Gatlinburg’s Independence Day festivities continue with long-standing traditional events that include the River Raft Regatta and, yep, the fireworks when night comes back to the mountains.
Here’s what Gatlinburg.com has to share on these festivities:
“Gatlinburg’s River Raft Regatta
Gatlinburg’s most-nail biting race of the summer returns! Set against the backdrop of Gatlinburg’s fun-filled Fourth of July celebration, comes the ever-competitive River Raft Regatta, an annual race of unmanned floatables down the Little Pigeon River.
All contestants will begin the day at the race’s starting line at the former Christ in the Smokies Museum, beginning from 11 a.m. to register their floatable. The race kicks off at 1 p.m. and ends after all floatables have crossed the finish line at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
Eventgoers can opt to enter a rented rubber duck into the competition (or bring your own decorated boat in whimsical or traditional décor at no cost) for $2 or 3 for $5 onsite. All proceeds go to the Gatlinburg Chamber Foundation and is a great way to for everyone to participate in this fun, thrilling event. This year’s River Raft Regatta will issue trophies to those who finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Treasure, Duck and Most Creative Float categories.
Come be a part of the Fourth of July tradition beloved by Gatlinburg visitors of all ages!”
See this event at https://www.gatlinburg.com/event/gatlinburgs-river-raft-regatta/21/.
“4th Of July Celebration at Gatlinburg SkyPark
The City of Gatlinburg will be shooting fireworks off of the Space Needle right in the heart of downtown to celebrate the Fourth of July, and New This Year, the City will be putting on a Drone Show to go with the fireworks! Along with this, the SkyPark will be hosting a private VIP fireworks and drone show viewing at the top of our mountain. Guests will have VIP after-hours access to the SkyBridge, SkyTrail, SkyDeck, and SkyCenter! VIP ticket holders will also get all day access to the SkyPark on July 5th. Come enjoy the show with the Best View in all of Gatlinburg, this fireworks event is designated as a Top 20 event by the Southeast Tourism Society, so you don’t want to miss out!
A limited number of tickets are available to ensure a great experience for all. Guests are asked to arrive between 9:00 – 9:30 pm to redeem their tickets and load the SkyLift.”
See this event at https://www.gatlinburg.com/event/fourth-of-july-celebration-at-gatlinburg-skypark/799/.
“4th of July Fireworks and Drone Show
Designated a Top 20 event by Southeast Tourism Society, join the celebration in downtown Gatlinburg to mark our nation’s “Independence Day” with a magnificent fireworks and drone show. The City of Gatlinburg will light up the mountain skyline downtown with spectacular fireworks at the Gatlinburg Space Needle and a fantastic drone display featuring patriotic themes launching from the top of the Convention Center.
This year’s drone show has doubled in size from 100 drones to 200 drones! The Drone Show will start at approximately 10:50 PM displaying 13 – 18 images over a 10 minute span, with the fireworks starting at 11 PM.
The show is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to find parking and avoid road closures.”
See this event at https://www.gatlinburg.com/event/4th-of-july-fireworks-and-drone-show/815/.
