Spotlight The 2026 Great Smoky Mountains synchronous firefly lottery is coming. How to enter USA Today Network Apr 22, 2026 Apr 22, 2026 0 Fireflies flash during the synchronous firefly viewing at Elkmont Campground in Gatlinburg, Tenn., June 5, 2025. USA Today Network Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save USA Today Network A lottery for tickets to view a yearly Great Smoky Mountains phenomenon beloved by travelers and locals alike will open mid-April.kAmp AC6DD C6=62D6 7C@> E96 vC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C< C6G62=65 a_ae 52E6D 7@C :ED 2??F2= DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=J G:6H:?8 6G6?E 2E t=<>@?E] %96 A2C< =:>:ED 2446DD E@ t=<>@?E 5FC:?8 E96 6:89E\52J A6C:@5 @7 AC65:4E65 A62< 7:C67=J 24E:G:EJ E@ 62D6 EC277:4[ <66A G:D:E@CD D276 2?5 AC@E64E E96 C2C6 7:C67=J 3C665 5FC:?8 :ED >2E:?8 D62D@?]k^AmkAmsF6 E@ E9:D =:>:E[ 2 J62C=J =@EE6CJ :D 96=5[ 8:G:?8 :?E6C6DE65 A2CE:6D 2 72:C 492?46 E@ H:? E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ AFC492D6 E:4<6ED E@ E96 D@F89E\27E6C 6G6?E] ':D:E@CD >2J D6=64E EH@ AC676CC65 G:6H:?8 52JD H96? 6?E6C:?8 E96 =@EE6CJj 7@C a_ae[ E96 A2C< :D :DDF:?8 `a_ C6D6CG2E:@?D A6C ?:89E[ 2 E@E2= @7 he_ 7@C E96 6G6?E]k^Am People are also reading… McDowell high school victim testified before former guidance counselor pleads guilty to sex crimes Former McDowell High volleyball coach, counselor pleads guilty to child sex crimes mid-trial This new spot in Marion is offering locally grown food and beer, run by farmers and a brewer Trial against former McDowell High volleyball coach accused of sex crimes began Wednesday 5 questions answered about the trial of former McDowell High counselor Jessica Finley Old Fort man charged with threatening clerk of court in McDowell County McDowell County park may get updates to trails, disc golf course, fishing access Freight train travels through Old Fort for first time since Hurricane Helene’s devastation He got a tattoo to commemorate a Fred Durst concert in Morganton. It never actually happened. QB Bryce Young gets honest about Panthers' big change on offense for 2026 Former North Carolina sharpshooter first rookie in NBA history to accomplish rare feat Brush fire burns along Interstate 40 near Nebo; traffic down to one lane 52nd Little Miss McDowell pageant crowns 2026 winner Mission Hospital McDowell’s Emergency Services recognized nationally as Unit of Distinction McDowell County restoring storm-damaged parks; cost expected to be more than $1 million kAmw6C6VD H92E E@ <?@H 23@FE E9:D J62CVD 6G6?E[ =@EE6CJ 2?5 E96 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D E92E 5C2H 9F?5C65D @7 G:D:E@CD E@ E96 A2C< J62C=J]k^Amk9am(96? 42? x 2AA=J E@ G:6H DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D :? a_ae :? E96 $>@<:6Dnk^9amkAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 2 ?6HD C6=62D6 7C@> E96 vC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C<[ 2AA=:42E:@?D 7@C E9:D J62CVD G69:4=6 C6D6CG2E:@? =@EE6CJ @A6? 