If you’re looking to get away to the mountains soon, The Smoky Mountain Elk Fest will return Friday, September 30th & Saturday, October 1st at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. This event was created to celebrate the reintroduction of Elk to the Great Smoky Mountains and hosted its inaugural event back in 2019. Elk Fest is a family-friendly education-based festival with a strong focus on conservation of the elk and the elk habitat.