Contact: Erin Brock
CKPR
407-541-0812
ebrock@ckpramplified.com
or
Andrew J. Groveman
Belz Enterprises
901/260-7348

 

AUTHENTIC SMOKY MOUNTAIN CELEBRATION TO BE HELD AT BELZ FACTORY OUTLET WORLD - PIGEON FORGE
"Smoky Mountain Traditions" Honor Old-Fashioned Activities

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Mar. 14, 2003) - Belz Factory Outlet World - Pigeon Forge celebrates the inaugural "Smoky Mountain Traditions," Mar. 20 - 23, with a weekend of festivities. The festival includes entertainment and demonstrations in blacksmithing, soap making, woodcarving and other traditional mountain hobbies.

Attendees can discover old-fashioned Smoky Mountain customs where they are still observed, with authentic demonstrations depicting early Appalachian life. The festival will showcase reminders of mountain culture, such as blue grass and gospel music, hand-made crafts, and story telling. Local writers will share their stories and Appalachian experiences. An outdoor stage will be built for musical performances and entertainment.

"As a vital part of the Pigeon Forge community, Belz Factory Outlet World is proud to host this City of Pigeon Forge event, which celebrates the culture and people of the Smoky Mountains," said Belz Factory Outlet World General Manager Sandy Sandiford.

The three-day festival coincides with the annual Smoky Mountains Springfest. Activities will begin Thursday morning, Mar. 20, at Belz Factory Outlet World Annex 1, with a Cross Bench Spelling Bee. Daylong activities continue throughout the weekend. A detailed schedule of the festival's events follows.

About Belz Factory Outlet World - Pigeon Forge

Belz Factory Outlet World - Pigeon Forge offers more than 85 outlet stores where shoppers can save up to 75 percent. Choose from name brands such as Etienne Aigner, Buster Brown, Dickies, Hush Puppies Factory Direct, Levi's and Big Dog Sportswear. Special events are held year-round. The mall, which is located at 2655 Teaster Lane in Pigeon Forge, is open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

About Belz Enterprises

With headquarters in Memphis, Belz Enterprises is a multi-faceted real estate company with more than 30 million square feet of developed property, including more than 40 shopping complexes, ranging from community shopping centers to regional malls. Belz developed and manages Factory Outlet Worlds in Lakeland and Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; Las Vegas, Nev.; St. Augustine, Fla.; and Orlando, Fla., where the company also operates Belz Designer Outlet Centre. In 2001, the firm opened Belz Factory Outlet World-Puerto Rico, the first enclosed factory outlet mall on Puerto Rico. In addition, Belz operates 100 Oaks Mall in Nashville, Tenn. The company also has developed and owns a group of premier hotels, including the flagship Peabody Hotels in Memphis and Orlando and the recently opened Peabody Hotel in Little Rock, Ark.

Smoky Mountain Traditions Events
Belz Factory Outlet World Annex #1

Thursday, Mar. 20

10 - 10:50 a.m. Spelling Bee
Ms. Sally Tate's Honors English Class demonstrates the Cross Bench Spelling Bee.

11 - 11:50 a.m. The Tradition of Smoky Mountain Weavers
Francis Fox Shambaugh

1 - 1:50 p.m. Book Talk
Bill Hooks, author of Whistle Over the Mountain

2 - 2:50 p.m. Corn, the Staple of Mountain Life
Herb Clabo

3 - 5 p.m. Mountain Treasures
Hosted by Bill Landry, featuring many of our older Smoky Mountain neighbors - the treasures of our day.

Friday, Mar. 21

10 - 10:50 a.m. Arthur McDade
Author of Old Smoky Days.

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Book Talks Panel:
Bunkie Lynn, author of A Comedy of Heirs; Arthur McDade; & Veta King, author of Mountain Folks of Old Smoky
1 - 1:50 p.m. Glenn Cardwell
2 - 2:30 p.m. Old Harp Singing Tradition in the Great Smoky Mountains
Larry Olszewski
2:39 - 3:30 p.m. Wild Edibles
Ila Hatter
4 - 5 p.m. Book Talks Panel:
Dwight McCarter, author of Lost! and co-author of Mayday! Mayday!; Jeff Wadley, co-author of Mayday! Mayday!; Juanita Baldwin, author of Smoky Mountain Mysteries; Harvey Oakley, author of Rememberin' the Roamin' Man of the Mountains.
7 - 8 p.m. Fox Fire: From Classroom Project to Appalachian Phenomenon
Margie Bennett, Maggie Whitmire, Stephanie Jobbit, & Fawn McCracken.

