New York, NY (Top40 Charts) On December 17th, Ole Smoky Distillery, Yee-Haw Brewing Company,
Music City Roots, and the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau hosted the Mountain Tough Benefit Concert. This free, outdoor music festival was a way to show the public that downtown Gatlinburg is still open for business. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachians Mountains, Gatlinburg is a quaint town known for its welcoming Southern charm and tourist attractions. The recent wildfires destroyed many structures but left the downtown area unaffected.
"We encourage everyone to continue making the Smoky Mountains part of their travels," says Trudy Hughes,
Director of Regional Advancement at Sevier County Community Fund. "Downtown businesses are open and ready to help you create unforgettable memories in this charming tourist destination. More than ever before, Gatlinburg is ready with open hearts and arms to welcome its visitors."
The small town of Gatlinburg has always relied on the millions of people that visit every year in order to sustain businesses and their livelihoods. The community wants to reassure the public that they are just as vital and lively as before the fire, despite what has been portrayed by the media. Mountain Tough was a great way to spread this message.
"Mountain Tough was a huge success," says Joe Baker, founder of Ole Smoky. "The city was full of great energy showing just how strong we are as a community. After a couple of really hard weeks, it was great to see our sidewalks and streets packed with families enjoying the Smokies."
Throughout the day, Downtown Gatlinburg was filled with shoppers, visitors, locals, and businesses all celebrating this amazing community. You could find people with the highest of spirits dancing to the numerous musical acts. The sound of the applause from the 10,000+ crowd when the
Zac Brown Band came on stage would give you goose bumps. Inspirational is the best word to describe the event.
"Last Saturday was incredibly uplifting for all those affected by the fire", says Mark Adams, CEO & President of Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce. "Based on the amount of support and outreach we have seen so far, I am confident that this community will rebuild itself."
The Mountain Tough Benefit raised more than $280,000 for the families in the community, including a $150,000 check presented by Ole Smoky Moonshine and Yeehaw Brewing to the Sevier County Community Fund. All proceeds from the sales of apparel and concessions, in addition to on-site & on-line donations also went towards the fund.
For more information on how to donate, visit https://etf.givingfuel.com/sevier-county-community-fund
About Ole Smoky Distillery LLC:
Ole Smoky is the leading distiller of premium moonshine in the U.S. and the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee. The company's roots can be traced to the early settlers of the Smoky Mountains. Which means this isn't just moonshine, it's moonshine made with authenticity and enduring pride of the people of the Tennessee Mountains. In 2009, the law in Tennessee changed and suddenly, it was legal to make, distill and sell the infamous bootlegger's hooch. It was at that point that a group of families decided to bring their artistry of superior moonshine making to the world at large.
And the world welcomed it. Ole Smoky was named an Impact Hot
Brand by M. Shanken Communications, a leading publisher in the U.S. wine & spirits industry. The Hot
Brand Award is given to both established and upcoming brands that achieve double-digit growth in each of the past three years, with a minimum of 200,000 cases. Additionally, people from all over the world visit the famed Gatlinburg Distillery, The Holler™, to see and experience how Ole Smoky moonshine is made.
Ole Smoky now retails globally and offers more than twenty creative flavors crafted from authentic family recipes. And while Ole Smoky has long been enjoyed on the porch from the jar or the jug, Ole Smoky now finds itself mixed in handcrafted cocktails of the finest order in establishments across the U.S. including some of the biggest music and sporting events in the country.
For more information, please visit https://www.olesmoky.com and find them on social media @olesmoky.
