We're passionate about all things Dollywood and Sevier County, and we want to share that passion with you. Come along as we explore all that this beautiful area has to offer. From Dollywood and Splash Country to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove, there's something for everyone in Sevier County.
We're also big fans of Dolly Parton, and we'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on her latest news and projects. We're sure you'll find something to love here.
Showing posts with label Dollywood's Harvest Festival & Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dollywood's Harvest Festival & Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Show all posts
Working in television can be a lot fun. The first television show I worked on was called Club Dance and it aired on TNN - The Nashville Network - during most of the 1990s and it was filmed in Knoxville in a television studio, and it was meant to look as though it were in a nightclub, or a country line-dancing club - those were wildly popular in that timeframe. By the end of September on Club Dance, we had already celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and so that was always a sort of thing that would screw with your mind a bit. And sometimes it made me less exciting to celebrate those holidays in real life because mentally, I had already been there and done that. lol.
That's how my visit felt to Dollywood on August 31st! Not sure what part of the calendar I was living in. Nonetheless, Dollywood is amazing, and they're fantastic about hanging Christmas and Halloween stuff up simultaneously, only to pull Christmas back down again, and then put it back up again in a month or so! Crazy!
In this video I take a look at all of that. I have one last look at the Smoky Mountain River Rampage. I love shooting that ride, as you know if you look at my Dollywood videos. One last shot of Daredevil Falls before it goes down for the season as well. I have a Big Bear Mountain update of the construction site. I take a look at the Slidewinder site to see if anything new is happening. There's nothing I could see from the former entrance, but I'll show you a map of the potential area that could be used - it's really big. Lastly, I exit through the gift shop - Dollywood's Emporium has Dolly's new line of dog clothes called Doggy Parton, and they're available for puchase in the Emporum. I'll show you a few of the Christmas Ornaments that they are selling. And that does it for this visit!
Dollywood is just hours away - as of this posting - from their awesome fall Harvest Festival.
There are so many impressive components to the park this time of year. All the cool decor around the park, the seasonal food options, and then the seasonal merchandise available in the stores around the park, night rides on your favorite roller coaster, the crispness in the air - so many things to love.
In this post I'll cover The Tasting Pass, Fall themed Glass art from the Blown Glass shop in Rivertown Junction, a couple cool items from last year from the Blacksmith, and then I'll show you what Dollywood looked like during last season's LumiNights Festival, and tell you what's new in 2022!
Let's jump in to it!
🎃🎃🎃
This is from the Dollywood Blog, link here. I always say, follow my blog and follow the official Dollywood blog to help you stay informed.
I’m going to be honest, my brain isn’t sure what season it is. We just wrapped the filming of “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” at Dollywood, and now our teams are taking down the park’s Christmas decorations and putting out the pumpkins—all while the summer weather is still very much here. However, fall will be here before we know it, and I for one am very much looking forward to it. One of my favorite parts about autumn—the food. I am a candy corn junkie and I am not afraid of who knows it.
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana starts Friday, Sept. 23 and with it comes the return of the Harvest Festival Tasting Pass. Similar to the popular tasting pass for the Flower & Food Festival and our Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration, the Harvest Festival Tasting Pass allows you to sample five different food items crafted specially for the fall season. The tasting pass will run you $34.99. If you have a Gold or Diamond Season Pass, you can purchase the tasting pass at the discounted price of $31.99.
So what can you expect to enjoy with your Harvest Festival Tasting Pass? Here are a few items that I cannot wait to try!
BUSH’S Three Bean Pumpkin Chili & Pumpkin Cornbread
(Thanks to our friends at BUSH’s, this three-bean pumpkin chili is a taste sensation you have to try. The chili features ground bison, Monterey Jack cheese and an avocado crema. It is served with a slice of pumpkin corn bread.)
Smoked Sausage Mac & Cheese
(Take crisp fall weather and add the warm savory flavors of smoked andouille sausage and white cheddar for the ultimate mac ‘n’ cheese taste experience.)
Pulled Pork Sandwich with Pumpkin BBQ Sauce
(Take the delicious taste of pulled pork smoked onsite at Dollywood and top it with pumpkin-infused Memphis-style BBQ sauce and some cole slaw. Put it all in a brioche-style bun for the perfect fall meal.)
Pumpkin Sausage Pizza
(Tempt your taste buds with this fall-influenced twist on your favorite pizza! It’s an appetizing combination of crumbled Italian sausage, toasted pumpkin, whole milk ricotta cheese and parmesan.)