Saturday, Mar. 22, 2003

10 - 11 a.m. Book Talks Panel:
Jean Bushyhead, daughter of Cherokee author Robert Bushyhead (Yonder Mountain and Curious One)
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Book Talks Panel:
Margie Bennett, co-editor Foxfire 8 & 9; Sam Venable, author of Mountain Hands: A Portrait of Southern Appalachia and others; Fred Brown, author of The Serpent Handlers: Three Families & Their Faith.
1:30 - 2:30 p.m. The Awful Truth's Not So Awful... It's Just SCARY!
What Aspiring Writers Must Know to Hone Their Craft and Get Published, by Bunkie Lynn
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Sam Venable, humor columnist for Knoxville News-Sentinel
Author and speaker shares his best East Tennessee mountain humor stories.
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Serpent Handlers & Their Faith
Fred Brown, senior writer for Knoxville News-Sentinel, and his wife Jeanne McDonald, contributing editor for Metro Pulse, tell about this intriguing mountain practice.

Smoky Mountain Traditions
Belz Factory Outlet World

Mar. 20 - 22, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Daily

Smoky Mountain Antique Engines Association - Exhibit and demonstration of antique engines and tractors, with engines dating back to mid-1800s and tractors to early 1900s.


Old-Time Games - Hoop-rolling, stilt-walking and much more in an adult-supervised, fenced area.


Crafters demonstrations - Authentic Appalachian crafts including corn-shuck doll making, hominy making, basket weaving, soap making, harp playing, dulcimer playing, and much more.

Musical Entertainment:

Intermittent throughout day each day - Christopher Karow will encourage the formation of pickup groups in various locations, providing his upright bass as the foundation for each group.

Thursday, Mar. 20

11 - 11:45 a.m. Frank Ledgerwood plays traditional Appalachian music on the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer and mountain harp.


12 - 12:45 p.m. Bob Brittle & Russell Fox perform a variety of traditional tunes made famous by the likes of Woodie Guthrie & the Carter Family.


1 - 1:30 p.m. Bill Alexander recites original mountain poetry.


1:30 - 3 p.m. Intermission


3 - 3:45 p.m. Frank Ledgerwood returns to the stage with his authentic mountain instruments.


4 - 4:45 p.m. Locust Ridge performs a variety of bluegrass tunes featuring their own harmony stylings.

Friday, Mar. 21

10 - 10:45 a.m. Doyles River Bluegrass Gospel from Crozet, Virginia perform a number of old-time bluegrass gospel songs.


11 - 11:45 a.m. Frank Ledgerwood plays traditional Appalachian music on the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer and mountain harp.


12 - 12:45 p.m. David West, owner of Ciderville Music in Powell, Tennessee shows why he is one of the most respected regional names in bluegrass music as he performs his arrangements of traditional bluegrass songs.


1 - 1:30 p.m. Bill Alexander recites original mountain poetry


2 - 2:45 p.m. Tess Carlson with Bible Storytelling


3 - 3:45 p.m. David West, owner of Ciderville Music in Powell, Tennessee shows why he is one of the most respected regional names in bluegrass music as he performs his arrangements of traditional bluegrass songs.


4 - 4:45 p.m. Locust Ridge performs a variety of bluegrass tunes featuring their own harmony stylings.

Saturday, Mar. 22

10 - 10:45 a.m. Frank Ledgerwood plays traditional Appalachian music on the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer and mountain harp.


10:45 - 11 a.m. Bill Alexander recites original mountain poetry.


11 - 11:45 a.m. Shilo Band plays bluegrass in the traditional Appalachian way - loud, proud, and very, very fast.


12 - 12:45 p.m. Ball Sisters Band brings the new generation of traditional bluegrass musicians to the stage as teenage musicians Jessica & Cris Ball play fiddle & mandolin respectively in their own six-piece band.


1 - 1:45 p.m. Doyles River Bluegrass Gospel from Crozet, Virginia perform a number of old-time bluegrass gospel songs.


2 - 2:45 p.m. Tess Carlson with Bible Storytelling


3 - 3:45 p.m. Shilo Band plays bluegrass in the traditional Appalachian way.


4 - 4:45 p.m. Locust Ridge performs a variety of bluegrass tunes featuring their own harmony stylings.

Sunday, Mar. 23

Old-Time Games - Horseshoes, hoop-rolling, stilt-walking and much more in an adult-supervised, fence area.

Musical Entertainment:

11 - 11:45 a.m. Frank Ledgerwood plays traditional Appalachian music on the mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer and mountain harp.


12 - 12:45 p.m. Jack Hodge performs a number of Southern Gospel songs.


1 - 1:45 p.m. Silver Lining performs a number of Southern Gospel songs.


2 - 2:45 p.m. Tess Carlson with Bible Storytelling


3 - 3:45 p.m. Locust Ridge performs a variety of bluegrass tunes with emphasis on bluegrass gospel.