Kyker Farms Corn Maze = October Fun!

Having never been to Kyker Farms before, I was looking forward to a trip there on Tuesday. I had always heard great things about the farm and found that it lived up to the recommendations. In my opinion, Kyker Farms is the best place for October fun!

First, the farm is only minutes from downtown Sevierville on 938 Alder Branch Rd. It is not very far at all from Highway 66.

The farm is beautiful and immediately put us in an autumn state of mind.

There are cute places to take a photo. This one was great for our group of 22 fun loving friends.

The kids playground area is excellent and worth at least an hour or two of fun.

Kids can jump on the Korn Hopper, a large inflated area that can handle dozens of kids. There are many benches for parents to rest and watch the fun.

I learned that there is much more to do there than corn mazes. Clearly, this farm is worthy of a whole day trip.

The left side of the trail shows several swing sets with endless rows of sunflowers. The right side shows swings for very young children, small and individual teeter totters, and other playground fun.

Don’t tell anyone…but I got very lost in the kids corn maze. To use Kyker Farm’s word, it was very ‘kornfuzing.’ 🙂

Of course, the main event is the pumpkin patch! Beautiful pumpkins are everywhere.

It was just a few minutes ride on the hayride to the pumpkin patch. So fun to ride this vehicle on a pretty fall day.

Perfect pumpkins are everywhere you look at Kyker Farm.

The restroom and diaper changing facilities are quite impressive. They are clean and can handle large groups of people. You are never far from the facilities…unless you are in the corn maze. Be prepared!

We brought lunches and found plenty of room to sit and refresh.

Then you can go back and play some more!

Our time at Kyker Farms Corn Maze came to an end all too soon, but there are still several weeks left to go back and enjoy it again.

In conclusion, I am a fan of family owned/local businesses and have a great appreciation for agri-tourism so I knew that it would be a good day trip. I was more than impressed with the wide range of things to do and convenient facilities. There were even more activities than I showed here, including the petting zoo. Make sure that you enjoy that too.

Truly, Kyker Farms Corn Maze offers serious October fun. Go while you can!

Here is a link to their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/kykerfarmscornmaze

Also, here is a screenshot of their hours.

See you at the corn maze!

Sevierville Commons Arts Council ‘Make It and Take It’ Workshops Begin For Spring 2018

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There is something fun going on downtown Sevierville on Saturdays— and it is free! The workshops are welcome to everyone, young and old. You don’t even have to be good with your hands because an artist will guide you through the process. It is time for the Spring 2018 Sevierville Commons Arts Council ‘Make It and Take It’ workshops. I visited last Saturday and here is what I saw.

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It was a sunny day on Bruce Street and nice to be out and about. I arrived after 12:00 to find the room busy.

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There are a lot of things to see. Just walk in and say “hello.” You will be invited to come back and make something special to take home.

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The workshop on Saturday instructed participants how to make beaded necklaces.

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I didn’t make this one, but admired it. I liked the moon and starfish charms.

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The Sevierville Commons Arts Council won a grant that provides materials to create things in the workshops. Donations are accepted too.

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Children accompanied by an adult can actively participate and create in the workshops. They love it!

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A second workshop was taking place called Jelly painting. The designs were so interesting and pretty.

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These young artists created some beautiful designs. I admired them all!

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Check this schedule for more workshops throughout the spring.

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Here is information on a June fundraiser for the organization. These aren’t your typical rockers!

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Here is something the organization will be doing on the Saturday before Easter. Drop by!

This is one of the best things to do downtown in the spring. It is free and family friendly. Furthermore, this organization is significantly contributing to the vitality and revitalization of downtown Sevierville. Come check it out when you are out and about in Sevierville. 

I’ll share some the pretty jelly painting designs by the young artists on Saturday. They wanted me to take pictures of their work, so here they are!

 

Sevier County Sheriff’s Office ‘Spooktacular’ Event: Court House Area

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Last night was the biggest event that I have ever attended in downtown Sevierville—and the best. I really didn’t really know what to expect from the Sevier County Sheriff’s ‘Spooktacular’ event at the Courthouse, but I quickly saw that it was a great gathering for families. The first thing that I noticed was a line that wrapped around the courthouse. The photo above shows the first line that I noticed as it wrapped around the building.

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Our friends at Courthouse Donuts had a free cinnamon doughnut for all children attending the Spooktacular event. They smelled divine!

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Foodie shot.

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I wasn’t kidding about the line wrapping around the block. Amazing!

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This T-Rex graciously posed for a picture.

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These firemen were serving popcorn in plastic firemen hats—a double bonus for kids! They gave me some and it was, without a doubt, the best kettle corn that I have ever had anywhere. 

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I ran into my friend Ashley and her superhero at the kettle corn table. They were having such fun!

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I liked the little policeman in this picture talking to the real ones. However, after looking at this photo a minute, there is something in the background that is amusing in this shot.

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Our friends from Pets Without Parents attend the event with Rocko. Drop by PWP on Chapman Highway and say hello to Rocko and other pets some time.

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Friendly ladies from the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office having a great time and greeting young trick or treaters.

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I was impressed with the attendance of public servants of all kinds at the event, like Connie Holt in this photo. In the following photos, the sun is setting quickly and my flash was trying to keep up. I apologize for the strange colors.

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Fun to meet firemen and Sparky.

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A funny story here… I asked ‘Sparky’ if I could take a picture and then went on my way. A young man came up to me and told me that Sparky was actually a former student of mine so I ran back and said hello. Good to see Jason after all these years!

