Despite Heat Wave, There's a Chill in the Air in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

July 22, 2011 - PRLog -- PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (July 2011) – The heat of summer is upon us, but there are thoughts of winter´s chill in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., because the Southeast Tourism Society has named Pigeon Forge Winterfest a Top 20 Event in the Southeast.

Pigeon Forge Winterfest is a mixture of holiday celebrations, themed special events and millions of decorative lights. That combination created an entirely new visitor season for Pigeon Forge when Winterfest started in 1990.

The Top 20 Events in the Southeast program is a long-running project of the Southeast Tourism Society, an association that promotes travel in a 12-state region stretching from West Virginia to Florida to Louisiana.

Pigeon Forge Winterfest kicks off Nov. 8 with a lighting ceremony and musical entertainment in Patriot Park. It continues through Feb. 29, 2012, attracting visitors all winter to this gateway city to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

After activity that focuses on Christmas and New Year´s, Winterfest continues with special events in January and February.

Wilderness Wildlife Week, Jan. 7-14, 2012, offers eight days of programs and activities about Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other outdoor topics, while Saddle Up!, Feb. 23-26, 2012, brings a taste of the Old West to Pigeon Forge with cowboy poetry, western music and a chuckwagon cookoff.

"Getting a ´Top 20 Events´ designation for Winterfest is a great tribute to a solid idea and many people´s hard work," said Leon Downey, Pigeon Forge´s executive director of tourism.

Complete visitor information about Pigeon Forge is available online at www.MyPigeonForge.com or by calling toll-free to 1-800-251-9100. Travel information from the Southeast Tourism Society and a complete list of Top 20 Events are at www.EscapeToTheSoutheast.com.