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Leaf peeping season is right around the corner... and a great place to see some fall colors is out in the smoky mountains at Dollywood!
Wes Ramey joins us now with details on all their fall fun. “As the air begins to cool and hearts begin to warm, families gather for favorite traditions, including a visit to Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 9 – Oct. 28)” says Ramey. Fully embracing the change of seasons, Dollywood is reimagined with stunning park décor inspired by the autumnal beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. He adds “Dollywood entirely transforms again from day to night, and several areas of the park come alive with the glow of Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health.”
Shimmering red, orange and yellow leaves take flight in the Harvest Sky along Showstreet. And, of course, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival isn’t complete without pumpkins of every shape, size and color throughout the park, including the colossal pumpkins, now presented by Food City. These giant gourds come from growers across the East Coast and can weigh up to 1500 lbs. More than 12,000 pumpkins in total call Dollywood home this fall.
Pumpkins aren’t only visually present throughout the park – they’re in many new culinary offerings, as well. Warm, hearty lunch and dinner options include spiced pumpkin bisque, everything toasted garlic knots with pumpkin cheese sauce and hickory smoked ribs with pumpkin spiced rub, found at seasonal culinary booths and restaurants. Other fall flavors are found in various stuffed sweet potatoes, including the maple-brown sugar pecan cinnamon apple stuffed sweet potato, and refreshing beverage options like harvest apple lemonade.
There are more than 1100 individual performances, so there is always a new show to enjoy. Talented Southern gospel, bluegrass, jazz and country artists fill the mountain air with music. Gospel music stars include The Isaacs, Triumphant Quartet, Jeff and Sheri Easter, 11th Hour and A.R.M.D. Vasilios. Country acts such as Mandy Barnett, Lee Roy Parnell and T.G. Sheppard showcase their gifts on stages throughout the park. Suzy Bogguss, former Dollywood performer, brings her talents back home this fall. The fall fun lives on at both Dollywood resorts. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort have continued the celebration with themed activities, new culinary options and curated live music performances.
The Lounge at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort has multiple new autumnal bites, including smoked bratwurst, which is served on a pretzel roll with bacon-braised red cabbage and wholegrain mustard, and potato pancakes with pumpkin-cranberry crème fraiche. And guests will not want to miss the brand-new offerings at Ember & Elm: Tastes Rooted In The Smokies at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge, such as spiced strawberry grilled salmon or a smoke-kissed duck breast with an orange chipotle glaze.
Do not miss out on all the fun. Moreover, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of 58 Golden Ticket Awards (6 currently); and recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and earned the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Park in the world in 2023. This year, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. It also has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions
For more information visit Dollywood.com and we recommend that you download the App before visiting.