Gatlinburg is gearing up to send its high school football team off in style ahead of the Class AAA State Championship game. For those planning to navigate through the city on Thursday, December 4, be aware that parts of Parkway and Reagan Drive will be closed that morning, city officials announced. According to a press release from the City of Gatlinburg, the closures will enable the Gatlinburg-Pittman High School football team's celebration to unfold without interruption. Parkway will be closed from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM between the intersections of Reagan Drive and Cherokee Orchard Road, with a portion of Reagan Drive also closed for bus staging.
The sendoff for the Highlanders, who will clash with Westview on Friday at 11 AM at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga's Finley Stadium, is not just a march down the Parkway. Starting at 9:30 AM, team members, flanked by cheerleaders and band members, will begin their walk at Reagan Drive. The Highlanders, along with alumni, who are encouraged to join them at 9 a.m., will conclude the walk at Cherokee Orchard Road, as described in the City of Gatlinburg's announcement.
This event is not only a show of support for the team but also a historic moment as Gatlinburg-Pittman High School aims for its first-ever state championship in its program's history. Local businesses and the community are invited to show their support by sporting blue and gold and creating signs to cheer on the Highlanders. The march down the Parkway is expected to draw crowds to celebrate and send off the team with enthusiasm and encouragement.
After the processional, brief remarks will culminate the festivities, marking the team's journey not only down the Parkway but through a challenging season that led them to the brink of a state title. The community-wide event is not only about fierce competition but the unity and spirit endemic to Gatlinburg's sense of pride, boldly emphasized in the city's press release.
