Black Friday falls on Friday, November 27, this year, the day after Thanksgiving. Pigeon Forge and Sevierville have a lot of shopping packed along the Parkway, from the outlet malls to a Christmas store that’s open nearly every day of the year, and the holiday markets and craft shows are running that same weekend. We checked each place’s own website for its 2026 hours. Where something hasn’t been posted yet, we say so, and we’ll update this page as more stores share their plans.
Outlet mall hours
Tanger Outlets Sevierville
Tanger Outlets Sevierville, at 1645 Parkway, is closed on Thanksgiving Day and opens early on Black Friday, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to its visitor information page. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, so plan on those hours for Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29. Stores and restaurants inside the center can keep their own hours, and the center’s phone number is (865) 453-1053.
Tanger has been running its Deal Days sale ahead of Black Friday, with up to 25 percent off at participating stores and a $25-off coupon on purchases of $150 or more, both listed as ending Nov. 22 on the Tanger Sevierville page. A TangerClub membership offer at $20 a year is listed through Nov. 30. Prices and offers can change, so check Tanger’s website for the latest. Tanger hasn’t posted its list of Black Friday store deals for 2026 yet, so check back closer to the day.
Pigeon Forge Factory Outlet Mall
The Pigeon Forge Factory Outlet Mall, the red-roofed mall at 2850 Parkway, lists regular hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday from April 1 through January 2 on its website. It hasn’t posted separate Thanksgiving or Black Friday hours. Black Friday 2026 hours: No 2026 date announced yet. Check back soon. Call the mall office at (865) 428-2828 before you go.
The Island in Pigeon Forge
The Island stays open on both days of the holiday. Its hours calendar shows shops open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. On Black Friday, retail hours run 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and rides stay open until 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, has the same hours as Friday. Parking and admission are free.
For Winterfest, The Island has a Christmas fountain show at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m., and its calendar lists photos with Santa from 3 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27 and 28. The shops are a mix of boutiques, candy and toy stores, souvenirs and local food makers. Our Great Smoky Mountain Wheel page has more on the wheel in the middle of it all.
Christmas shopping
The Incredible Christmas Place
The Incredible Christmas Place, at 2470 Parkway near traffic light 2A in Pigeon Forge, is a big Christmas store full of ornaments, trees, decorations and village pieces. Its locations page lists hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. It’s closed on Thanksgiving Day, so Black Friday is a regular open day. Santa’s Haus inside the store does Santa photo sessions that you book ahead through its events page.
Wonders of Light Christmas Market
Pigeon Forge’s Christmas Market, which used to be called the Christmas Village, is now an open-air market at Patriot Park, next to the Winterfest Wonders of Light Walking Trail. Local makers sell handmade crafts, Christmas decor, permanent jewelry, gifts and treats. According to My Pigeon Forge, the city’s tourism site, it’s open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 to 28, so it’s open on Black Friday, and Saturday, Nov. 28, is the last day this year. Admission is free.
Mountain Mile Christmas Market
The Mountain Mile Christmas Market at the Mountain Mile and Tower Shops, 2655 Teaster Lane, opens on Black Friday. It runs every Friday and Saturday through December, with local vendors, s’mores kits, gourmet hot chocolate, Christmas lights, photo spots and Santa on some nights. My Pigeon Forge lists hours of 4 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays. Tree lighting: No 2026 date announced yet. Check back soon.
Craft shows and holiday events
Great Smoky Thanksgiving Arts and Crafts Show
Members of the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community bring their work down from the Glades Road loop to the Gatlinburg Convention Center at 234 Historic Nature Trail for this show. It runs Tuesday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 29, and it’s open on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, and admission is free, according to the show page. Expect quilts, brooms, baskets, candles, pottery, jewelry, paintings and dulcimers.
If you miss it, the community’s Great Smoky Christmas Arts and Crafts Show follows in the same building from Monday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 6, per its events page. You can also drive the loop and shop the studios themselves. Our Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community page explains how.
Gatlinburg’s Festival of Trees
Gatlinburg’s Festival of Trees runs Nov. 25 to 29. It has decorated Christmas trees and a children’s crafts area, and Santa stops in for photos. Admission is free, and proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains. The Boys and Girls Club lists hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 25 to 28 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 29, so it’s open on Black Friday.
Dollywood
Dollywood is closed on Thanksgiving Day and opens early for the weekend after. Its operating calendar lists 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27 and 28. Dollywood says dates and hours can change, so look again the week of your trip. Our Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas guide has tickets, shows and crowd tips.
Tips for Black Friday on the Parkway
- Traffic on the Parkway gets heavy on Black Friday and the Saturday after. Pick one area to shop and park once if you can.
- Tanger’s 6 a.m. opening is the earliest posted start in the area. If you’re going for a specific store, check that store’s own hours, since they can differ from the center’s.
- Pair your shopping with something free. The Wonders of Light Walking Trail and the Christmas Market are side by side at Patriot Park, and The Island’s fountain shows start at 6 p.m.
- Bring layers. The markets at Patriot Park and the Mountain Mile are outdoors, and late November evenings in the Smokies get cold.
Not posted yet
- Pigeon Forge Factory Outlet Mall Black Friday hours: No 2026 date announced yet. Check back soon.
- Mountain Mile Christmas tree lighting: No 2026 date announced yet. Check back soon.
- Tanger’s Black Friday 2026 store-by-store deals haven’t been posted. Check Tanger’s website closer to the day.
More holiday planning
- Our Thanksgiving restaurants guide lists the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg restaurants serving on Thanksgiving Day.
- The November in Pigeon Forge guide covers Winterfest and the rest of the month’s events.
- For lights, shows and Santa through December, see our Christmas in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg 2026 guide.
- Our Pigeon Forge shopping guide has the year-round stores.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Tanger Outlets Sevierville open on Black Friday 2026?
Tanger Outlets Sevierville lists Black Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, hours of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The center is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. Individual stores can set their own hours, so check Tanger’s website before you go.
Is the Wonders of Light Christmas Market open on Black Friday?
Yes. The free Wonders of Light Christmas Market at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 20 to 28, 2026, which includes Black Friday. Saturday, Nov. 28, is its last day this year.
Is there a craft show in Gatlinburg on Black Friday 2026?
Yes. The Great Smoky Thanksgiving Arts and Crafts Show runs Nov. 24 to 29, 2026, at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and admission is free.
Are stores in Pigeon Forge open on Thanksgiving Day 2026?
Some are and some aren’t. Tanger Outlets Sevierville and The Incredible Christmas Place are closed on Thanksgiving Day. The Island in Pigeon Forge lists Thanksgiving Day retail hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check each store’s website for its own holiday hours.
Photo at top: the Pigeon Forge Factory Outlet Mall on the Parkway (2007). Photo by Brian Stansberry, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.