2E `_ 2]>] @? pAC:= ac 2?5 4=@D6 2E ``idh A]>] @? pAC:= af]k^Amk9amw@H 5@ x 2AA=J E@ D66 E96 vC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C< DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6Dnk^9am kAm(96? 2AA=J:?8 2EU?3DAjk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^C64C62E:@?]8@GQmC64C62E:@?]8@Gk^2m[ 2AA=:42?ED 42? 6?E6C EH@ 52E6D E@ E2<6 A2CE :? E96 G:6H:?8 @G6C E96 6:89E\52J 2G2:=23=6 A6C:@5] %96 =@EE6CJ :D 4@?5F4E65 E9C@F89 2 C2?5@>:K65 4@>AFE6C 5C2H:?8]k^Am kAm%96 2AA=:42E:@? 766 :D S`[ 2?5 DF446DD7F= 2AA=:42?ED H:== 2FE@>2E:42==J 36 :DDF65 C6D6CG2E:@?D[ H:E9 2 Sah C6D6CG2E:@? 766 492C865 E@ E96 D2>6 4C65:E @C 563:E 42C5 FD65 7@C E96 2AA=:42E:@? 766] %96 Sah 766 4@G6CD E96 4@DE @7 E96 C6D6CG2E:@? :ED6=7 2D H6== 2D A@CE23=6 @?D:E6 C6DEC@@>D[ DFAA=:6D 2?5 ?:89E=J A6CD@??6= 4@DED 7@C >2?28:?8 E96 G:6H:?8 @AA@CEF?:EJ]k^Am k9amw@H >2?J DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=J C6D6CG2E:@?D H:== 36 2H2C565nk^9amkAmx? a_ae[ E96 A2C< H:== :DDF6 `a_ C6D6CG2E:@?D A6C ?:89E 7@C 2 E@E2= @7 he_ 7@C E96 6G6?E] t249 C6D6CG2E:@? 25>:ED @?6 G69:4=6 H:E9 FA E@ D6G6? @44FA2?ED]k^Amk9am(96? :D E96 vC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C< DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=J 6G6?E :? a_aenk^9am kAm%9:D J62CVD DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=J 6G6?E 52E6D 2C6 |2J a_\af] pAA=:42?ED H:== 36 ?@E:7:65 3J 6>2:= 3J |2J e 23@FE E96:C =@EE6CJ DE2EFD]k^Am k9am(9J :D E96C6 2 =@EE6CJ E@ D66 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D :? E96 $>@<:6Dnk^9am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack kAmtG6CJ J62C :? =2E6 |2J @C 62C=J yF?6[ 9F?5C65D @7 G:D:E@CD ?62C t=<>@?E r2>A8C@F?5 D66 E96 ?2EFC2==J @44FCC:?8 A96?@>6?@? @7 !9@E:?FD 42C@=:?FD[ 2 7:C67=J DA64:6D E92E 7=2D96D DJ?49C@?@FD=J]k^Am kAm$:?46 a__e[ E96 }2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 92D =:>:E65 2446DD E@ E96 t=<>@?E 2C62 E@ E96 6:89E 52JD @7 AC65:4E65 A62< 7:C67=J 24E:G:EJ] %9:D 96=AD C65F46 EC277:4 4@?86DE:@?[ AC@G:56D 2 D276 G:6H:?8 6IA6C:6?46 7@C G:D:E@CD[ 2?5 >:?:>:K6D 5:DEFC32?46D E@ E96D6 F?:BF6 7:C67=:6D 5FC:?8 E96:C EH@\H66< >2E:?8 A6C:@5]k^Am kAm%96 =@EE6CJ DJDE6> H2D AFE :? A=246 E@ 6?DFC6 6G6CJ@?6 H9@ 2AA=:6D 7@C 2 C6D6CG2E:@? 92D 2? 6BF2= 492?46 @7 86EE:?8 @?6] $62C49 7@C QvC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D u:C67=J ':6H:?8 {@EE6CJQ 2EU?3DAjk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^C64C62E:@?]8@GQmC64C62E:@?]8@Gk^2mU?3DAj7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 E@ 6?E6C E96 =@EE6CJ] #625 @? 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? @? DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D 7C@> E96U?3DAj}2E:@?2= !2C< $6CG:46 H63A286]k^Amk9am(92E :D 2 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=Jnk^9amkAm%96 A2C< D6CG:46 H63D:E6 6IA=2:?D E92E !9@E:?FD 42C@=:?FD 2C6 366E=6D[ DA6?5:?8 >@DE @7 E96:C =:G6D :? E96 =2CG2= DE286 H96C6 E96J 7665 @? D?2:=D[ H@C>D[ 2?5 D>2==6C :?D64ED :? E96 =627 =:EE6C @? E96 7@C6DE 7=@@C 367@C6 6>6C8:?8 E@ >2E6 2?5 7=2D9 E96:C 52KK=:?8 5:DA=2JD]k^Am kAm$4:6?E:DED 36=:6G6 E92E >2=6D 7=2D9 :? F?:D@? 