With a wide range of new experiences and returning favorites occurring throughout the day and into the night—and with its new recognition as Tripadvisor’s number one park in the nation—Dollywood finds itself atop the list for best family road trips this summer. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Bush’s® Beans takes place June 18 - August 7 and invites guests to experience summer as if they were in Dolly’s own backyard! During the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration, guests can take advantage of extended summer hours, allowing them to make memories until 9:30 p.m.
Two popular Dollywood favorites return this season and are sure to put smiles on the faces of guests throughout the park. “Dollywood’s Sweet Summer Nights” returns bigger, brighter and bolder with even more drones lighting up the night sky, high above the Pigeon Forge park. A first-of-its-kind within the industry, the guest favorite is back with a show that combines 500 high-tech drones, with a world-class fireworks show designed to put an exclamation point on the evening.
As part of the Sweet Summer Nights experience, a DJ and energetic dancers bring fun to the streets of Wildwood Grove during two dance parties that ensure every member of the family is on their feet. As the party nears its finale, the celebration takes to the sky as the drones launch into the air for an unforgettable experience.
Returning to Dollywood for the first time since 2017, “Gazillion Bubble Show Aurora” is back to deliver a mesmerizing burst of excitement to guests in Dolly Parton’s Celebrity Theater. The show provides many moments where guests will be enveloped by “gazillions” of bubbles for a fun and unpredictable experience that captivates the entire family.
Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration features many fun ways for guests to interact with water during their day at Dollywood. All-new interactive shows, “Liquid Beats” and “Hydro Jive Junction,” will have guests splashing and singing along during refreshing performances. Guests can cool off on a hot summer day in the wonderful garden hose fountain installation found in Market Square during “Liquid Beats.” This interactive performance brings together dozens of garden hoses to create a fountain that delivers bursts of cooling excitement to guests of all ages. During “Liquid Beats,” a landscaping-themed percussion troupe maintains the natural beauty of the Smokies, as they bring this new entertainment vision to guests.
In Jukebox Junction, “Hydro Jive Junction” features a musical maintenance worker trying to repair a faulty fire hydrant. Dancing ensues as the fire hydrant turns into a refreshing sprinkler for guests to enjoy, as the cast sings and dances to familiar favorites such as “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Splish Splash.”
Music is the soundtrack of our lives, especially during a summer family road trip. Dollywood’s Entertainment Team brings to life the road trip “vibe” and takes guests on a summertime journey with the return of “Good Vibes” and its playlist of summer road trip classics. The Tones and Wild Roots Band also have summer playlists that will have families wanting to hit cruise control and sing along.
An authentically-Southern summer greets guests as soon as they enter the park. The Dollywood entry statement in front of Showstreet Palace Theater welcomes guests with themed decor, including the all-new Kite Sky. Throughout the park, colorful outdoor decor and experiences will immerse guests in simple southern sweetness. These brand-new, larger-than-life activities, including Jumbo Backyard Games, Parachute Play Party, Noodle Takeover! (a dazzling array of suspended pool noodles hanging in the summer sky) and more, allow parents to relive beloved childhood pastimes while creating new memories with their own children. The Bubble Foam Zone will cool guests off on the hottest of summer days by covering families head to toe in a giant, bubble-filled plaza.
It’s story time again as Imagination Playhouse showcases three favorite books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, including “Coat of Many Colors,” based on Parton’s song and childrens’ book of the same name. “Coat of Many Colors” and an all-new show called “Violet the Pilot” feature sing-along songs that kids of all ages will enjoy. Everyone’s favorite, “The Little Engine That Could,” also comes to the stage with a delightful reminder of what can happen with just a little bit of determination. Thanks to Penguin Books, guests can enjoy several decorative and interactive photo opportunities for children and their families in the lobby of the theater prior to each show.
Dollywood’s Culinary Team is cooking up summertime favorites full of flavor. Fried fish and hushpuppies, BBQ pork nachos, Southern-fried corn and an open-faced grilled cheese are just a few of the savory items guests can enjoy during the festival. Sweet treats include peanut butter candy liege waffles, s’mores funnel cake and an orange Fanta float. Guests will also be able to visit the Food Truck Neighborhood in Adventures in Imagination for a variety of road trip treats.
