August 6 - 10, 2010

Chongqing (pronounced Chung-Ching) is a major city in China, with its history dating back as far as 3,000 years. Beginning August 6, that history comes to life in Tennessee when some of China’s finest artists and performers will be in Sevierville at the Smoky Mountain Palace, current home of the Cirque de Chine. This extraordinary event will include free admission from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. to view cultural displays in the lobby throughout the day, with an hour of demonstrations and live performances at 6:30 p.m. Plan to stay and purchase tickets for the evening show when all performers share the stage at 7:30 p.m.

This 5-day event will feature:

Wang Yi – a master of the Yang Qin (a hammered dulcimer), and Chief of the Chongqing Folk Arts Troupe

Wang Yali – a master of the Erhu, a centuries-old traditional two-stringed Chinese fiddle

Liu Yingying – a Sichuan Opera star internationally recognized for her skills in Face Changing, rapidly changing face masks technique.  Successors of World Intangible Heritage

Liu Guibing – an architect who creates highly detailed sugar sculptures

Zhou Mingchun – one of two inventors of the patented Leaf Veins Painting

Chen Zifu – a magician of fans who can create exquisite fans from any material

Wen Yuguang – a master of wood engraving depicting Chinese peasants’ daily lives

Liang Su – traditional art craft of Paper Cutting

Hu Wenfu – renowned for his unique calligraphy technique, using only ink, his fingers, palm and fist

Cast of Cirque de Chine – the theater’s own resident award-winning masters of dance, acrobatics, and contortion.

All the exhibitions in the lobby prior to the evening event are free to the public. Each evening at 6:30 p.m., there will be live performances in the lobby by acrobats, demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy by Hu Wenfu, and demonstrations by the master craftsmen showcasing traditional folk arts.

Book your stay at Crossroads Inn or Twin Islands during this special event running August 6-10, 2010 at the Smoky Mountain Palace on Collier Drive in Sevierville, straight across from Wal-Mart.

Open for Lunch & Dinner

Just next door to Twin Islands is an everyday food festival!  That’s right… it’s No Way Jose’s Mexican restaurant offering a full liquor bar with cold Margaritas and frosty bottles of beer that pair perfectly with an authentic Mexican meal.

Whether you choose to dine indoors or out, you’re sure to receive friendly, efficient service from a knowledgeable staff who aim to please.   The menu is extensive with a seemingly endless variety of enchiladas, burritos, chimi’s and a whole lot more.  You’ll be greeted with a smile and a bowl of freshly made chunky salsa.

You may have a hard time deciding what to eat, so we are happy to recommend that you try some of our favorites:  Chile con Queso dip with flour tortilla chips, beef Quesadillas, sizzlin’ chicken Fajitas, burrito Florentine, and cheese Enchiladas.   With beans and rice and side of sour cream, everything we’ve tried has been delicious.

No Way Jose’s is family friendly and offers plenty of seating away from the bar if you prefer.   They also welcome large groups of all sizes and would be happy to host your family reunion, wedding, or youth group.

Stop in No Way Jose’s for lunch or dinner and tell them that Twin Islands and Crossroads Inn sent ya!

Annual Summer Craft Show at the Gatlinburg Convention Center

“A Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event!”

The 35^th Annual Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Summer Fair has been voted one of the South’s most popular summer events, and appropriately so! Over 180 of the finest artists and craftspeople from across the USA will gather at the Gatlinburg Convention Center July 16-24 to demonstrate and exhibit their crafts. The Gatlinburg Convention Center transforms into an enormous multi-level community of craftspeople performing their talents and offering their handicrafts for sale. Many exhibitors will be favorites seen from year to year, but new juried craftsmen always offer something interesting and exciting for guests to enjoy. The craftsman’s fair provides an ideal opportunity to purchase heirloom quality Smoky Mountain souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Plan to give yourself plenty of time to see all that the Gatlinburg craft show has to offer. You can even take a shopping break and relax with the country, blue grass and gospel music played throughout the day by Dennis Lee and Band, July 16-20, and Keith Longbotham, July21-24. They can be heard at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily, and at noon and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Fair hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission to the craft fair is only $6, or free for everyone ages 12 and under. Book your stay at Twin Islands or Crossroads Inn, and forget about paying for Convention Center parking. You can grab a ride from the trolley station next door and head straight to the summer fair!