Limited Seats Available for Great Smoky Mountains National Parks 75th rededication

If you want to be part of history with the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks 75th anniversary rededication at Newfound Gap on September 2nd straddling the North Carolina and Tennessee border, the time to act to get tickets is now as they probably will not last until the deadline of Monday August 24th.

While many were hoping that President Obama was going to be at the dedication since no other President has visited the park since it was dedicated by FDR at this very same spot, there is till a very impressive list of distinguished guests and dignitaries including:

• 75th Anniversary Ambassador to the Great Smoky Mountains national park Dolly Parton
• U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
• Governor of North Carolina Bev Perdue
• Governor of Tennessee Phil Bredesen
• Principal Chief Michele Hicks of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians
• U.S. Senator of North Carolina Richard Burr
• U.S. Senator of North Carolina Kay Hagan
• U.S. Senator of Tennessee Bob Corker
• U.S. Senator of Tennessee Lamar Alexander
• Congressmen Heath Shuler of North Carolina
• Congressmen John J. Duncan, Jr.
• Congressmen Phil Roe of Tennessee

Other important guest of honor will include other local and state elected officials, pre-park residents, and people who attended the original 1940 dedication and Civilian Conservation Corps members who built the roadways and trails in the park 75 years ago.

Governor Bev Perdue the of North Carolina who is at this time attending this event has been conspicuously absent from all of the other 75th anniversary Celebrations in the Great Smoky Mountains national park including the Governors Proclamation event at Clingmans Dome and the Oconaluftee visitors center ground breaking. Both of these events took place on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Though the program will start at 11:15 am with patriotic music being played by both the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School (TN) and the Swain County High School (NC) and is slated to end around 1 pm, expect to spend the entire day as moving 2,000 people up Newfound gap road and back down will present challenges. Buses will start as early as 8 pm and run until around 3 pm. So you will not have to pack out refreshments, foods and drink will be sold at the Newfound Gap area.

And if all this is not enough to make you want to come to the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks 75th anniversary rededication at Newfound Gap on September 2nd, Dolly Parton has graciously agreed to perform 2 songs she had written about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

How to Order Tickets for the September 2nd 75th anniversary rededication at Newfound Gap:

By Email:
Send an email requesting up to 4 tickets to GRSMComments@nps.gov with:

1. Your First and Last name as well as those of your guests
2. Your Mailing Address
3. Telephone Number
4. Departure point: Cherokee or Pigeon Forge
5. How many vehicles in your party
6. If you are confined to a wheelchair and need a ride in a bus with a wheelchair lift

Once ticket availability has been determined you will receive a confirming email.

By Phone

For those without Email access you can call (865) 436-7318 extension 258 where you will leave a message with your name and number. We suggest using the Email Option ONLY!

While this will be a monumental and historic event, based upon the extended travel and return time as well as the lack of child friendly entertainment this event would not be suitable for small children.