Sweet Corn Hushpuppies with Srirachia Aioli
(These hushpuppies are fried until they are golden brown then served with our own special aioli for dipping. The spicy aioli features roasted garlic, pumpkin puree and sriracha.)
Maple, Bacon & Walnut Funnel Cake
(Each season brings a delicious new topping offering for Dollywood’s funnel cakes. This fall, the salty and sweet flavors of walnuts in maple syrup and candied bacon are accented with powdered sugar and whipped cream – it’s sure to become a Harvest Festival favorite.)
Apple Dumpling with Ice Cream
(Don’t miss this perfect autumn dessert of baked apples and spice filling a delicious dumpling made of crispy pastry dough served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce.)
Apple Pie Milkshake (Ever wanted to have a slice of apple pie, but you wanted to keep moving to the next coaster? Here is the answer. The apple pie milkshake features vanilla bean ice cream and apple pie filling topped with streusel, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a cherry!)
Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee (Craving the ultimate taste of fall’s favorite flavor in a beverage? This iced coffee is made with Starbucks Cold Brew, cold foam and the sweet flavor of pumpkin spice.)
Pumpkin Spiced Churros with Pumpkin Fluff (Pumpkin spice makes everything nice! A crisp churro is made especially decadent with cinnamon, sugar, and… that’s right, pumpkin spice! It is served with pumpkin-infused fluff for the ultimate treat.)
Again, this is not a full list, but are you hungry yet?
🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃
Glass Shop Fall Items
In my visit to the Blown Glass shop back in April, they already had a lot of their fall themed items out for sale. Never too early! Let's check that out below...
Pretty cool stuff, huh? Again, this is all at the Mountain Blown Glass Shop near the bottom of Craftsman's Valley, but technically in Rivertown Junction. It's #104 on the official Dollywood Park Map. Check it out.
Here's a couple cool items from the Blacksmith shop back in 2021.
Blacksmith in the Craftsman's Valley Area, next door to the Chapel.
2021 Items for sale at the Blacksmith
2021 Items for sale at the Blacksmith
Perhaps you'll want to make a knife to carve your own jack-o-lantern? These prices are from 2021, so you may want to double check before you jump in.
🎃🎃🎃
Let's take a look back at Dollywood's 2021 Great Pumpkin LumiNights and Harvest Festival and I'll tell you about what Dollywood has said will be included in this year's GPL&HF!
🎃🎃🎃
New for 2022
Dollywood has some new stuff planned for GPL&HF. Here's what they've said about it...
Experience a Smoky Mountain fall during Dollywood’s Harvest Festival (Sept. 23 - Oct. 29, 2022), voted America’s #1 Fall Family Event by USA Today Readers. Soak in mountain majesty as the hills come alive with vivid color, the smells of apple and pumpkin treats waft through the streets and the sounds of our award-winning rides fill the air with adventure. As the sun sets, you'll be wrapped in a whimsical warming glow as the park transforms into an enchanting display of illuminated carved pumpkins and shimmering pumpkin icons. Don't miss a minute of Smoky Mountain splendor—visit today before it glows away! (source)
Award-winning Great Pumpkin LumiNights returns to light up the night with thousands of creatively carved pumpkins and larger-than-life pumpkin icons. This year, discover the NEW Hoot Owl Hollow, an enchanting hideaway for a gigantic, glowing owl and her dozens of friendly siblings roosting in the trees, atop buildings and across the hillside. Explore a world of not-so-spooky nighttime fun when you stroll through a forest of shimmering sunflowers, see a family of glowing frogs, and be enchanted by our towering Pumpkin Tree.
Dollywood released an image of Hoot Owl Hollow
Dollywood also mentions that they will have new performances during this festival as well. I noticed during the Flower Festival in the spring that there were noticeably more roaming musicians in the park, which I loved randomly running into and taking time to listen to them play - and watching others doing the same. It was pretty cool, so I am eager to see how Dollywood pulls that together for this years festival.
Last year they did have an Owl themed area in between Thunderhead and the Main Gate area, so it sounds as though a big expansion of the Owl theme is in the works. I'm wondering if it will be in the same general area or move somewhere else?
