The Great Smoky Mountains are celebrating their 75th year as one of America’s National Parks. After being established in 1934, the Smoky Mountains have become the most visited national park with over 9 million visitors annually. Located near the beautiful towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, the park easily provides vacationers with a mix outdoor fun and nearby entertainment, including Pigeon Forge’s Dixie Stampede and Dollywood.

The 800 square mile park - about 187,000 acres – has a lot to explore, which can be done in a variety of ways. Auto touring is a favorite for many, as travelers can see gorgeous views of the wilderness from Highway 441. There are also plenty of scenic stops and flowing creeks to stop at, which make auto touring a relaxing way to take in the beauty of the area. Hiking in the Smoky Mountains is also a favorite activity and with over 150 official hikes to choose from, there is enough to see and do in the Great Smoky Mountains that visitors come again and again to see more of the scenic area.

The 75th Anniversary Smoky Mountain Celebration is presenting several events and activities. Here’s what’s happening this spring:

Music of the Mountains: Scheduled for March 28th, this event celebrates the Appalachian heritage of this area and the music it has created. There are six performances scheduled throughout the day, with the event commencing at 6:30pm with a concert by Jimbo Whaley.

Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage: This week-long event takes place April 22 – April 26. It is an educational event geared towards informing participants on the flora, fauna, and culture of the park. Headquartered at Mills Conference Center in Gatlinburg, the event costs $20 for one day or $40 for two more days for adults. Students are $10 for one or more day and children 12 and under are free.

National Junior Ranger Day: This free event is scheduled for April 25 from 10am – 2pm. Children and their families can join in a variety of free hands-on activities that range from searching for salamanders to making dinner bells at a blacksmith shop. Historic toy making, weaving, wildflower searches, and other natural and cultural opportunities will be available.

Cosby in the Park: On May 16th, this free event will be open to the public from 10am – 4pm. This event spotlights the Cosby community, which is partially located in the Great Smoky Mountains. This event features old-time mountain music, storytelling, old-fashioned children's games, and traditional crafts.

Great Smoky Mountains Natioanl Park 75th Anniversary – Oconaluftee: Programs and exhibits will celebrate Smoky Mountain life from the Cherokee through park establishment on June 15. A ground breaking ceremony will symbolically initiate the construction of a new Oconaluftee Visitor Center and history cultural museum.

Battle of Burg Hill- Civil War Re-enactment: A Civil War Re-enactment and Living History Days of the historic Battle of Burg Hill, the only Civil War skirmish in Gatlinburg. Join hundreds of Civil War historian re-enactors camping and living as was done in 1865. Witness a battle between the Blue and Gray with infantry and canons. Learn the history and experience Civil War living first hand. Educational and entertaining for the entire family. This event is scheduled for June 19-21.

Dinner on the Grounds: Cliff Dwellers Gallery will host 'Dinner on the Grounds' as a fundraiser with all proceeds going to the Park. Dinners will be based on a typical 1930's Sunday noon meal similar to one served at the Wonderland Hotel at that time. Dinner will be served on Sunday, July 5, 2009 from 11 am to 3 pm. The charge will be the 1930's price of 35 cents plus a donation to the Park ($5.00 suggested minimum). This is the last of three 'Dinner on the Grounds.' Celebrate our country's 4th of July & the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Art and Artists of the Great Smoky Mountains, Before and after the Creation of the Park: Art and Artists of the Great Smoky Mountains, before and after the Creation of the Park" is a feature exhibition of the East Tennessee Historical Society. Through historical works of art, the exhibition highlights the lives and artistic expression of artists both local and visiting who chose the Great Smoky Mountains as their subject. This exhibit begins July 20 and runs through October 4.

Stringtime in the Smokies: A musical celebration of Appalachian life with a variety of well-known performers appearing throughout the event. Featured music will include traditional, bluegrass, and Americana styles with an emphasis on bluegrass. Activities for youngsters are on-site, along with excellent festival foods. This event is scheduled for August 14 & 15.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary - Park Rededication: On September 2 a rededication of the park, reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historic 1940 park dedication speech, will be enacted at the Rockefeller Memorial at Newfound Gap. Special invitations to attend the ceremony will be issued accompanied by live broadcasts at the parks gateway communities.

Mountain Life Festival: Join park staff and volunteers on September 19 as we celebrate the fall harvest. The Mountain Farm Museum will be alive with history as demonstrators provide visitors with a glimpse into the past as they make soap, apple cider, sorghum molasses, hominy, music and more.

97th Cherokee Indian Fair: Scheduled for October 6-10, the fair offers an opening parade, midway, fireworks, traditional Cherokee food and competitions that bring out the best of the Eastern Bands basket makers, carvers, quilters, gardeners and more.

Sawin' in the Smokies: Scheduled for October 17 & 18, this event will be a fall festival centered around a 10 event lumberjack and Chainsaw carving competition with auction. The lumberjack event will also be this years US national "Single Buck"(Cross-Cut saw) Championships. In addition, there will be storytellers, bluegrass music, and arts and crafts vendors. There will be pig catching contests for the children, along with pony rides, a mini petting zoo, and hayrides all weekend. Ample parking, restrooms, and concessions will be available. the event is being held in Wears Valley Tn,in a very nice old field, with the mountains, Cove Mountain in particular, towering above and all around.The chainsaw carvers will carve a "masterpiece" and have 2 seperate hour long "quick carves" with all work to be auctioned for charity.

Thanksgiving in the Mountains: Scheduled for November 23 - 29, Fontana Village will bring together all the food and activities that make Thanksgiving in the mountains what it is with cooking seminars by local chefs using locally grown and indigenous plants and meats, family fun and activities, arts & crafts, music and entertainment throughout the Village.

Festival of Christmas Past: 2009 will mark the 34th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration, to be held Saturday, December 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sugarlands Visitor Center. The event, sponsored in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains Association, is free to the public. The popular event is a celebration of Christmas and winter in the Smokies. Around Christmas time, people gathered in churches, homes, and schools, and many of them celebrated the holiday through music, storytelling, and crafts. The Festival of Christmas Past lets us pause and remember some of these traditions. The festival will include old-time mountain music and Old Harp singing, as well as demonstrations of traditional domestic skills such as the basketmaking, quilting, spinning, and apple butter making.

Holiday Homecoming: On Saturday, December 19, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a holiday homecoming at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and the Mountain Farm Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The visitor center will be decorated for the holiday season and will include an exhibit on Christmas in the mountains in the past. Hot cider and cookies will also be served. The Davis/Queen farmhouse at the Mountain Farm Museum will be open for visitors to walk through and park staff and volunteers will provide demonstrations and music.

For a complete schedule of 75th Anniversary Events, click here.