National Quartet Convention
This event has finished for now. It runs again each year, and this page will be updated once the next dates are announced.
Southern gospel has one week a year where the whole genre shows up in the same building, and this is it. The National Quartet Convention started in 1957 and landed in Pigeon Forge in 2014, and the 2026 edition runs seven days at the LeConte Center. Gold City, the Kingsmen, Greater Vision, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, the Hoppers, the Inspirations, Karen Peck & New River, Legacy Five, Triumphant and dozens more are on the 2026 schedule, along with an exhibit hall where artists sell records and talk to people who have been following them for forty years.
How the Week Runs
Evenings are the main draw. Sunday through Friday, doors and exhibits open at 4:00 PM and the concert runs from 5:30 PM until somewhere around 10:30 PM, with the exact finish varying by night. Saturday breaks the pattern and moves to the afternoon: doors at 11:45 AM, music from 12:45 PM to 5:50 PM.
Several nights carry a theme.
- Monday is All Quartet Night
- Wednesday is A Night of Hits
- Friday is Prime Time Live.
Daytime brings free artist showcases in the morning and ticketed showcase sessions around midday, which in 2026 include Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. Robert Jeffress, an afternoon with the Collingsworth Family, the Southern Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame induction and Greater Vision premiering a new hymn album with the First Baptist Atlanta choir and orchestra.
Admission
Evening concerts and afternoon showcases are ticketed separately. Prices below are from the official NQC admission page and add a processing charge:
- Sunday evening concert: $25 plus $3.50
- Monday through Saturday evening concert: $37 plus $3.50
- Afternoon showcase, single day: $27 plus $3.50
- Showcase combo, Thursday through Saturday: $76 plus $10.50
- Showcase combo, Wednesday through Saturday: $93 plus $14.00
Tickets go through iTickets, reachable from the NQC site. Prices are current as of publication and can change, so check before you plan around them. NQC also sells multi-night vacation packages that bundle seats with lodging.
What You Can Attend for Free
Two daytime sessions are free and open to the public. Artist showcases run 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and feature up-and-coming groups and family acts. Mornings with Michael Booth & Friends runs 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM with doors at 9:00 AM. If you are curious about the convention but not ready to buy a concert seat, these are the way in.
Parking and Access
Parking at the LeConte Center is free. The 1,600-space River Lot sits next to the building and runs a tram to the door. The 2,100-space Mountain Lot connects by pedestrian bridge at Teaster Lane and Jake Thomas Road. The whole venue is on one level with no steps or escalators. The Fun Time Trolley also stops nearby, which is worth knowing because Teaster Lane gets slow when 10,000 people leave at once.
Pigeon Forge lodging books up hard for this week. If you are coming from out of town, sort out a room well before you sort out tickets.
