About Mentone Print E-mail

Mentone has it all! Excellent restaurants, cozy cabins, bed and breakfasts, historic hotels, lodges, Desoto State Park, and of course camps.

Mentone literally means, "musical mountain spring," and while natural cascades and rippling streams create a melody all their own, it's the sound of church chimes and harmonizing homefolk that draw the most interest, musically, today.

As a special place, Mentone qualifies naturally!  It simply has everything good you'd expect to find in a mountain environment -- clean streams; lush fragrant flora; unobstructed vistas; cool temperatures; and a certain peacefulness so hard to find nowadays.  The air here is clear and crisp.  There are no flashing neon signs -- no shopping malls -- no traffic jams.  There's almost nothing to remind you of the city.  Streets (more like lanes) are narrow and twisting paths of little resistance, with cottages tucked here and there. 

Rhododendron Festival -- Third Weekend in May

On the third weekend of May, the Rhododendron Festival will feature artists and craftsmen displaying their handcrafted wares and live entertainment.  There will be a a bonfire and storytelling/music on Friday evening.  Potted rhododendron plants are always a sellout.  Usually the native flowing plants are at their peak in their array of beauty around the third weekend in May.  The lake on Little River above DeSoto Falls is a wonderful place from which to view the rhododendron and mountain laurel blooms.  There will be a good variety of food for sale by several vendors.

Fall Colorfest -- Third Weekend in October

Its hard to improve on Mother Nature's shows this time of year, but Mentone folks give it a shot!  Storytelling, sing-a-longs and dancing fill the crisp, cool air on Friday evening while children roast marshmallows around a huge bon-fire.  Saturday and Sunday are filled with live entertainment all day long, while local artists and craftsmen display their hand-crafted wares.  The Saturday afternoon parade and activities on Little River add to the festive atmosphere.

 

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