Cades Cove Shuttle Tours

Local citizens, led by Randy Boyd, founder of Radio Systems, have teamed with the Southeastern office of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) to provide a shuttle vehicle for tours of Cades Cove in the Smokies.

Boyd is putting up $250,000 of his own funds for the vehicle, and he says, “I just enjoy the Park and I couldn’t think of a better way to give back. The Cades Cove area has always been beautiful, but it almost to the point where I am embarrassed to try to take guests from out-of-town because it’s so crowded it turns out to be a bad experience.”

Hoping to implement the service by next summer, Allisa McMahon, NPCA program coordinator, said work remains to be done on the business plan before a “clean fuel” vehicle can be chosen for the tours.

“We’re looking at options based on mileage – the shuttle would have to run daily,” said McMahon

Visitors would have to pay a small fee to use the shuttle. The fees would be used to offset operational costs.

The NPCA/Boyd plan is unrelated to the National Park Service’s planning process for the future of Cades Cove, said Bob Miller, park spokesman.

“They (NPCA) have not approached us about a shuttle,” he said. “We’re certainly interested in seeing traffic problems mitigated whenever it’s possible, but we haven’t had any discussion about how their shuttle might work. It’s unrelated to the outcome of whatever the park will decide to come out of the Cades Cove planning process. The next public meeting on the plans will be in 2008.”

3rd Annual Passion Play on the Smokies

Just as the 15th Annual Townsend Heritage Festival is winding down with Celebrity Dunking Booths, an Arts and Crafts Fair, Old Timers Day and rides on the Little River Railroad’s hand-powered steam engine, the 3rd Annual Passion Play in the Smokies is set to launch its 2007 season on October 5-6 at 7 p.m.. There will be performances each weekend throughout the month and an additional performance on Sun, October 14 at 6 p.m.

After an absence of more than a decade, the production of the timeless story of Jesus is receiving a joyous return to the Townsend Amphitheater, and producer/director Mark Pedro is once again portraying Christ, a role he starred in back in the 90s before the amphitheater closed.

“It was my feeling that we shouldn’t let the amphitheater go to waste when we could use it for the glory of God and present the Gospel through drama, music and dance,” Pedro said.

The passion play is a true feast for the senses, with the show’s authentic and colorful costumes, period sets, artistic lighting and sound design. The play showcases the talents of professional singers, dancers and actors. One of the highlights of the show is the inclusion of traditional Hebrew dance, performed by the internationally known Benote Tzion. The group is based in Knoxville and they use a form of Israeli style praise-dance to interpret many of the scenes utilizing silk worship banners and flags.

“The interpretive dance really gives a beautifully full understanding of the emotion behind the scene,” said Pedro. “Many Passion dramas simply tell the story of Christ’s last week on earth. We begin with His baptism and include many of His miracles and His parables in addition to the more traditional scenes included in all Passion drama.”

One common thread runs through all the productions past and present, and that is the beauty of the outdoor setting located on Bethel Road in Townsend, only three miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The play is presented by Crown of Thorns Ministries in cooperation with the Chilhowee Baptist Association. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children 12 and younger. Discounted tickets for group of 10 or more are available for $8 each. For more information on schedules and tickets’, call 865-448-3505 or go online to www.passionplayinthesmokies.com