Participants in the seventh annual Light the Way 5K Run/Walk get to see Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival in a different light – actually five million lights - as the theme park hosts this special event on Friday, Nov. 16 beginning at 11:18 p.m.
Proceeds from the event benefit Keep Sevier Beautiful (KSB) and the Share It Forward (SIF) program at Dollywood. KSB, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a volunteer-based organization which focuses on waste reduction/recycling, litter prevention and beautifying public spaces through education and community-based programs.
KSB’s goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area that millions of visitors come to see each year. SIF is a non-profit organization to serve The Dollywood Company employees and their families through a variety of quality programs. SIF programming is funded primarily through employee donations which are matched dollar for dollar by The Dollywood Company and, up to specified limits, by the shareholders of Herschend Family Entertainment, the park’s operating partner.
“The beauty of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival combined with the challenge of a course that only a theme park can provide makes Light the Way a one-of-a-kind event for runners and walkers,” said Aaron Newberry, Executive Director of Share It Forward. “But most importantly, this event helps provide our non-profit organizations with financial assistance just before the holidays,” added Lisa Bryant, Executive Director of Keep Sevier Beautiful.
Light the Way 5K Run/Walk participants are treated to a unique course decorated by the park’s five million Christmas lights, beginning their journey at Dollywood’s preferred parking entrance, traversing through the parking lot and then winding through the theme park.
The certified race will be chip timed and managed by Scenic City Multi-Sports. Awards will be presented to the top three overall for male and female participants.
Pre-registration is encouraged for the Light the Way 5K as the race is limited to 2,018 participants. Registration fee until race day is $45. Register online at www.lighttheway5k.net. Race day registration takes place from 11 a.m. -10 p.m. at the front gate area at Dollywood’s Splash Country.
Dollywood continued its winning ways on Saturday night, racking up three more “best of” awards at Amusement Today’s Golden Ticket Awards ceremony held at Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson, Missouri. Dollywood earned finalist placement in eight categories.
“I’ve said it before, but back when I started Dollywood, I remember just prayin’ that people were going to come visit us that very first year,” Dolly Parton said with a laugh. “Here we are in our 33rd season, still earning some of the biggest awards and honors you can get, and I can’t tell you how proud I am of what we’re accomplishing. I started Dollywood because I’m proud of the Smoky Mountains and wanted more people to come experience the beauty God has put right here in our back yard. We’re adding Wildwood Grove next year, and I know it’s going to give families more room to explore, imagine, play and spend time together here in the Smokies.
“The other reason I started Dollywood was because I wanted to hire the good people of Sevier County to work in the park. I knew when folks came and met the people who live and work here, they’d want to come back year after year because they would feel like part of the family. It must be working; we just won Friendliest Park for the seventh year! I’m so proud of the job our people do treating our guests well and going above and beyond to give them a truly memorable experience.”
“Over the two decades that Amusement Today has honored parks with the Golden Ticket Awards, it has been incredibly impressive to see Dollywood continue one successful move after another,” said Tim Baldwin, Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator. “The park’s presence spread through all the categories is undeniable. They seem to hit the key ingredients to creating a wonderful guest experience—the food, the staff, the entertainment and rides are all top notch.”
Calculated from an international poll conducted by Amusement Today, the industry’s leading trade publication, the Golden Ticket Awards are the results of a detailed survey sent to a database of experienced and well-traveled amusement park fans around the world in balanced geographical regions. Voters are asked to rate the “best” in a number of categories such as best parks, roller coasters, water rides, shows, kids’ area, landscaping and Christmas events.
“I think our voters, along with any guest that enjoys a visit to Dollywood, are moved by the wonderful experience,” Baldwin continued. “The environment is fun and welcoming which makes it so memorable. I think each of us embraces those times when family or friends just have a wonderful day together. That’s Dollywood.”
The Golden Ticket Awards are the most sought-after awards in the business of amusements and attractions. The awards have become the subject of much discussion by park aficionados the world over and garnered mentions in such notable media outlets as USA Today and the Chicago Tribune, and by the late radio newsman Paul Harvey. The awards also were the topic of a one-hour Travel Channel documentary.
