You don’t have to go far to discover some treasure.
Community landmarks and the Tweetsie Trail will be on full display Saturday, Sept. 2, for the annual Tweetsie Trail Treasure Trip, sponsored by Elizabethton Parks and Recreation.
“This is one of our bigger events we do each year,” said Mike Mains, Parks & Rec director. “We always look forward to this event because it gives people the chance to see the different businesses, nonprofits and other organizations in the community. There has been so much participation each year.”
Action starts at 10 a.m. and gets underway at the section of the Tweetsie Trail located across from Sycamore Shoals State Park. Participants will maneuver their way through the traditional Northeast Tennessee attraction into downtown Elizabethton with various businesses and vendor set up on the trail.
“Over the past events, we’ve seen around 250 to 300 people attend,” Kelly Kitchens, with Parks & Rec said. “But we had the day broken up into two different sections. With the way this year’s event is set up, we’re expecting well over 400.”
For this year’s installments, 10 to 15 businesses will also be set up on the trail with different booths. Each booth has a prize valued at $50.
During their walk, individuals will be asked to pick up a “passport” at the start. From there, the public chance to visit the five “Golden Depots,” which highlights the history and heritage of Elizabethton, and getting their passport stamped.
“At each depot, there’s a chance to win a grand prize,” Mains said. Different deports that will be highlighted include education, history, recreation, tourism and downtown.
The actual Tweetsie Trail portion of the event concludes at 12:30 p.m. but the action continues right after at the Covered Bridge Park. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., the community is invited to attend the location and take part in different forms of entertainment.
Passports that were fully stamped will be given to Parks & Rec officials at Covered Bridge Park to be entered for a variety of prizes. The grand prize of the event is totaled at $700. Other items available include a $250 prize, bicycles, and other outdoor gear. Other activities will also be going on at the park, including concessions, inflatables and other goodies.
While an exciting time of the year, Mains added the staff puts in their fair share of hours.
“Our staff, Kelly Kitchens, David Nanney, David McQueen and the rest of our other employees have done an outstanding job with this event,” Mains said. “It has taken a lot of work and dedication by all and we thank those sponsors and businesses that are involved.”
Mains added Parks & Rec staff would monitor the weather forecast at 6 a.m. Saturday. If a decision is made to postpone the event, updates will be featured on the Tweetsie Trail Treasure Trip and the City of Elizabethton website. Information can also be learned Saturday by contacting Parks & Rec at (423) 547-6441.