Midnight 4th of July Parade in Gatlinburg attracts visitors from across U.S.

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — The city of Gatlinburg is ready for its annual midnight 4th of July parade. People are setting up their chairs early and traveling from all over to take in the spectacle.

This parade does more than just bring people out to celebrate America’s birthday. It’s all about family tradition.

“Since, I think, 1981 our family has been coming down here to Gatlinburg,” the Thompson family from Michigan said.

For the parade’s Grand Marshal, country singer Conner Smith, it’s all about being able to come back home.

“Just to get back here in the homeland will be a lot of fun tonight. I’ll get to meet some fans and play some songs that they love, hopefully,” Smith said. “Any time we get to be this intimate in a show is something is a special thing for us. I started chasing this dream over the last three years and seeing so many of these dreams come to life. There’s also this longing for home, longing for rest on the way. To me the Smoky Mountains kind of symbolize that.”

Businesses along the Parkway through the heart of Gatlinburg also benefit from the 40,000-50,000 people expected to be in attendance tonight. They are staying open late for those celebrating the 4th early in the morning.

“One of the special things about this parade is that it is located right in downtown Gatlinburg which is so walkable,” Chelsea Trott with the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitor Bureau said. “You can just get out, park your car and make a day of it. There are over 50 attractions, over 100 restaurants and shopping right here. We really encourage visitors to get out and have that full experience, not just the parade, but experience those things as well. It’s exciting to see people go in and explore these local businesses and take home one of a kind souvenirs and things like that.”

For the Thompson family, it’s the one trip that will always happen.

“We look forward to it every year. It’s the one thing, if we are on a tight budget we always make sure to put a little aside so we can make it to Gatlinburg on the Fourth of July,” they said.

The parade is set to kick-off at midnight on July 4th to ring in America’s 248th birthday and people are excited to celebrate.

6 News has been told people that plan on going to the parade are dedicated to getting their spots saved. In fact, people started lining the streets with camping chairs as early as Monday, July 1.

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