 

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Great costumes and tower of treats!

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The Pigeon Forge Police Department showed me great hospitality and a hot doughnut. Great decorations too!

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Sevier Air and a Ninja manning a trick or treat stop at the Spooktacular.

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It was good to see our SRO from last year, Officer Conrad. He really needs to clean up his squad car though!

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Another former student who works for the Sheriff’s Office. I don’t think that is a Batman uniform though. That is the real deal.

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Local dignitaries supporting the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office Spooktacular event.

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Finally, Stacy Cutshaw’s son wins my vote for the best Halloween costume of the year. This electric chair was so real looking and amazing that I couldn’t stop looking at it. The child was just walking around with it, but it looked like he was sitting in real electric chair. Stacy said that they just used materials around the house and made it themselves. You win! The best costume of 2017!

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The moon was rising over the courthouse as I headed home, but today I heard someone say that there was still a big crowd about 10:00 in the evening. Amazing attendance. There must have been thousands there.

I saw families relaxing and enjoying the evening because they knew that they were in a safe place, with safe treats, and safe activities. It had a great vibe and I enjoyed being there. The great efforts of Sevier County first responders and others made it a night to remember. What a great way to get out and about in Sevierville on October 31st.

See you there next Halloween!

 

 

 

Fly High at Sevier Air!

Looking for fun or an intense workout? This place has it all …and more! Follow along as eight of us played at Sevier Air yesterday.


First, you walk in the door and check in by computer, watching safety rules and signing an electronic waiver. Pay close attention because you want to have fun, not deal with bumps, bruises, or worse. The tutorial goes quickly and you’ll be glad to know all the rules for your first visit.


The price is more than worth it. Kids play freely and get a huge workout (adults too). Bystanders can watch for free and take pictures. Well worth it!


You will get a special pair of socks with grippy bottoms to reduce slickness. Bring them back each visit and receive $2 off. You can see the cubbies in the picture above. There are several throughout the building. The Ninja Course requires shoes, so just store them in cubbies while jumping on the trampoline courses.


We started on the Ninja Course because my niece is applying to the police academy and must do a fitness and obstacle course. This ninja course is nothing to laugh at because I could do very little of it. The course replicates the TV show. Consequently, we stayed there a long time, especially with the walls to scale. It was amazing and we all tried it. Over and over again. Two of my nephews could do it so it was great fun.


You have to get a running start and feet must dig into the wall, using all your momentum. It is amazing that people can do this. My sisters and I tried it several times. It is a fun way to compete against each other. Suzanne got her hands up the highest so she won.


The kid at the top may be a future ninja on TV. What an athlete!


The glass wall was kind of hard.

Slam dunk to your heart’s content. One was even adjustable, coming down to any player’s reach. Fun!


There were several dodge ball courts. We played before leaving and just 10 minutes there can be exhausting. But what fun. We played boys against the girls, with one little boy wanting to play with us. I threw the ball as hard as I could, but my nephew just caught it in his hands. No head shots allowed! The hardest part is maintaining your space with a lot of players and not intruding on their trampoline. Strategy!


The jousting area is fun. Players must be well matched in order to play. If you fall in the foam then it feels great, but you really have to ‘swim out’ to get out of there.


I am no athlete, but had a blast!  Therefore, I recommend that you do 2 hours. One hour goes by too quickly. Especially if you are playing with family and friends.


Adults and kids can play side by side. Be careful because you could get a bump, bruise, etc. It is very vigorous, intense fun.


You can take some fun pictures in there. Can you see what we are spelling? V-O-L-S!

We also took some fun ‘Boomerang’ shots for Instagram.


Snack bar downstairs can come in handy. There are drink vending machines on all levels too.


There are a lot of rooms for birthday parties. Each room has a capacity of 43 people. My nephew had his birthday here earlier in the year and enjoyed it with lots of his friends.  Call Sevier Air to get more details.

I was very, very impressed with the amenities for parents and those who prefer not to play. No kidding—it was nice!


An upper level looks over the entire facility. There are large screen TVs, chairs, and tables for waiting parents.  A lounge for ninja parents.


You can rent a massage chair. In addition, you can charge your cell phone while you wait. Brilliant!




Ball are lined up for dodge ball. Workers can referee, if you like.

I was very impressed with Sevier Air and can’t wait to go back. I asked and they said that they may resume fitness classes there in the future. You burn a LOT of calories there.

Here are my final recommendations:

  1. Wear shorts and a T-shirt because you will get a little hot.
  2. Pay attention at all times and follow the rules so you don’t get banged up. I did fine. Just bumped my elbows on the ‘wall,’ but almost twisted my foot on the way down.
  3. Do a minimum of 2 hours. One is just getting warmed up!
  4. Try to go mid-week when the crowds are down if you are not used to jumping on trampolines.
  5. Eat a good snack or carb load before you go. It takes a lot of energy there, but you have so much fun that you don’t realize it until later.
  6. Go with as many friends and family as will go. The more the merrier. I have not laughed that much in a while. So fun!

Play like a ninja and don’t worry about who is watching.

We are all ninjas.

Sevier Air rocks and Sevierville is lucky to have such a nice facility. My sister said that it is a lot better than the one in Knoxville due to the challenging ninja course. With that, you need to fly high at Sevier Air. We did!
It is an intensely fun way to get out and about in Sevierville. 

See you at the ‘wall!’

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