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Dollywood 2026: Flower & Food Festival - April 17th - June 7th.
Dollywood is now open for its 41st season, and I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned about the Flower & Food Festival — including tasting pass details, entertainment, transportation tips, park tours, and more.
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Festival Overview
At Dollywood's Flower and Food Festival, Spring splendor blooms around every corner. Celebrate the beauty of the season amongst larger-than-life mosaicultures and half a million vibrant flowers. Awaken your tastebuds with mouthwatering, festival-exclusive fresh flavors. Soak in the spirit of song and story at engaging new shows and returning fan-favorites. Dance and play in a rainbow wonderland under Umbrella Sky, a dazzling art installation that dapples Dollywood in a kaleidoscope of color. Feel Dollywood burst to life from April 18 - June 7 at the Flower and Food Festival!
Tasting Pass & Festival Menu
The Dollywood app is your best friend during festival season. It shows where each specialty food item is located, and in some cases allows mobile ordering.
Tasting Pass Details:
- Includes 5 festival food items
- Shareable between guests
- Valid for the entire festival — no need to use all punches in one visit
- Gold & Diamond Passholders save $3
- Price: $39.99 for Passholders, $42.99 for everyone else
Menu items and locations are available on the Dollywood website and app.
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| Your view in the Dollywood App |
What’s New Around the Park in 2026
- Timber Canyon Restrooms: Renovated, enlarged and refreshed.
- Wilderness Pass Restaurant: New covered seating area. Menu includes rotisserie chicken, fish, collard greens, and more.
- Till & Harvest Menu: Cheeseburger/fries, Chicken Tenders/fries, Smoky Mountain Nachos, Wildwood Grove Rice Bowl & White Bean Queso Dip. See pic....
- Cinnamon Bread Price: $12.99. They may have rearranged the entrance/exit situation again. It currently begins and ends at the water tower. Not great pic, but notice Exit/Enter signs.
Ride Updates
- Daredevil Falls: New boats with updated colors!
- Mystery Mine: Behind‑the‑scenes upgrades including new control systems. Now Open!
- Dollywood Express: Converted from coal to oil — safer, cleaner, and able to operate in more weather conditions. Now Open!
Nightflight Expedition
The new hybrid coaster + river rapids attraction continues construction in Wildwood Grove. As of 4/17/2026, the park suggests a possible mid‑June opening. A soft‑opening is planned for select passholder tiers.
Many people online are skeptical of this opening date given the appearance of the construction site. Once construction concludes, the ride will undergo a commissioning process. The timeframe depends on a lot of variables. The park is still saying ''spring'' which technically goes until mid-June - So We Will Seeeee! Stay tuned to my channels as I will report on any updates from the park.
Check out my video for a closer look at the only other existing Mack Rocking Boat attraction in operation - Mission Bermuda! The next video, below, is my progress update from March 25, 2026.
Shows & Entertainment
Many guest‑favorite shows return for the festival....
Returning Favorites
- From The Heart: Dolly’s musical journey (DP Celebrity Theater)
- Dreamsong
- Heidi Parton’s Kin & Friends (Dreamsong Theater)
- Heartsong (Dreamsong Theater)
- Forever Country (Valley Theater)
- Kingdom Heirs (Showstreet Theater)
- Smoky Mountain String Band (Back Porch Theater)
- Imagination Playhouse (Imagination Playhouse Theater)
- The Little Engine That Could
- Something Wild
- Coat of Many Colors
- Wings of America Birds of Prey (Craftsman’s Valley Theater)
- The Dolly Parton Experience (multiple buildings)
- Jessica Horton (Robert F. Thomas Chapel Steps - April 18 to 26) HIGHLY RECOMMEND! See why below!
Operating Calendar
The park is not open every day during the Flower & Food Festival, but it does have consistent hours:
- 10 AM – 8 PM
- Note those FOUR days the park is closed! 4/21, 23, 28 & 30!
