 craftspeople. Named as one of the “Top 20 Events in the Southeastern United States” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the 34th-annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair (October 8-25, 2009) boasts more than 200 talented artists and craftspeople in the areas of pottery, woodworking, broommaking, stained glass, basketmaking and more. Old-fashioned Wagon Rides depart approximately every 45 minutes from the Mountain Mall at Traffic Light #6 in downtown Gatlinburg Sunday through Thursday from 5 PM to 9 PM (September 1 – October 29, 2009).
In addition, fall is the perfect time to drive through the 8-5-mile loop that comprises the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community, which contains numerous studios, shops and galleries. Founded in 1937, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community has evolved into the country’s largest organization of independent artisans. Mountain crafts that can be purchased here include woodcarving, pottery, quilting, painting, weaving, candlemaking, broommaking and more. The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community lies just 3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg on U.S. 321 North.
With great weather, colorful foliage, a multitude of lively festivals and a diversity of accommodation choices, the Great Smoky Mountains provide the perfect fall vacation destination. The fall traveler can choose from either resorts, hotels and motels convenient to downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, or rustic cabins and chalets nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. For instance, Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort offers great deals on spacious accommodations that provide easy access to Smoky Mountain area attractions, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Dollywood. For more information about Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort, visit www.wgsmokymountains.com.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: March 27, 2009
April 16-26, 2009
Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando, Florida
The 11-day Central Florida Fair features carnival rides, live music, regional arts and crafts, livestock shows and amazing interactive exhibits from April 16-26, 2009. Don’t miss it!
Posted by: TheWiseman on: March 17, 2009
March 28 – April 27, 2009
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
An international celebration, Dollywood’s Festival of Nations offers live entertainment, culture exhibits and great food. “Imagine presented by Le Grand Cirque” will make its debut at Dollywood’s Festival of Nations in 2009. Closed Tuesdays.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: March 12, 2009
March 23-29, 2009
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge
The 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational will take place from Monday, March 23 through Sunday, March 29, 2009, at the 7,137-yard, par-70 course at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Presented by MasterCard, The Arnold Palmer Invitational draws the world’s top professional golfers on the PGA Tour.
The event traces its history back to 1966 when it began as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational. Over the years, it has also been known as the Florida Citrus Invitational, Florida Citrus Open, Bay Hill Citrus Classic, Bay Hilll Classic, Hertz Bay Hill Classic, Nestle Invitational and Bay Hill Invitational. Palmer has owned Bay Hill Club & Lodge since 1976.
Tiger Woods captured the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational – his fifth win at the golf tournament since 2000! It was Woods’ 64th victory on the PGA Tour, tying him with Ben Hogan for third place on the career list behing Sam Snead (82 victories) and Jack Nicklaus (73 victories). Woods also became the first player in PGA Tour history to win four different tournaments at least five times each.
Other previous winners of the tournament include Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Fred Couples, Payne Stewart, Ernie Els, Paul Azinger, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw.
Admission is charged to the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Ticket options include the all-new King’s Club ($2,000), Bay Hill Badge ($300), Clubhouse Badge ($200), Palmer Pavilion Badge ($185), Grounds Badge ($95), Gold Patron Package ($3,500), Bay Hill Patron Package ($2,800), Practice/Pro Am Ticket ($35) and Any One Day Ticket ($45). In addition, daily parking is $20. For more information about the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational, visit www.arnoldpalmerinvitational.com.
Seeking spacious and affordable accommodations during your stay in Orlando to attend the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational? Look no farther than Westgate Resorts, which offers spacious villas, first-class amenities and convenient access to Bay Hill Club & Lodge, as well as Disney World theme parks and area attractions. Choose from Westgate Resorts properties such as Westgate Blue Tree Resort, Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa, Westgate Leisure Resort, Westgate Palace, Westgate Towers, Westgate Town Center and Westgate Vacation Villas. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgatedestinations.com.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: March 5, 2009
June 13, 2009
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The sounds of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) will grace the coves and hollows of Cades Cove on Saturday, June 13, 2009, at 3 PM with a variety of classical compositions during a 90-minute outdoor concert as part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th anniversary celebration. Led by Music Director Lucas Richman, the KSO will be joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, who will perform on a grand piano, reminiscent of his past performance at the national park’s 50th anniversary. The outdoor concert, in partnership with Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will be held in the Cable Mill area adjacent to the Cades Cove Visitor Center, located half-way around the 11-mile, one-way loop road. Due to limitations in the amount of parking available at the concert site, the event will be limited to those having purchased a vehicle pass in advance (1,500 vehicle passes will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis through the KSO’s ticketing channels.
The KSO’s Box Office will begin selling vehicle passes on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 9 AM, and continue Monday through Friday, March 30-April 3, between 9 AM and 5 PM until all passes are sold. The passes can only be purchased by calling the KSO Box Offic at (865) 291-3310. Only two passes will be issued per person. The cost of the event is $25 for vehicles with up to a 15-passenger capacity and $50 for vehicles with a capacity greater than 15 passengers. The vehicle pass issues, along with a ticket receipt, will be required for admisison. Since this is an outdoor concert with no weather shelter for the orchestra or the public, the concert will be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. There will no rain date scheduled and no refunds will be issued. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Friends of the Smokies, which is sponsoring the event. For more information, visit KSO’s website at www.knoxvillesymphony.com.
Posted by: TheWiseman on: February 25, 2009
March 16-18, 2009
Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and it’s not even March yet! Christmas is coming early to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, as Santas, Mrs. Clauses, elves, helpers and reindeer from around the world prepare for the jolliest even ever seen – Celebrate Santa 2009! Sleigh bells will be ringing as the Celebrate Santa convention kicks off on March 16, 2009, at the W.L. Mills Auditorium and Convention Center with opening ceremonies. The convention will continue until Wednesday, March 18, 2009. For three days, workshops, exhibits, entertainment, vendor showcase and a parade fill the agenda. The local public is invited to attend the spectacular Santa Showcase on the main floor of the Gatlinburg Convention Center. The showcase runs for the course of the convention. Everything from Santa suits to Christmas-related items will be featured. The Santa Showcase is open to the general public with a $3 admission. St. Nick meets St. Patrick in one of the most unique parades you will ever see. On March 17, 2009, the Holly and Shamrock Parade steps off in downtown Gatlinburg at 4:30 PM. The parade will feature floats, Santas, Mrs. Clauses and even Santa’s spectacular Cyber Sleigh.
Looking for comfortable and affordable accommodations during your stay at Celebrate Santa 2009? River Terrace Resort & Convention Center lies in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg and provides convenient access to the Gatlinburg Convention Center, downtown Gatlinburg attractions and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Private balconies overlooking the scenic Little Pigeon River, a full-service restaurant and lounge are just a few of the onsite amenities that can be found at River Terrace. Each of the guestrooms features cable TV, micro refrigerator, data port, microwave, balcony, coffee maker, voice mail, hairdryer and iron/ironing board. For more information about River Terrace Resort & Convention Center, visit www.riverterrace.com.
