Ripley’s offering special promotion for Unicoi Countians

The Ripley’s entertainment group in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is offering a special promotion Sunday, June 27, through Thursday, July 1, exclusively for residents of Unicoi and Greene counties.
Any resident of Unicoi or Greene or anyone who works in the two counties will receive half-price admission at any of the eight Ripley’s attractions when donating at least one canned food item.
The collected food will be evenly divided between food ministries serving Unicoi and Greene counties.
To qualify, each person presenting a food item and seeking the half-price admission must live or work in Unicoi or Greene counties and must present a photo I.D. and a utility bill or paycheck stub verifying residential or work status in either of the two counties.
“We did this first in Sevier and Cocke counties, and it went over so well, we wanted to branch out into other counties,” said Mary Phillips, the marketing director for Ripley’s in Gatlinburg. “This is part of our anniversary celebrations and a chance to give back to the people who have supported us for all these years.”
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum opened in Gatlinburg 40 years ago, and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies opened 10 years ago.
In addition to the museum and the aquarium, the half-price admission and food-collection promotion is also being honored at Ripley’s six other East Tennessee attractions: Ripley’s Moving Theater, Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze, Ripley’s Davy Crockett Mini-Golf, Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Farm Mini-Golf and the Guinness World Records Museum.
Part of the anniversary celebration has already included the addition of a penguins exhibit at the aquarium, which Phillips said has been popular with visitors.
“I’ve been with Ripley’s for eight years,” Phillips said, “and I’m still amazed. We have so much variety and so many different opportunities for family entertainment.”