DECEMBER 2:
With the spirit of the holidays prevailing, the Knoxville Writers’ Guild will be whipping up a most sociable mix of literature and cookery at its December meeting. The gathering will find the Guild staging a book fair while hosting its Annual Holiday Potluck. The meeting, which will be open to the public, will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Laurel Theater, at the corner of Laurel Avenue and 16th Street (in Fort Sanders). Admission is free, but a $1 donation (at the door) would be gratefully accepted. The building is handicapped accessible. If possible, please bring a holiday dish to share.
Christmas Wonderland at Smokies Stadium  – The 2nd year for this Winterfest attraction features hundreds of thousands of synchronized LED lights in a drive-through attraction nearly one mile long. Special highlight – 70’ tall light tree! Fees apply for each vehicle. Through January 3.
Sevier County Right to Life will hold its next general meeting at 5:30pm at the Pigeon Forge Library meeting room. Our speaker will be Sandy Davidson from Rachel's Vineyard, a post-abortion healing ministry. For more information call Karen Mercer at 908-2417.
Medic Regional Blood Center will hold a blood drive at Kings's Academy, 202 Smothers Road, noon to 4 p.m., Bloodmobile.
THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY Hohenwald at 27 E. Main St. is welcoming all visitors to their new Welcome Center on Wed., Thurs. and Fri. from 3 p.m.- 5 p.m. and by appointment.  www.elephants.com 931-796-6500
DOLLYWOOD’S SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS – Pigeon Forge – Featuring special holiday shows and more than 4 million lights and award-winning holiday entertainment now through Jan. 1. 800-DOLLYWOOD, dollywood.com
Gatlinburg Winter Magic is a winter wonderland for all ages. The city's guided trolley tour lights will entertain the entire family now through Feb. 27. 800-568-4748, gatlinburg.com
The gateway towns to the Smokies turn into a winter wonderland with more than 2 million lights, fantastic displays and special events throughout now through Feb. 28. 888-738-4378, visitsevierville.com; 800-568-4748, gatlinburg.com; 800-251-9100, mypigeonforge.com
“Christmas Time Is Here” – Dec. 2 and 3, 7 p.m. Backbeat, the show choir of Walters State’s Professional Entertainment Program, plans the theatrical performance of Christmas favorites, including “Everyone’s A Child at Christmas” and “Home for Christmas.” Tickets to this event are $10, with children younger than 10 admitted free. For more information about these events, please call the Division of Humanities at (423) 585-6947.  

DECEMBER 3:
Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade – The City of Gatlinburg and Land O’ Lakes Half & Half invite you to bundle up and generate a spirited dose of holiday cheer and soak up Gatlinburg’s 35th annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 3 including marching bands and giant helium balloons taking to the streets.
7th annual Emporium Holiday Extravaganza on December 3 & 4: a two-day celebration featuring handmade gifts, live performances, and holiday cheer in downtown Knoxville. The Emporium Holiday Extravaganza takes place at the EmporiumCenter, 100 S. Gay Street (corner of Gay/Jackson).  Extravaganza hours are Friday, December 3, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Saturday, December 4, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.  For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.
Hallah Art Presents “Winter Wonder”, a collection Of new work by Hallah John Paul Boltik, and featuring original Hallah Art pendants created by Headstock Studios in Asheville, NC. "Winter Wonder" opens with a reception on Friday December 3rd, 7:30-10:30pm at 5201 Kingston Pike Suite 7 Knoxville, TN. The exhibit runs from Dec. 3 through 31.
Medic Regional Blood Center will hold a blood drive at Smoky Mountain Knife Works, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Bloodmobile.
Sevier County Choral Society will host a Christmas Concert at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Sevierville, located on the corner of the Parkway and Cedar Street (214 Cedar Street).
Actor Nathan Rouse, along with actors from Starving Artist Productions, will perform “The Birth: A Reflective Celebration of the Coming of Christ” at King College on Dec. 3 and 4, 2010, as part of The Buechner Institute’s 2010-11 Lecture Series. For more information, contact Dale Brown, director of The Buechner Institute, at wdbrown@king.edu or at 423.652.4156.  For additional information about “The Birth: A Reflective Celebration of the Coming of Christ,” visit www.thebirth.net.
HOLIDAY EXPRESS AT THE UT GARDENS –Model trains in a covered 4,000-square-foot miniature landscape now through Jan. 3. 865-974-2712, utgardens.tennessee.edu

DECEMBER 4:
Sevierville’s 48th Annual Christmas Parade – A traditional hometown parade with baton twirlers, pageant winners, marching bands and floats leading up to the appearance of the Grand Marshal – Santa Claus! Parade begins at 11am and can best be viewed on Forks of the River Parkway and Court Avenue in historic downtown Sevierville, TN. 1-888-SEVIERVILLE (738-4378)
Walters State Community College’s first computer clinic will offer free services to the public while giving networking and programming students a chance to improve customer service skills. The computer clinic will be 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Dec. 4. in room 270 of the Clifford H. “Bo” Henry Center for Business and Technology on the Morristown campus. Students involved have just completed a course in PC hardware. With professors standing by, students will look into software problems, do some trouble-shooting and make recommendations. For more information, contact Bell at (423) 585-2666.
“Fw: Fw: Re: Zek” will be displayed in the Balcony at the EmporiumCenter, 100 S. Gay Street, from December 3-23, 2010.  An opening reception will take place as part of First Friday activities on December 3 from 5:00-9:00 PM.  Gallery hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with additional hours on Saturday, December 4, from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM as part of the Emporium Holiday Extravaganza.  For more information, please contact the Arts & Culture Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or visit www.knoxalliance.com.

DECEMBER 5:
Sevier County Choral Society will host a Christmas Concert at 4 p.m. at Gatlinburg Presbyterian Church (237 Reagan Drive).

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