Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced the annual “Cosby in the Park” festival on Saturday, May 15, at the Park’s Cosby campground. “Cosby in the Park”, a partnership between Cocke County government, Great Smoky Mountains Association, and the Park, celebrates the cultural heritage of this area and highlights the many recreational opportunities available. The event is free to the public and is scheduled between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The festivities take place in the campground amphitheater and the picnic area, both located along the Cosby campground entrance road. Free parking for attendees will be provided in campground Loop B.
A full day of activities is planned that include Southern Appalachian music, hikes, presentations on local history and demonstrations on blacksmithing and metal working, quilting, and other folk arts. Children will enjoy the sack races and other games that are planned.
“Visitors will appreciate the repairs that were done to the campground and other day use areas, paid with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The major facelift resulted in new, smooth road surfaces, freshly painted comfort stations, and updated roofs,” he continued.
The scheduled activities are:
Amphitheater Stage (Allan Goss, Master of Ceremonies)
- 10 am – 11:00 am Lost Mill String Band
- 11 am –11:30 am Introductions/Dedication of Event
- 11:30 am –Noon Duay O’Neil “Under the Apple Trees” presentation
- 12:00 pm – 1: 00 pm The Green Family Band
- 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Boogertown Gap
- 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm David McClary and Mountain Strings
Hikes
- Nature Trail, 1 mile moderate, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, Morgan Briggs and Matthew Briggs, leaders (meet at amphitheater area)
- Hike to Ella V. Costner Grave. 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm. Moderate in difficulty. Meet at Cosby picnic area pavilion. Leaders: Shane and Judy McGaha/Alma Williamson
Picnic Area Activities
- Exhibit and talk on Ella V. Costner,“The Poet Laureate of the Smokies” 1:00 pm –1:30 pm. Sheila Evans
- Blacksmithing – Clayton Sharp, ongoing demonstration
- Quilting – Maria Holloway, ongoing demonstration
- Old-Timey Food Preparation – Ellen Ogle, ongoing demonstration
- Cosby History Exhibit—Judy and Shane McGaha
- Mountain Toys and Games – Roy Henson
- And more….
Children’s Activities (Picnic Area)
On-going activities (sack races, old-timey toys, games) from 10:00 am—4:00 pm (Carolyn Templeton, Dianne Goss, Robin Goddard, and Gay Thompson)