🎃🎃🎃
Are you planning to go to this years Great Pumpkin LumiNights & Harvest Festival at Dollywood? What are you looking forward to the most? Let me know in the comments. Be Sure To Vote For Dollywood - Often!! Maybe I will see you at the park! Until next time - Jeff
Fall is one of, if not the best season in the Smoky Mountains! I know I am not alone in thinking so, because it is full of visitors wishing to take in the majestic color transformations of the leaves, and the weather is so nice and crisp. It is such a pleasant break from the heat of summer.
Naturally, everyone wants to time their Smoky Mountain vacation with peak leaf changes. Obviously, that is no easy task to accomplish. With that said, there are some experts in Environmental Science out there that study this very subject and they've got thoughts about when the peak time is.
This interactive map with the slider below it can help you decide about the timing of your trip.
Above is an image of what the map suggests will happen on September 26th. Click the map at the link to move the slider left and right to see the timing for different dates. Around September 26th you'll see some minor changes in the colors of the leaves making their way through this area.
Let's jump ahead by a month and see the changes, below.
Clearly, a big difference in one month's timeframe. You will definitely be seeing the colors during this time - if the timing plays out as suggested by this map, but I can attest from living here long enough to know mid-to-late October is a great time to see color in the Smokies.
If you want to watch a video I produced in the Fall of 2021 of the Foothills Parkway, you can do that here. Notice that the early parts of the video are at the lowest altitude of the trip, and around the Look Rock observation area-part of the video, you'll see the leaves are different than at the beginning. From Look Rock, the elevation continues to climb and with that, you'll see more noticeable changes. So, you may want to add a trip down the Foothills Parkway to your agenda. I would describe the Foothills parkway as a road that runs on the adjacent ridgetop to the Smokies, so you are looking at the Smokies from the outside of the park. Read my more comprehensive description on the YouTube page for probably too much info, lol.
You can watch that here, if you like:
Of course, Dollywood looks great in Fall Colors too. And that is not limited to the timeframe of their Fall Festival. I noticed in the video I produced of the Smoky Mountain Christmas that the leaves were still putting on a show well into November. So, keep that in mind if your preferred dates don't work out for your trip.
As I mentioned, November's foliage can still be impressive. Check out the trees from the tram ride going into the park and even around the park further in the video. Still pretty.
If you would like more information about this, then check this info out.
I hope that helps you plan your Fall trip to the Smokies and Dollywood! What is your favorite thing about Fall in the Smokies? Please let me know in the comments below.
Dollywood, the award-winning theme park! I don't think this comes as a big surprise to anyone who visits Dollywood. It's a fantastic park and I feel fortunate to call it my home park, and blog/vlog about it is more fun than I could have imagined. Congrats to Dollywood for your accolades!
Dollywood has reintroduced its private tours for those who are interested, and the tours can vary depending on the time of year and which festival is happening. Right now, there is a VIP tour available through the end of the season. In September and October, a tour that will include behind the scenes of LumiNights Festival. And during the Smoky Mountain Christmas in November & December, a new tour that focuses on Glacier Ridge will be available.
Let's dig a little deeper on Dollywood.com to learn more...
TOURS AVAILABLE SELECT DAYS AUG. 20 - JAN. 1, 2023
Dollywood VIP Guided Tour
Explore Dollywood in a special, unique way with our ultimate VIP experience. In addition to your own private tour guide, including front-of-the-line privileges, you'll be able to fully customize your visit based on your interests: rides and thrill attractions, shows and entertainment, dining, or all things Dolly Parton.
Gold and Diamond Season Passholders save $20 and $30 off, respectively, on this tour! (Must be signed in for a discount to show.)
So, What All Is Included With This Tour?
Personal tour guide for the entirety of your day at Dollywood
Complimentary preferred parking
Front-of-the-line access to all attractions
Reserved seating at participating shows
Complimentary meal of your choosing from Aunt Granny’s Restaurant or Front Porch Café (Link to Dollywood's Menus here)
Behind-the-scenes access (If Applicable)
Package pick up and delivery to your hotel room at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa (If Applicable)
Reserved spaces for fireworks viewing (If Applicable)
Gift from Dolly at the conclusion of your visit
Dollywood VIP Guided Tour
Explore Dollywood in a special, unique way with our ultimate VIP experience.
Ages 4 and Older
Per Person
$299
+ taxes and fees
*Minimum of 2 Guests; Tour price does not include admission to Dollywood. Admission must be purchased separately.
