Looking for Something Else to Do During the Convention?

Non-Rail Activities

Friday, September 19 – 10:30 am to 2:30 pm – Gatlinburg Historic Arts & Crafts Loop

The Gatlinburg Arts and Crafts Community, also known as the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, is a series of shops and galleries along an 8-mile two-laned loop in Sevier County, Tennessee east of Gatlinburg. It is set in a traditional setting of rural Appalachia, away from the town’s activity, where artisans create their crafts and sell them.

This tour can be done with other SER 2025 Convention participants on Friday from 10:30 am to 2 pm, including lunch on your own; or you can do it on your timeframe. You can drive your car (there is plenty of parking along the Arts & Crafts Loop) or, if you would prefer to take the free Gatlinburg Trolley, you can park at the City Hall Park and Ride lot (on Highway 321 at the City Hall Complex) for no charge and catch the Yellow Line Trolley out to the Arts & Crafts Loop.

We’ll provide van service along the route, starting with a 10:30 a.m. pickup in front of the hotel and returning at 2:30 p.m. The cost for the van is $20.00 per person.

The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community is the largest independent organization of artisans in the United States. As such it doesn’t disappoint in the diversity of crafts you can see when you visit. You’ll find a wide assortment of items from dulcimers to stuffed bears to ceramics. The artists often will talk with visitors and discuss the history of their craft. Each shop offers plenty of free parking.

Click here for more information about the numerous artists and craftsmen you can visit along the 8-mile loop!

Saturday, September 20 – 10:00 am to 12:30 pm – Paint & Sip Class – Railroad-Themed Scene

This super-fun acrylic painting class with a railroad-themed scene is sure to be a highlight for the SER 2025 Convention! It will be held on-site on Saturday from 10 am to 12:30 pm in the Hospitality Room (Highlander 1). An 11×14 stretched canvas and all painting supplies will be provided. We will offer an assortment of breakfast goodies, along with coffee, tea, and… did someone say mimosas??

Instructor Tania Dirks is amazing! She is an award-winning painter with a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design; her education includes a residency fellowship at Yale University’s Yale Norfolk Summer School of Art and Music. 

Tania teaches painting and drawing classes at numerous venues in East Tennessee. Her style is lively and expressionistic, and she patiently guides every student through the process of creating their masterpiece, from start to finish. DON’T BE INTIMIDATED – NO PRIOR ART EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED! 

The painting class, including all supplies, drinks, and munchies, is $35 per person.