The return of vibrant fall foliage, carved pumpkins and colorfully dressed scarecrows means autumn is in full swing. As the temperatures cool off, people young and old are ready to celebrate all this season has to offer.
One of the best places to do just that is at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This theme park makes the most of fall with its annual Harvest Festival, running through Oct. 28.
Pose with the pumpkins
Around Dolly Parton’s playground, you’ll find thousands of pumpkins arranged into fall displays. Some are rows of white, green and orange gourds, while others are carved pumpkins arranged in artful displays such as a butterfly, Parton’s guitar, a great owl and a massive spider. During the day, they make ideal backdrops for family photos.
Once the sun sets, these displays transform into the Great Pumpkin LumiNights, glowing jack-o-lanterns with flickering lights. Take a stroll along the Pumpkin Passage up to Timber Canyon, the Pumpkin Path in Rivertown Junction or Hoot Owl Hollow in Craftsman’s Valley to see many of them. Of course, this is just the start. You’ll find many more throughout the park, so take time to enjoy them all.
Sample fall-themed treats
While Dollywood is well-known for tasty treats — who doesn’t want some fresh cinnamon bread? — the park takes it up a notch with fall flavors during the Harvest Festival. Throughout the event, you can sample such seasonal entrees as the maple pork belly sweet potato skillet, pumpkin-spiced bisque with toasted pepitas, and pumpkin-spiced ribs. Choose between a harvest apple lemonade and pumpkin pie punch to go with your meal. To finish off with something sweet, you can choose from the caramel apple funnel cake, carrot cake cupcake, pumpkin whoopie pie or cinnamon-sugar hushpuppies with hazelnut dip.
You’ll be thankful for all the steps you take throughout the park to help counteract all the calories you’ll consume.
Catch a seasonal show
No visit to Dollywood is complete without taking in some music, and the Harvest Festival delivers with a schedule of bluegrass, country and Southern gospel shows. Performers take to the stages around the park, so check the schedule on the Dollywood app for times and locations so you don’t miss them.
While not a seasonal show, The Dolly Parton Experience is a must-see for every Parton fan. Replacing the former Chasing Rainbows Museum, The Dolly Parton Experience tells her story, not only about her career as a singer, songwriter and actress, but also her life, her family and her faith. It’s a mix of well-known stories Parton has shared many times as well as those she hasn’t told.
Composed of three buildings and a tour bus, the attraction takes a deep dive into Parton’s life and career. In Songteller (behind the glittery butterfly), you’ll learn how Parton set out from her small hometown of Locust Ridge for Nashville, where she quickly went to work achieving her dreams of being a successful song teller. Exhibits range from the early days of her career with Porter Wagoner to her own television variety show to her guitars and much more.
In Behind the Seams, you can get upclose and personal with Parton’s wardrobe and hear from Steve Summers, the creative director who works with Parton to create her iconic looks. In Precious Memories, you’ll hear Parton share her love for faith and family on a display of screens artfully arranged on the lobby. And in Dolly’s Home on Wheels, you can check out the tour bus she used from 1994 to 2009. Who knew a tour bus could have 1½ bathrooms on it?
Retreat to a resort hotel
When you’re ready to rest and recover from a day at the park, hop on the complimentary shuttle back to one of Dollywood’s two resorts. Open since 2015, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa features a variety of accommodations, a full-service restaurant, a spa and salon, two swimming pools, and more at the 230,000-square-foot property. Featuring a covered front porch with rocking chairs, the white facade gives way to a light and airy interior with floor-to-ceiling windows in the rear of the lobby overlooking the outdoor swimming pool. You’ll spot butterflies at every turn, which add to the property’s spring meadow aesthetic.
At Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, you can choose from seven types of guest rooms, including some with a balcony overlooking the property. Opened in 2023, the 274,000-square-foot property features a full-service restaurant, two swimming pools, and a 4,000-square-foot, four-story atrium lobby with a massive stone fireplace and lantern-inspired windows overlooking the outdoor fire pit and swimming pool. Wood and stone are found throughout the property, giving it a rustic feel.
As Ellen Liston, public relations manager for Dollywood put it, “DreamMore is like being at Dolly’s home while HeartSong is like being at Dolly’s mountain cabin.” As such, no matter which one you choose, you’ll feel right at home.
With fall underway, now is the time to plan your visit to Dollywood’s Harvest Festival. Don’t delay, or you’ll have to wait another year to take part in this annual event.
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