A Full Recap of Our New Year's Eve Celebration Participation in Gatlinburg

Let me set the record straight: I am not a party guy. Never was, never will be. However, there are certain aspects of Gatlinburg that bring this timid turtle out of his shell. I’ve already examined elements of my life in Ohio I would only do here in Tennessee. You see, I never cared for going out in public for any kind of gathering, unless someone invited me or pulled my arm…hard. That’s all changed here…somewhat. While the party animal label will never be associated with my name, being in Gatlinburg moves the needle in terms of participation in celebrations; hence, the New Year’s Eve one in Gatlinburg.

I decided I was going to join the mass of humanity downtown for December 31st a few days prior. In actuality, I was never going to talk myself out of it. In the years we’ve visited Gatlinburg, I always had thoughts of what it would be like to be here for such events, most notably the Winterfest Kickoff and Chili Cookoff in November. That was not a disappointment whatsoever, so I knew the New Year’s Eve celebration would undoubtedly ratchet the festive atmosphere to the max. It was a must.

My son and I started the night by getting a head start on the crowds that would surely cause waits at restaurants. We selected Gatlinburg Brewing Company for our dinner at around 5:30 and found a table immediately. In case you didn’t know, this place lets you seat yourself, so…first come, first served. I don’t think I’ve ever waited for a seat here.

I still think GBC has one of the best salads you can find in Gatlinburg—the Brewpub Salad. Their greens consist of Spring Mix, so beware of that. I like it, and when you throw in a boiled egg, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, croutons, and mozzarella, it’s already a pretty solid bowl for $10. A generous cup of their House Ranch dressing is always my choice, and for an extra $2, you can throw in extra protein options—mine being their delicious warm fire-roasted chicken.

Their beers are top-notch, and I always like trying different ones on their rotating seasonal taps. The Winter Warmer was not a regrettable selection in the least—outstanding! They deserve props for never disappointing in that category.

My son devoured his Basic AF specialty pizza, only leaving twigs of crust for me to nibble on afterward. This consists of White American Cheese Sauce, Chicken, Red Onion, Bacon, and a Ranch Swirl. Obviously, neither one of us found fault with any piece of this meal.

Our plan of action was to return home and relax before heading back out, and we did just that. We had a few more hours to spare, as we didn’t find a need to stand (or sit) in the cold for hours.

We left the apartment at 10, and decided to not take one of two shortcuts to the event. If we were going to mingle with tens of thousands of others, we might as well get used to it with an appetizer by walking the Parkway like everyone else.

First, we wanted to listen to some music, and Masterpiece ATL was the band we were intrigued to hear. They were the feature band chosen to entertain and rev up the party-goers prior to the ball dropping from the Space Needle. I would say they accomplished the task. They performed a dizzying array of hit songs from all genres, decades, and styles, just as advertised. It was an awesome performance, and it’s no surprise they specialize in big events from weddings to parties like this one, which doesn’t get much bigger in the South.

The entertainment was bubbling, (unlike the weather) and it was about to blow. About 30 minutes until midnight, we decided to move our position to the Parkway. We probably could’ve stayed and maybe had a better perspective of the drone show, but we had no idea where it was and what to expect. That was set to start a few minutes prior to midnight. The location we chose was across the street in front of Dick’s Last Resort.

We didn’t even the spot the show at first. My son pointed to the sky south of the Needle where I witnessed the state of Tennessee lighting up the sky, morphing into moving projections of bears, mountains, ziplines, and chairlifts. When the clock struck midnight it kept going—toasting wine glasses and 2024 shimmering in the night sky—but my focus was on the five-minute fireworks and shooting sparks display from the Space Needle.

This is exactly why people enjoy witnessing these events, which include sports as well. Sure you can watch it from a screen in your house, but nothing truly beats being in the middle of it all, absorbing the sights and sounds in person. It really makes you feel more alive. Emotional, exhilarating, and ecstatic are just a few descriptors for this event. Being in large crowds is just one sacrifice to make for such an impactful life journey.

Just five minutes into the new year the event was complete, but I would rate it as an overwhelming success. I really hope the drone show continues in the years to follow. That was a perfect homage to the area, and they can repeat the same show next year—I wouldn’t fuss.

The walk home took maybe 15 minutes. Once we broke free from the gathering in our area, we had the whole road with thousands of others in what felt like a peace march. As a result, we felt everyone was happy and overall well-behaved. There were no such distractions to the jubilant atmosphere that I could see. All of what I witnessed on this night would not make me balk at the opportunity next year. It was a truly awesome experience I would do again.

I will say this…I’m still not a party guy, though.

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