Dollywood Theme Park - Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Excitement at Dollywood Theme Park

The Dollywood theme park is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and is owned by the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation and country music artist Dolly Parton. The theme park first opened in 1961 and was originally a tourist attraction called the Rebel Railroad. Back then, the park features a number of attractions, including a blacksmith shop, a steam train, general store and a saloon.

The Rebel Railroad was then renamed to Goldrush Junction in 1966. Four years later, a football team, the Cleveland Browns, purchased the lot. It was not until the year 1976, when two Herschend, namely Jack and Pete, bought the theme park and renamed it to Silver Dollar City Tennessee a year later. The park served as a sister theme park to the family’s Silver Dollar City located near Branson, Missouri. Dolly Parton became a co-owner in 1986, which caused the original Silver Dollar City Tennessee to be renamed as Dollywood.

What Dollywood Can Offer

The Dollywood theme park offers standard amusement park attractions and rides, as well as traditional music and craft of the Smoky Mountains area. Additionally, the theme park is affiliated with the adjacent water park called the Dollywood’s Splash County and a chain of theaters called the Dixie Stampede dinner theater.

The Dollywood theme park also hosts a number of musical events and concerts by local and national music artists each year and of course, appearances by Dolly Parton herself.

The park hosts millions of visitors each year, most of whom also touring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The operating season of the Dollywood theme park runs from the early parts of spring until yuletide season.

During the operating season of the Dollywood theme park, five festivals, including the Kidfest, Festival of Nations, Smoky Mountain Christmas, Bluegrass and BBQ Festival and the National Gospel and Harvest Celebration are held.

The Kidfest is a summer festival that features popular children celebrities, like VeggieTales and Spongebob, and other fun activities for the kids. The Festival of Nations, on the other hand, is an international event that features diverse cultures and performers from all over the world.

The Smoky Mountain Christmas is held during the months of November and December. The festival features the celebration of a traditional Christmas holiday along with food, special shows and other attractions.

The Bluegrass and BBQ Festival is a celebration of bluegrass music held every fall for two weeks. Visitors attending the festival will enjoy good music and barbeque, southern style.

Lastly, during October, the Dollywood theme park hosts the National Gospel and Harvest Celebration. The festival pays homage to an ancient harvest celebration and features autumn cuisine, master craftsmen, as well as a showcase of gospel music from the Southern Gospel Jubilee.

Areas at the Dollywood Theme Park

There are several areas in the park that everyone can enjoy. The park itself is organized into nine themed areas, such as: The Rivertown Junction, Jukebox Junction, Craftsmen’s Valley, Showstreet, Country Fair, Village, Timber Canyon, Dreamland Forest and the Adventures in Imagination.

The Dreamland Forest and the Adventures in Imagination provides guests an opportunity to explore the life and imagination of Dolly Parton, while the other remaining seven themed areas serve as a reflection of historical culture and eras of east Tennessee. In addition, a number of areas and attractions found at the Dollywood theme park serve the purpose of preserving the culture and history of the region of the Southern Applachians.