With inclement weather putting the brakes on a yearly event, Elizabethton Parks & Recreation are ready to try again this weekend.
Department officials announced the third annual Tweetsie Trail Treasure Trip will take place Saturday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. along the Elizabethton portion of the trail down to Covered Bridge Park.
“This is one of our bigger events we do each year,” Park & Rec Director Mike Mains recently told the Elizabethton Star. “We always look forward to this event because it gives people the chance to see the different businesses, nonprofits and organizations in our community. There has been so much participation each year.”
In a bit of a swerve compared to previous year, the event will be broken into two parts. Parks & Rec representatives encourage any walk, cyclist or runner to visit the Tweetsie Trail portion of the event, scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., from Sycamore Shoals through Historic Downtown Elizabethton.
Parks & Rec’s Kelly Kitchens stated that participants will be able to visit different businesses and community groups set up down the trail. Each booth will hand out waters, snacks, promotional items and information, along with registering participants for prizes. Each tent has donated a grand prize valued at more than $50, Kitchens said. Parks & Rec has $2,000 worth of prizes that will be up for grabs during the festivities.
Participants on the trail will also have the chance to visit different Golden Deports positioned on the path. Deport tents will stamp “passports” from participants, which will then be entered to win grand prizes. Depots will highlight the treasures in Elizabethton, including history, education, tourism, downtown and recreation.
Kitchens added that celebration will shift to Covered Bridge Park at 12:30 p.m.
From there, the public can enjoy live music, concessions, inflatables and prize giveaways. Performers currently lined up include Chris Mathis, Jeff Sharpe and the All Star Band. Prize drawings will take place approximately 1:30 p.m. and winners must be present.
All events on the Tweetsie Trail and at Covered Bridge Park are free of charge. Kitchens added there is still time to get involved. Organizations can set up, free of charge, but are asked to present a prize.
For more information, contact Parks & Rec at (423) 547-6441.
Mains added that if by chance the schedule were to be affected by an unexpected rain, the event would not be made up due to the amount of events on the horizon for the department.