Gatlinburg Ribfest and Wings - Coming Soon

Gatlinburg Ribfest – Plan ahead!  If your favorite part of spring is firing up the barbeque, picking out your favorite sauces and selecting the best cuts of meat, then you must visit Gatlinburg each year for Ribfest & Wings. This annual event brings folks from all around Tennessee, as well as neighboring states, to compete in or sample a wide variety of ribs and wings. If you are ready to tie on a bib and make your taste buds dance, then set aside April 28 for your next trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, you can even stay in one of our Gatlinburg cabins.

Hundreds of people will descend upon Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smoky’s to see what this year’s Ribfest will bring. The festival itself is held on the grounds surrounding the aquarium, but that certainly doesn’t mean you can’t make an entire day out of rib-tasting and underwater creature admiring! Simply buy a wristband ($12 adults; $5 children) to the event and you have all-you-can-eat access to the festival – until the meat runs out, of course. Food sampling runs from 5 pm to 9 pm; there will also be live entertainment and eating contests. Your kids will love the ice cream eating contest!

Don’t leave too early, however, because the winners will be announced at the end of the night. A panel jury will decide and give out awards in seven different categories to the best wings or ribs. You can cast your own vote in the “People’s Choice Awards,” one of the most coveted awards of the evening. A portion of this year’s proceeds will support the Gatlinburg Hospitality Association’s educational sponsorship fund.

If you need directions to the Aquarium or have questions about parking for the event, don’t hesitate to contact us at the main Gatlinburg Cabins office via phone or email. We will probably see you there, with sticky fingers and big smiles on our faces.