Dollywood theme park hosted a spectacular Harvest Celebration. It featured an array of talented artisans, special entertainment and fantastic foods amid a backdrop of lavish fall décor. The event included a five-week competition between some of the country’s premier caricature carvers and their finest handiwork. Meanwhile, visiting chefs revealed kitchen secrets during cooking demonstrations. More than 30 Southern gospel artists performed on various park stages.
The Great Smoky Mountains, provided the amazing fall color. To further enhance the beauty of the season, visitors saw 4,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash. There were 5,500 stalks of corn and 3,000 potted mums in a variety of colors. Hundreds of yards of honeysuckle vine completed the scene.
When Dolly is involved, putting on a bluegrass concert series is more like a Bluegrass Blast. For three days, Dollywood visitors enjoyed music by award-winning artists across the theme park. Dolly said,
“I love listening to bluegrass music just about as much as I love singing it. That makes me especially proud to present bluegrass music’s finest at Dollywood during my Bluegrass Blast.”
Nine-time GRAMMY Award winner Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys and the Del McCoury Band headlined the event. All concerts were free with admission to Dollywood.
The largest kids’ festival in the South returned just as kids got out of school for the summer. Dolly said,
“Growing up, summertime in the Smoky Mountains was just one adventure-filled day after another for my brothers and sisters and me. KidsFest is my way of sharing special Smoky Mountain adventures with kids of all ages while they explore all of the fun activities that Dollywood has to offer.”
The VeggieTales® live show was a favorite at the park. Dollywood also welcomed several new faces including a costumed bear show. Clay, a seven-and-a-half-year-old black bear, played guitar. Griz, a 12-year-old grizzly bear, was the drummer. Ice, an 18-year-old polar bear, played keyboard and Rae Ling, a 10-year-old panda, sang. The band performed in Craftsman’s Valley.
The festival was filled with more animal antics. Families fell in love with seven performing dogs with acts ranging from flying disc catches to jumping rope and dancing!
On April 14, 2004, Dolly received the Living Legend Medal from the Library of Congress, its most prestigious award given to people who have made significant contributions to America’s cultural, scientific and social heritage.
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington presented the award to Dolly at a special ceremony in Washington D.C. Billington said of Dolly at the ceremony,
"Dolly Parton has made an indelible mark on pop culture. Her contributions to crossover music, her ability to give voice to women's issues and the retention of her early Appalachian roots all stand as tribute to the artistry, heart and soul that Dolly brings to all she does."
Dolly launched the wildest ride in the Smokies on April, 3 2004. She made her entrance to the event in the front seat of Dollywood's newest attraction, Thunderhead. The massive wooden roller coaster pays homage to the land Dollywood and Dolly call home. Dolly said,
"So much of the heritage of the Great Smoky Mountains comes from the forests, the trees and the lumber they provide for us. Thunderhead is an awesome way of reminding everybody how much we get from those forests… including a real exciting time."
Thunderhead at Dollywood features a 3,230-foot long ride with a drop of 100 feet and maximum speeds of 55 mph. It also features "the world’s first fly-through station." Half-way through the ride, the coaster travels through the ride station at approximately 40 mph on tracks eight feet above the exit platform where future riders wait to board the coaster.