After the success of the Flower & Food Festival Tasting Pass, the tastes of summer are now available with a similar option for guests. The tasting pass, which can be purchased in the park or online, is $34.99 plus tax or $31.99 plus tax for gold and diamond passholders. The tasting pass is available each day of the festival.
Dollywood celebrates a year full of exceptional experiences, with each season unlike the next. After the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration, thousands of pumpkins will glow to life this fall as part of the Harvest Festival presented by Humana, happening September 23 - October 29. The season concludes with the most popular theme park Christmas event in the world, Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana, happening November 5 - January 1.
For more information about Dollywood, please visit dollywood.com or download the Dollywood App.
While Great Smoky Mountains National Park already is well known for its synchronous fireflies, guests at Dollywood can enjoy their own synchronized performance this summer as Intel® Drone Light Shows launches hundreds of drones into the sky for a spectacular nighttime experience. The performances take place each evening during the park’s Summer Celebration (June 25-July 31).
Dollywood’s Sweet Summer Nights is a multi-sensory drone light show that creates a symphony of light in the sky above the Pigeon Forge park. Representing a true evolution in traditional theme park entertainment, the sensational show uses nearly 400 drones to animate the spectacular Dollywood-exclusive story. The drone performance is integrated into a musically choreographed fireworks show, creating a visual and audial event of epic proportions.
As part of the Sweet Summer Nights experience, a DJ and energetic dancers bring fun to the streets of Wildwood Grove during a 30-minute dance party that ensures every member of the family is on their feet. As the party nears its finale, the celebration takes to the sky as the drones launch into the air for an unforgettable end to the evening.
Intel Drone Light Shows has performed on some of the world’s largest stages, including the Olympics, Coachella, and the Super Bowl. With the ability to create dynamic shapes and animations, each drone serves as a pixel of light that illuminates the night sky. Purpose-built for light shows, each drone is less than a foot in diameter, weighs less than a pound, and can produce more than four billion color combinations. To learn more, visit inteldronelightshows.com.
As part of the Sweet Summer Nights experience, a DJ and energetic dancers bring fun to the streets of Wildwood Grove during a two dance parties that ensure every member of the family is on their feet. As the party nears its finale, the celebration takes to the sky as the drones launch into the air for an unforgettable end to the evening.
Dollywood’s entertainment team already has debuted several new shows this season, and the trend continues with two new shows that guests are sure to enjoy. Good Vibes begins June 25 at the Back Porch Theater and treats guests to a musical journey through the rhythms of classic and contemporary tunes. It’s about celebrating positivity, counting blessings, and simply enjoying life and happiness.
The Valley Theater is now home to Forever Country, an energetic look at the changing landscape of country music in the late 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Guests can expect to hear popular hits from artists like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain, as well as a nod to several popular dance songs, including Dolly’s “Romeo” and Brooks and Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.”
It’s story time again as Imagination Playhouse showcases three favorite books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, including “Coat of Many Colors,” based on Parton’s song and children’s book of the same name. “Coat of Many Colors” and “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon” feature sing-along songs that kids of all ages will enjoy. Everyone’s favorite, “The Little Engine That Could,” also comes to the stage with a delightful reminder of what can happen with just a little bit of determination. Thanks to Penguin Books, guests can enjoy several decorative and interactive photo opportunities for children and their families in the lobby of the theater prior to each show.
A group of special entertainment guests return to Dollywood this summer as well, when the park hosts the Tennessee Air National Guard’s Band of the South (concert band), Blue Groove (jazz band) and Full Throttle (rock group) on Saturday, July 3, and Sunday, July 4. The groups perform at DP’s Celebrity Theater and Showstreet Palace Theater and inspire patriotism by fostering a deep appreciation of the rich history and legacy of the Air Force. One of the group’s missions is to increase the public’s understanding of the importance of air power, the missions and programs of the Air Force and Air National Guard, and the bravery, sacrifice and dedication of Airmen across the globe.
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!
As the name implies, Dollywood’s Summer Celebration is a celebration of family fun and laughter at a place everyone loves. With later nighttime hours, families can ride Dollywood’s world-class roller coasters all day and well into the night. For more information about Dollywood’s 2021 season, operating calendars, and more, please visit Dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app.
