Dollywood will ring in spring this weekend with the kickoff of its Flower & Food Festival.
Dolly Parton’s theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is decorated with half a million blooming flowers, a new dining pass and “a warm spring atmosphere filled with the sounds of inspirational music emanating from stages.”
“When I was a little girl, I loved springtime because everything seemed so bright with color,” Parton said in a press release. “It started to get warm outside and you just felt like you could finally get out of the house after being cooped up in there for so long, which is something I know we’re all feeling right now. But the thing I remember most about those spring days were the flowers that would start blooming all over the hills. So, the Smokies really were the inspiration for this festival.
“And I just love we made that big, beautiful display of my mama with all those wonderful flowers. It’s special to me, and I know she would have been so proud of it. But something else I’m happy about this year is that not only do we have all the flowers, we’re also bringing in a lot of great music to the festival. I just know it is really going to make the whole park feel so joyful. It’s a special time of year, and I really think Dollywood is a great place to get outdoors and enjoy it all!”
The display of Parton’s mother, called “Coat of Many Colors,” is the focal display and depicts her mother quilting.
For the food part of the festival, attendees can buy a special dining pass that lets them sample five meals at any of the festival’s culinary locations. On the menu are a Cuban sandwich with plantain chips, fish and chips, mountain paella, summer succotash featuring pan-seared chicken, lobster roll, beef bulgogi nachos, blueberry and blackberry mini funnel cake, lemon curd and blueberry liege waffle, and more.
To entertain guests when they aren’t on rides, performances and shows will take place throughout the park. According to the press release, The Melodies of Spring concert series features contemporary Christian artists, Southern gospel groups and other acts appearing inside DP’s Celebrity Theater every Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Among the artists scheduled are Matthew West, Big Daddy Weave, I AM THEY, Rebecca St. James, Sidewalk Prophets, the Rhett Walker Band, Triumphant Quartet and others.
Other acts scheduled to perform are “The Voice” contestants Worth The Wait, Willow City, The Hall Sisters and the 3 Heath Brothers.
The Flower & Food Festival begins Friday, April 23, and runs through June 7. For ticket information, go to dollywood.com/tickets.
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