Reunion Workshop Workshop Scheduled for Atlanta, October 1

Planning a family reunion is a task often handled by someone who never has tackled an event that complex before, and that’s why Pigeon Forge, Tenn., has scheduled a family reunion workshop Oct. 1 in Atlanta.

“Planning a reunion, even a small one, can be a daunting task – or it can be a lot of fun. The goal of the Pigeon Forge Family Reunion Workshop and Travel Expo is making it easy and fun,” said Joy McNealy, who leads the group travel office in the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains is one of America’s top family vacation destinations, with more than 10 million visitors a year. Atlanta is annually one of its top three visitor origination markets.

Travel and hospitality consultant/trainer Jeff Mills will lead the workshop at the Holiday Inn in Dunwoody, Ga. (4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd.), Oct. 1 from 9 a.m.-noon. Mills is president of Mills Marketing Group in Lawrenceville, Ga.

The workshop will cover topics such as building a reunion database, scheduling, pleasing all members of the family, working with a hotel or cabin rental company, working with caterers and obtaining group rates at attractions.

The workshop includes entertainment from Great Smoky Mountains storyteller Mike Gwinn and the “Soul of Motown” production at the Grand Majestic Theater.

“There are many moving parts in a reunion, and there are many ways a reunion organizer can dramatically increase the odds of orchestrating a successful event,” Mills said. “Here’s a no-cost opportunity to learn.”

Mills noted that picking a destination that suits the reunion group is the most basic decision.

“Pigeon Forge is the site of many reunions simply because it has so much – Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood for theme park lovers, Dollywood’s Splash Country for water park fun, theater entertainment, dinner shows, restaurants that can handle groups and 10,000 hotel, motel and cabin rooms,” Mills said.

A travel expo featuring booths from almost three dozen Pigeon Forge businesses follows the workshop from noon-4 p.m. Admission is free.

The travel expo is open to workshop attendees, other group travel planners and individual travelers. Exhibitors include the Titanic Museum Attraction, Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, Old Mills Square, Eagles Ridge Resort, the Inn at Christmas Place, the Music Road Hotel and restaurants.

“The expo is a great way for group travel leaders to be brought up to date on what Pigeon Forge has to offer,” McNealy said.

Call 678-442-7281 for reservations for the Pigeon Forge Family Workshop. Reservations are not required for the travel expo. Admission is free for the workshop and travel expo.

Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

Take your family on a dude-ranch vacation!  Named “Best Family Vacation” by Frommer’s Colorado guidebook, this ranch is a fun reunion destination.  Located in Loveland, CO this guest ranch offers more than enough entertainment for your family.  It is also only an hour away from the bustling city of Denver.  Guests go on cattle drives and cattle roundups, trail rides, overnight trips and take horseback riding lessons. 

Nestled along the Big Thompson river there are also plenty of outdoor activities, such as fishing and swimming for your family to enjoy.  They offer group packages and faciltities and welcome families of all sizes.

For more information visit:  http://www.sylvandale.com

Family Reunion Activities

Gathering everyone together for a reunion is a great way to share and bond with your family, but exactly what do you at a reunion?  How do you keep everyone entertained?  How do you make it memorable?  Here area few ideas on how to make your family reunion the best one yet.

• Put together a family cookbook.  Ask everyone to contribute their favorite recipes and share them with the entire family.
• Scavenger Hunts.  The twist is to make it a hunt to find out information about your family members.
• Create a display of family photos and history for everyone to look at and talk about.  It will help get conversation started.
• Storytime.  Ask people to share some of their favorite family stories and memories.
• Create family reunion t-shirts.  A great way to ensure that everyone will remember this reunion.
• Family talent show.  Fun entertainment for family members of all ages.

For more ideas visit:  http://family-reunion.com/activity.htm

http://genealogy.about.com/od/family_reunions/a/activities.htm