A number of memorable moments are in store for Dollywood guests in the coming months. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana features the return of an even larger Great Pumpkin LumiNights with double the displays and double the fun! Additionally, more than 625 Southern gospel concerts take place throughout the festival.
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, now the 11-time winner for Best Christmas event, grows with the addition of Glacier Ridge, an immersive new experience that adds more than one million lights to the park. Now boasting five million spectacular lights, Smoky Mountain Christmas puts guests in the holiday spirit with stunning lights displays, tantalizing food options, traditional shows and fun experiences like the Parade of Many Colors and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends.
In 2019, Dollywood opens Wildwood Grove, an extraordinary new land that features 11 thrilling experiences for guests, comprised of six unique ride attractions—including a suspended family roller coaster called The Dragonflier— the 55 ft. tall Wildwood Tree, live entertainment, various indoor and outdoor play areas for families to enjoy, a new restaurant and more.
For more information about Dollywood, visit Dollywood.com, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or download the Dollywood App.
Pool time and cornhole is a winning combination. Never has that been truer than now as American Cornhole Organization (ACO) Champions are coming to Dollywood’s Splash Country to compete in the debut of the ACO Dollywood Classic for a guaranteed $7500 total prize purse!
Fresh off their world championship bid last weekend in Montgomery, Alabama, several professional teams turn their attention to their next test during the debut event at Dollywood’s Splash Country. The water park hosts this sanctioned tournament on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Event organizers are looking for 160 two-person teams to play in the double-elimination tournament, and while there are a number of ACO teams planning to play, the field is not set. Officials with the ACO say there is room for the general public to register and join the star-studded competition.
Register for the ACO Dollywood Classic
The cash payout allows the opportunity for several teams to walk away with a prize and bragging rights. For round one, there will be 16 flights of up to 10 players. After double-elimination, the top two teams from each flight will win $100. That’s a total payout of $3,200 from the first round. Those winning 32 teams will advance to the finals, and in that championship round, the top eight teams will win cash. First prize is $1,500; Second prize is $1,000; Third prize is $500.
Participants will play under a tent on the pool deck while park guests can enjoy watching the action from a tube in Mountain Waves wave pool, or even closer if they like! All the tournament activity adds even more excitement to Dollywood’s Splash Country’s fun summer atmosphere.
The cost is $45 per team and includes registration, processing and admission into Dollywood’s Splash Country. There also is a special $40 ticket for guests to purchase at the gate Aug. 11 so they may check out the tournament as they enjoy the water park.
The American Cornhole Organization is looking forward to bringing the sport to Dollywood, and Dollywood’s Splash Country General Manager Janet Dawson says her team is eager to play host.
“What a fun opportunity! Families are coming to our water park to capitalize on summer fun in the sun and if they come on Aug. 11, they’ll get the bonus of seeing some of the world’s best compete for a lot of money and bragging rights in a sanctioned cornhole tournament,” Dawson said excitedly. “Our guests may even decide to enter the tournament and take on these champions. You never know what could happen!”
Dollywood’s Splash Country is open daily through Sunday, August 12. After that, the park shifts operations to Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends with the last day being Labor Day (Sept. 3). For more information about Dollywood’s Splash Country or any of The Dollywood Company properties, please visit Dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
Hearing the familiar voice of "Little Dolly" in DP's Celebrity Theater was quite a surprise for Dollywood visitors as well as the visiting members of the press. Actress Alyvia Alyn Lind joined Dolly Parton on stage and set the scene for one of Dollywood's biggest announcements in the park's history.
Dollywood, already one of the nation’s premier family vacation destinations, is growing even larger thanks to an impressive expansion. Wildwood Grove, the largest capital investment in Dollywood’s 32-year history, is slated to open in 2019. The new land provides an adventurous journey for guests to explore, imagine and play together as a family. Dolly said,
“I’ve told you before about how I’d let my imagination roam free when I’d be out exploring in the hills around our home in the Smoky Mountains. I’d pretend that the frogs and butterflies were my friends. I’d imagine about what it’d be like to fly with a dragonfly or to follow a bear family through the woods. Now all these things are coming true for our guests to experience in Wildwood Grove; it may be my new favorite part of Dollywood!"