2D 2 H2J 7@C 76>2=6D E@ 4@?7:C> E92E E96J 2C6 E96 D2>6 DA64:6D[ 2G@:5:?8 @E96C A@E6?E:2==J AC652E@CJ 7:C67=J DA64:6D] %96 7=2D9 A2EE6C? :D 2 D6C:6D @7 7:G6 E@ 6:89E 7=2D96D[ 7@==@H65 3J 2 A2FD6 @7 23@FE 6:89E D64@?5D 367@C6 C6A62E:?8]k^Amk9amw@H C2C6 2C6 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6Dnk^9am kAm!9@E:?FD 42C@=:?FD 2C6 @?6 @7 2E =62DE `h DA64:6D @7 7:C67=:6D E92E =:G6 :? vC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C<[ 2?5 @?6 @7 @?=J E9C66 DA64:6D :? }@CE9 p>6C:42 E92E DJ?49C@?:K6 7=2D9:?8 =:89E A2EE6C?D]k^Am k9amw@H =@?8 5@ E96 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D =2DEnk^9am kAm~?46 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D >2EFC6 :?E@ 25F=ED[ E96J @?=J =:G6 7@C 23@FE E9C66 E@ 7@FC H66<D] %96:C >2E:?8 D62D@? =2DED 7@C 23@FE EH@ E@ E9C66 H66<D J62C=J[ H:E9 DE2CE 52E6D 32D65 @? J62C=J E6>A6C2EFC6 2?5 D@:= >@:DEFC6] !62< >2E:?8 D62D@? 86?6C2==J @44FCD 2E E:>6D 7C@> E96 E9:C5 H66< @7 |2J E@ E96 E9:C5 H66< @7 yF?6]k^AmkAm}:89E=J 5:DA=2JD 42? 2=D@ 36 27764E65 7C@> ?:89E E@ ?:89E 3J H62E96C 2?5 E6>A6C2EFC6]k^Am k9am(96C6 42? x D66 DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=:6D a_aenk^9amkAmvC62E $>@<J |@F?E2:?D }2E:@?2= !2C< :D E96 >@DE A@AF=2C =@42E:@? :? E96 &]$] 7@C DJ?49C@?@FD 7:C67=J G:6H:?8] w6C6 2C6 D@>6 @E96C =@42E:@?D 7C@>U?3DAjk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^7:C67=J]@C8Qm7:C67=J]@C8k^2mik^Am kF=mk=:m~2< #:586 (:=5=:76 |2?286>6?E pC62[ %6??6DD66k^=:mk=:m#@4<J u@C< $E2E6 !2C<[ %6??6DD66k^=:mk=:mp==6896?J }2E:@?2= u@C6DE[ !6??DJ=G2?:2k^=:mk=:mr@?82C66 }2E:@?2= !2C<[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2k^=:mk=:mr2;@? q@?:E@[ pC:K@?2k^=:mk^F=m kAm&$p %~sp* }6EH@C< G:2 #6FE6CD r@??64Ek^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular National Park Service to remove storm debris along Blue Ridge Parkway “This debris Hurricane Helene has accumulated in volumes and locations that present a clear wildfire risk to communities, homes and other resources." Buncombe County celebrates soon-to-be mountaintop public park “There’s nowhere else you could go in Buncombe County to experience it in this way.” Carowinds has new, free offer for parents with young kids this summer Carowinds has a new offer that could make it easier for families in the Charlotte region to find something fun to do this summer. Through May …
National Park Service to remove storm debris along Blue Ridge Parkway “This debris Hurricane Helene has accumulated in volumes and locations that present a clear wildfire risk to communities, homes and other resources."
Buncombe County celebrates soon-to-be mountaintop public park “There’s nowhere else you could go in Buncombe County to experience it in this way.”
Carowinds has new, free offer for parents with young kids this summer Carowinds has a new offer that could make it easier for families in the Charlotte region to find something fun to do this summer. Through May …