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Exterior of the Blount County Public LIbrary
Holly Kays

Blount library events to celebrate Appalachian writers October 25

A full day of literary community and authorial exploration is coming to the Blount County Public Library in Maryville on Saturday, October 25. The day starts off with the Anna Belle Smith Literary Festival, held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and culminates with a 5:30 p.m. event from the Tremont Writers Conference. The event, “Writing Rural America,” will bring together four renowned Appalachian authors to

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Holly Kays October 4, 2025
Photo of a man standing at a lectern in front of a crowd of people.
Holly Kays

Record crowd at Outdoor Economy Conference contemplates investment in recovery

Born from the high, cold springs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and destined for the Gulf of Mexico, the clear waters of the Oconaluftee River have a long journey ahead. The river flows through the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ homeland in Cherokee, North Carolina, and joins increasingly voluminous waterways as it travels toward the sea. The Cherokee know this southbound path as the

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Holly Kays September 30, 2025
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Great Smokies

Welcome Center

Hours of Operation

(subject to change)

Open year round (closed December 25)


January - February

Open Daily 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

March - November

Open Daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
December

Open Daily 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

The Great Smokies Welcome Center is located on U.S. 321 in Townsend, TN, 2 miles from the west entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors can get information about things to see and do in and around the national park and shop from a wide selection of books, gifts, and other Smokies merchandise. Daily, weekly, and annual parking tags for the national park are also available.

Physical Address

7929 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway Townsend TN 37882

Contact

865.436.7318 Ext 320