Wildwood Grove features 11 thrilling experiences for guests, comprised of six unique ride attractions—including a suspended family roller coaster called the Dragonflier— the 55 ft. tall Wildwood Tree, live entertainment, various indoor and outdoor play areas for families to enjoy, a new restaurant and more. The total cost for the project is $37 million, meeting The Dollywood Company’s 2013 commitment of $300 million in investments over a 10 year period four years ahead of schedule. Dolly also said,
“This area is going to give families a place to explore, play and imagine together—but more importantly—it’s a place where they can spend more time together,” she explained. “I believe everyone has a song in their heart that needs to be set free. Wildwood Grove will be a place where families can learn together about what their heart song truly is.”
The Dollywood Company President Craig Ross echoed Dolly’s sentiments about how Wildwood Grove provides a range of experiences for every member of the family.
“I think our guests are going to be excited about the diverse combination of attractions they will find in Wildwood Grove,” Ross said. “It continues our commitment to provide guests a variety of unique experiences and attractions that every visitor to the park can enjoy. We’ve also incorporated many of their requests for certain amenities that help make their visit more enjoyable. In Wildwood Grove, you’ll find more charging stations, a climate-controlled indoor space for play, larger respite locations, additional play areas which are more inclusive for everyone, and more entertainment opportunities for every member of the family.”
Dolly and Alyvia closed the event with a beautiful performance of "Tennessee Mountain Home." Alyvia Alyn Lind starred as Little Dolly in "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" (2015) and "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" (2016).
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Photo Credit: Curtis Hilbun
While Wildwood Grove opens in 2019, Dollywood guests still have great festivals to enjoy during 2018’s Season of Showstoppers. Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 28-Nov. 3) features the return of Great Pumpkin LumiNights—which doubles in size in 2018—as well as the largest Southern gospel celebration in the world. The season ends with the 10-time winner for Best Christmas Event, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 10- Jan. 5). This year, Wilderness Pass transforms into Glacier Ridge, a winter wonderland complete with a 50 ft. tall video motion Christmas tree.
For more information about Dollywood, please visit www.dollywood.com, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or download the Dollywood App.
Dollywood celebrates a Star-Spangled Summer as part of its ongoing Summer Celebration (now-Aug. 5) which features extended park hours—10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily—as well as a nightly fireworks extravaganza and a number of patriotic events to help guests enjoy family, fun and freedom during their time making memories at the park.
Thursdays in July, Dollywood and WIVK team up to present America’s New Faces of Country, a special concert series featuring several country music stars on the rise. These shows provide park guests a special opportunity to catch these artists as they begin working their way up the country charts.
At Dollywood’s shows during Star-Spangled Summer, the park plans to recognize service members in the audience for their dedication to protecting our country. Additionally, several of those same shows will include a number of patriotic songs for guests to enjoy.
Thanks to the American Eagle Foundation (AEF), park guests also have the opportunity to meet one of America’s greatest symbols of freedom, the bald eagle. On select days in July, staff members from the AEF host meet-and-greet sessions throughout the day with several of their featured bald eagles at the Plaza at Wilderness Pass.
During the day, guests can enjoy the talents of iLuminate, a thrilling show with dazzling lights and color by way of electrified glow-in-the-dark costumes which create a unique fusion of dynamic dance routines and illusions. By night, visitors can enjoy a light show of a different kind as each evening during Summer Celebration ends with Dolly’s Nights of Many Colors, a stirring fireworks extravaganza synchronized to music.
iLuminate, finalists on "America’s Got Talent" in 2011, performs July 7-21. In addition to their third place result on AGT, iLuminate has toured the world from Egypt to Malaysia and has appeared on shows like "Dancing with the Stars", "X-Factor", "Good Morning America" and "Ellen". The group launched in 2009 and patented the mesmerizing technology used in their shows. They’ve performed alongside stars like Christina Aguilera, The Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta and more, and are excited to bring their talent to Dollywood.
While Dollywood guests have an amazing amount of entertainment options to enjoy during their visit, they also can experience the park’s award-winning rides in a completely different environment. Once the sun sets, Dollywood’s trademark attractions, like Wild Eagle, Lightning Rod and Thunderhead, provide a unique experience for those who climb aboard. These rides thrill guests who race through the summer night with no idea which way the track will turn next!
Star Spangled Summer from Dollywood on Vimeo.
For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit Dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