Tour Available Select Days 08/20/2022 - 01/01/2023
Important Information
Tour requires separate, valid admission to Dollywood, which is not included in the price of the tour
Dollywood VIP Guided Tours are offered on Saturdays and Sundays, Aug. 20, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023
Tour groups include one guide and between two and eight guests
Groups of more than eight need to call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD for reservations. A second tour guide will be provided free of charge
You will receive a questionnaire call from the Dollywood VIP Tour Team to go over any and all special requests, additional information, and your arrival details
Don’t see availability on the day of your visit?
Please call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD to speak with a host about available tour options.
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Behind the Glow Guided Tour
GREAT PUMPKIN LUMINIGHTS
Behind the Glow Guided Tour
Dates: Tours Available Select Days Sept. 23 - Oct. 29, 2022
Go behind the scenes of one of Dollywood's most-popular seasonal events, Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health. Ask questions and learn what it takes to set up more than 12,000 real and faux pumpkins, special effects, lighting, and more! Plus, enjoy special experiences and keep-sakes to make your visit unforgettable.
Gold and Diamond Season Passholders save $5 and $10 off, respectively, on this tour! (Must be signed in for a discount to show.)
So, What All Is Included With This Tour?
Guided, behind-the-scenes group tour of Great Pumpkin LumiNights
Collectible neon Behind the Glow lanyard
Dip Your Own Candle Activity
One-time use TimeSaver Pass
Great Pumpkin LumiNights activity card
Character meet & greet with an exclusive photo opportunity
Special Harvest Festival treats and refreshments
VIP viewing of the fall Wildwood Tree experience
Behind the Glow Guided Tour
Go behind the scenes of one of Dollywood's most-popular seasonal events, Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health.
Ages 4 and Older
Per Person
$99
+ taxes and fees
*Tour price does not include admission to Dollywood. Admission must be purchased separately.
Tours Available Select Days 09/23/2022 - 10/29/2022
Important Information
Tour requires separate, valid admission to Dollywood, which is not included in the price of the tour
Behind the Glow Guided Tours are offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Sept. 23, 2022 - Oct. 29, 2022
Tour groups can be up to 12 guests each with multiple parties per group
Day of tour sales will end at 4 p.m., however, future tour dates will still be sold
After your tour is purchased, you will need to check in at the TimeSaver Reservation Center (located in Adventures In Imagination) on the day of your tour to receive your lanyard, activity card and meeting location instructions
Each tour will begin at approximately 6 p.m. each evening
🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS
Magic of Glacier Ridge Guided Tour
Dates: Tours Available Select Days Nov. 5 - Jan. 1, 2023
Go behind the scenes of one of Smoky Mountain Christmas's most unique lit areas, Glacier Ridge. Ask questions and learn what it takes to set up millions of lights, trees, and decorations in our winter wonderland covering Craftsman's Valley, Timber Canyon, Wilderness Pass and Wildwood Grove! Plus, enjoy special experiences and keep-sakes to make your visit unforgettable.
Gold and Diamond Season Passholders save $5 and $10 off, respectively, on this tour! (Must be signed in for discount to show.)
So, What All Is Included With This Tour?
Guided, behind-the-scenes group tour of Glacier Ridge
Collectible neon Magic of Glacier Ridge lanyard
Smoky Mountain Christmas activity card
Character meet & greet with an exclusive photo opportunity
Special Smoky Mountain Christmas treats and refreshments
VIP viewing of the winter Wildwood Tree experience
Magic of Glacier Ridge Guided Tour
Go behind the scenes of one of Smoky Mountain Christmas's most unique lit areas, Glacier Ridge.
Ages 4 and Older
Per Person
$99
+ taxes and fees
*Tour price does not include admission to Dollywood. Admission must be purchased separately.
Tours Available Select Days 11/05/2022 - 01/01/2023
Important Information
Tour requires separate, valid admission to Dollywood, which is not included in the price of the tour
Magic of Glacier Ridge Guided Tours are offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Nov. 5, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023
Tour groups can be up to 12 guests each with multiple parties per group
Day of tour sales will end at 4 p.m., however, future tour dates will still be sold
After your tour is purchased, you will need to check in at the TimeSaver Reservation Center (located in Adventures In Imagination) on the day of your tour to receive your lanyard, activity card and meeting location instructions
Each tour will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. each evening
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
If you would like to see some video from Great Pumpkin LumiNights or Smoky Mountain Christmas, check my videos out below.
