City of Gatlinburg

On Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the courageous men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.

Please note that all City offices, including City Hall and the Customer Service Center, are closed today in observance of Memorial Day. Offices will reopen Tuesday morning at 8 a.m.

🚧 🚎💧🛠️During National Public Works Week 2026, the City of Gatlinburg proudly recognizes the dedicated employees who work year-round — often behind the scenes — to keep our city running safely and efficiently. Their commitment, skill, and service make a difference in every corner of Gatlinburg. 🚧 🚎💧🛠️

Behind every smooth street, clean facility, working water faucet, emptied garbage can, safe parking area, and reliable Trolley ride is a team of hardworking City employees keeping Gatlinburg moving every single day.

From maintaining water and wastewater systems to caring for public buildings, collecting solid waste, servicing City vehicles, and managing streets and transit operations, our Public Works Departments play a vital role in the daily life of our community and the experience of millions of visitors each year.

👏 Please join us in thanking the teams in Street, Utilities, Sanitation, Parking, Mass Transit, Building Maintenance, and the Service Center for the important work they do each day to serve our residents and guests. We appreciate all you do for Gatlinburg! 👏

Good luck to the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School Highlanders soccer team as they set off on their trip to the TSSAA Class A State Tournament in Murfreesboro earlier this morning.

City Staff wished the team good luck from outside City Hall.

Safe travels to the team, as they depart Gatlinburg before tomorrow's Class A State Quarterfinal against Cheatham County at 5:30 p.m. (EDT).

Let's go, GPHS! 💙💛⚽️🏆

Congratulations to the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School Highlanders Soccer team for qualifying for another trip to the TSSAA State Tournament this morning with a 1-0 win over Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences.

Good luck to the Highlanders as they play for a State Championship next week!!

Let’s Go, GPHS. 💙💛⚽️🏆

GATLINBURG-PITTMAN SOCCER:

STATE BOUND

It’s what we do!


🔥⚽🔥WAY TO GO!!!

Earlier today, the Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge Airport celebrated its re-grand opening after the completion of its runway renovations and resurfacing project.

Complete from remarks from local leaders and a flyover, which included participation from Gatlinburg Airport Authority Board Chairman Vic Barrett, the beautiful afternoon was full of celebration of the completion of the successful project.

As part of the ceremony, City of Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner and City of Pigeon Forge Mayor Kevin McClure presented former Airport Manager Don Baker with a Proclamation honoring his many years of service to the Airport Authority. During his tenure, which spanned from 1982 to 2012, Mr. Baker was named as the Tennessee Airport Manager of the Year and the Federal Aviation Administration’s 2002 General Aviation Airport Manager of the Year for the Southern Region. Also during his time as Airport Manager, the Airport received Tennessee’s Most Improved Airport in 1983 and named Tennessee’s Airport of the Year in 2010.

Earlier today, the City of Gatlinburg proudly participated in the 2026 CareerQuest event, hosted by the Sevier County Economic Development Council and the Sevier County School System.

This career exploration event combined a trade show and career fair to provide students with hands-on, interactive experiences designed to help shape their future career paths.

Students from all five Sevier County high schools attended, exploring a wide range of career opportunities, including careers with the City of Gatlinburg, the Gatlinburg Police Department, and the Gatlinburg Fire Department.

A special thank you goes out to the many City employees and departments who helped make this event a success for the students in Sevier County’s high schools. Their hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment to made a lasting impact on the students and showcased the rewarding career opportunities available with the City!

💡 Downtown Street Light Pole Improvements ⚠️

The City is currently refurbishing 126 street light poles throughout the downtown area as part of our ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance the aesthetics of Gatlinburg.

This refurbishment process includes sandblasting and recoating the poles to help protect them from the elements and keep downtown looking its best.

While these poles are being refurbished, they will be encapsulated as the sandblasting and repainting of the poles is ongoing.

Last week, the City held a productive 3-day Department Head Retreat focused on leadership, emergency preparedness, and planning for the future in each Department of the City organization.

Throughout the retreat, Department Heads and City team members heard from several outstanding guest speakers. The three-day retreat was led by City Manager Greg Patterson and Director of Operations & Communications Seth Butler.

One of the most valuable parts of the retreat was a full Emergency Operations Center (EOC) drill that simulated a real-time flood event in downtown Gatlinburg. Department Heads and City personnel who would respond during an activated EOC worked through the scenario together to strengthen coordination and preparedness.

We would especially like to thank Sevier County EMA Director Joe Ayers and Sevier County GIS Director Stacey Whaley for attending and assisting with the emergency drill.

The retreat concluded with a two-day strategic planning session, where departments evaluated their current operations and worked together to plan for the future growth and success of their Departments and the City of Gatlinburg.

🌺 Happy Mother’s Day! 🌸

Today, we honor the love, strength, compassion, and endless support that mothers bring to our lives every day.

Thank you to all the amazing moms, grandmothers, stepmothers, and mother figures who inspire us with their care and dedication. 💖💐

Wishing you a beautiful and joy-filled Mother’s Day!

In recognition of National Tourism Week, Gatlinburg City Manager Greg Patterson and Visit Gatlinburg President & CEO Chad Netherland spent the afternoon in downtown Gatlinburg welcoming visitors to the City.

During their time downtown, they had the opportunity to welcome and speak with visitors from across the country, as well as several international travelers from Germany enjoying all that Gatlinburg has to offer.

Tourism remains a vital part of our City, and we are grateful to all who choose to visit and make lasting memories in Gatlinburg.