Synchronous Fireflies Of The Smokies 2025
June 27, 2025
As Gatlinburg continues to grow, evolve and attract nationwide and global attention from guests and businesses, it can be difficult to tell from where you are getting an authentic “Gatlinburg” experience from a locally sourced creator and provider. This blog article posted from Gatlinburg.com posted earlier this month gives a great, updated look at which creators and providers are indeed our own residents and neighbors here in the great mountain city!
Here is what Gatlinburg.com writes:
“Gatlinburg has always been a creative mecca, and it remains one today. From landscape painters inspired by the glory of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to artisans crafting souvenirs tourists treasure, Gatlinburg inspires makers. Whether you’re shopping for a unique memento for your walls or your wardrobe, you’ll find it here. That includes locally made food, wine and spirits worthy of a feast. We’ve rounded up a sampling of Gatlinburg’s local goods.
Fine Art
Numerous fine artists reside locally, inspired by nature and the pace of life in East Tennessee. Terri Waters Gallery showcases the Gatlinburg native’s watercolor, oils and acrylics. Vern Hippensteal Gallery offers paintings and drawings reflecting the mountains and Appalachian heritage. Watercolors delight at A. Jann Pietso Art, brimming with paintings for sale and inviting guests to paint their own with an appointment.
Natural Crafts
Nature makes the best tools of the trade around these parts. From wood to clay, local artisans specialize in hand-hewn creativity with locally sourced materials. Otto Preske-Artist in Wood is an award-winning carver of everything from fireplace mantels to special order pieces with architectural or religious elements. Fowler’s Clay Works, Buie Pottery and Judy Jones Pottery are favorite sources for hand-thrown treasures. Beech Branch Crafts and Wood Signs of Gatlinburg produce personalized wood signs and so much more.
Local Flavors
Savor the tastes of the Smokies with food products made in Gatlinburg. After you butter your biscuits, reach for Southern spreads from Smoky Mountain Farms Jelly House. Byrd’s Famous Cookies has been making tiny treats for generations. Tasty spots like Lit’l Donut Shop, Maddog’s Creamery & Donuts and The Donut Friar sell scrumptious homemade donuts – as cute as they are delicious.
Sip the Smokies
Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery and Sugarlands Distilling Company make gift-worthy liquors, while Tennessee Cider Company and Tennessee Stud Cider perfect their tart homemade hard ciders. Gatlinburg boasts multiple local wineries, including Bootleggers Homemade Wine, Elkmont Winery and Gatlinburg Winery.
Bejeweled Wares
Stock up on local beauty while you’re here. At Glassblowers of Gatlinburg and Jewelry Shop, you’ll find hand-blown glass items, jewelry and an assortment of other fanciful finds. You can also make your own fused glass art at Love Life Live Life or at Firefly Glass Studio. Smoky Mountain Gold sells handmade jewelry and preserved nature items from local artisans and Wire Wonders creates beautiful wire wrapped jewelry. Local silver shop The Silver Tree sells hard to find sterling silver and high fashion jewelry.
Keepsake Treasures
Take home a mountain memento from Gatlinburg. Auto Tags of Gatlinburg has been crafting personalized plates for almost four decades. Ogle’s Broom Shop is run by third-generation crafters who sell unique brooms, canes and hiking sticks. Get your name stamped on a belt while you wait at The Leather Work, which also offers guitar straps, wallets, purses and more.
Bath & Body
Refresh your spirits and invest in your health with locally made body products. Stock up on handcrafted bath items from The Basket Case Soap Company and Misty Mountain Soap. Perfect Essentials stocks soaps, candles, gourmet foods, artisan gifts and more. More Than a Candle’s hand-poured candles can be used as lotion after they burn.”
See this and other happenings and blog entries from Gatlinburg’s official website at https://www.gatlinburg.com.
