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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as of this morning, has received more requests than space will allow for the Sept. 2 Rededication Ceremony at Newfound Gap.
Additional requests for tickets will no longer be accepted. After Park officials process the requests submitted so far, those individuals that were successful in contacting the park before reaching capacity, will receive confirmation by 5 p.m. on Friday.
“We appreciate the high level of public interest in attending this special event,” said Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson, “but if you do not hear from the Park by Friday, we apologize that we were unable to honor your request.”
The requests sent to the designated email address and telephone number will be processed in the order that they were received to issue tickets to the event.

The ceremony will begin at 11:15 a.m. and will end around 1 p.m., but because of the logistical challenges associated with transportation, guests should expect to devote a full day to this activity. People will depart by bus as early as 8 a.m. and should plan on returning no earlier than 3 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at Newfound Gap.

Park officials have identified a 2,000-person capacity for the event at Newfound Gap. All attendees will be transported by charter bus to the site from satellite locations outside the Park in Pigeon Forge Cherokee, N.C. Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, N.C. will be closed from 8 p.m., Sept. 1, to 6 p.m., Sept. 2.

“We have done our best to reach out to a cross section of people to share this moment in the Park’s history,” Ditmanson said. “We are excited about the program that will mirror the original 1940 dedication and especially pleased to have all of our special guests and impressive slate of dignitaries together to celebrate the Park’s 75th anniversary.”

Dignitaries who will take part in the event include: North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen; U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar; U.S. Senators Richard Burr and Kay Hagan from North Carolina and Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and all three Congressmen whose districts include the Park, Heath Shuler of North Carolina and John J. “Jimmy” Duncan Jr. and Phil Roe of Tennessee. Dolly Parton will also attend.