Fall is here, which means that Dollywood’s Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights events are just around the corner, kicking off this Friday, September 27, 2019.
The park is packed with fall fun for all ages — there are no scare zones or scare-actors at this event, so it’s kid-friendly all day.
Let’s take a closer look at what all you’ll find at the park this fall:
Great Pumpkin LumiNights
Only two years old, Great Pumpkin LumiNights has become one of the most popular events at Dollywood. It was recently named the “Best Theme Park Halloween Event” in the 2019 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards.
This year, Great Pumpkin LumiNights expands into the new-for-2019 Wildwood Grove area.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights at Dollywood. Photo by Steven Bridges.
But the Plaza at Wilderness Pass will again serve as the centerpiece for Great Pumpkin LumiNights with an area for character meet-and-greets, additional decor, and the iconic 40-foot-tall pumpkin tree covered in carved pumpkins.
Popular pumpkin displays from past events return like the pumpkin spider, pumpkin dance party and Dolly-inspired displays.
I was at the park last weekend and got a glimpse at some of the pumpkin sculptures.
Pictures don’t do the size of the pumpkin tree any justice. It is massive.
Thousands of intricately-carved pumpkins are spread across the park’s Timber Canyon, Wilderness Pass, Wildwood Grove and upper Craftsman’s Valley areas. There are pumpkins everywhere you turn.
Even the “smaller” sculptures are larger than life.
I stumbled across this beautiful, Dolly-inspired butterfly pumpkin sculpture in Wildwood Grove. Yes, a butterfly made of pumpkins — that has to be a world’s first, right?
“When I was a kid, we’d love to get pumpkins, scoop out all those guts from the inside and carve these beautiful masterpieces—at least us kids thought they were masterpieces,” said Dolly herself.
“But, it makes me just feel good to know families are able to spend time together exploring during what really is the most beautiful time of year in the Smokies.”
Keep in mind that Great Pumpkin LumiNights is an extremely popular event, especially as area schools let out for fall break. I highly recommend investing in a TimeSaver Pass to avoid the lines.
Southern Gospel Jubilee
In addition to Great Pumpkin LumiNights, guests will have plenty to do during the day as some of the biggest names in Southern gospel music perform as part of the Southern Gospel Jubilee concert series. The event will entail more than 600 individual Southern gospel performances on stages throughout the park during the run of the festival.
It’s the largest Southern gospel event in America, fitting for Dolly Parton herself, who got her start singing in churches around the Smoky Mountains.
The schedule of performances will be available on Dollywood’s website.
Harvest Festival
Dollywood celebrates Smoky Mountain crafts all year with the park’s well-known master craftsmen. But during the Harvest Festival, more than two dozen visiting artisans from across the country will offer demonstrations such as woodworking, chainsaw carvings, fiddle-making and more.
Guests will have the opportunity to purchase jewelry, handmade games, pottery, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, and more.
And it wouldn’t be a trip to Dollywood without some amazing food. Autumn in the Smokies provides a bountiful harvest of crops that allows Dollywood’s culinary team an opportunity to showcase their skills with a menu full of fall favorites.
Items like cabbage rolls, pierogies, sausage sandwiches, skillet potatoes, apple cider and fried apple pies will be available throughout the park. Also on the menu are new items including chicken Applewood pasta, Reuben wontons, candy corn cider and chocolate chip cookie pizza (I’ll take one of each, please!).
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival runs September 27 through November 2 (the park is closed Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Tuesday, Oct. 29). The park is open each day from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.
For more information about Dollywood’s Harvest Festival featuring Southern Gospel Jubilee and Great Pumpkin LumiNights, visit the park’s website.
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