Summer has finally arrived, giving families everywhere lots to celebrate! Whether traveling for vacation or just enjoying the simple pleasures found at home, summertime gives us all a chance to make new memories with friends and family, soak up the sunshine and count all of life's blessings. And, when it comes to counting your blessings, Dolly continues to reach new milestones and break new ground!
“Well, right now I have more blessings than I can even count! I’ve always been so proud of my Imagination Library, and now to have over 2 million children getting free books every month, well it's just more than I ever dreamed would happen.”
Dolly’s Imagination Library welcomes summer by celebrating one of its biggest milestones ever! As of June 2022, there are over 2 million children enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. That means the Imagination Library is now gifting over 2 MILLION BOOKS to children around the world each and every month — that’s 1 book every 1.4 seconds! Many thanks to our over 2,800 dedicated local affiliates around the world for helping Imagination Library reach this incredible milestone!
With Dollywood’s status as a top destination in the country for families, there will soon be even more reason for families to come and enjoy a stay in the Smokies, with the 2023 opening of Dollywood’s Heartsong Lodge & Resort, adjacent to Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa. On Friday, June 24, Dolly made her first appearance at the Heartsong Lodge & Resort construction site, where she shared her vision for the 302-room resort while also sharing stories about why the Great Smoky Mountains still remain a sought-after respite for her during her hectic schedule. Dolly shared,
"With the new HeartSong Resort opening soon, I’m just thrilled that even more families will get to visit Dollywood and enjoy spending a little time here in the Smoky Mountains."
To top off her appearance, Dolly offered an exclusive look at Suite 1986—Dolly’s former tour bus, which has been turned into the ultimate hotel suite, residing at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa.
To celebrate its 35th season this year, Dolly’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge premiers an all-new thrilling and moving performance segment combining the show’s equestrian stars, breathtaking aerial acrobatics and an original new song from Dolly, titled "Wild Horses." With locations in both Branson, MO and Pigeon Forge, TN, Dolly Parton’s Stampede is an incredible show filled with friendly competition, high-spirited adventure and a four-course family feast.
Buccaneers of all ages are invited to set sail into summer at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach! This incredible adventure features everything from sword fights to a battle for lost treasure, plus a delicious Pirate Feast. Whether you’re visiting with your family, friends or a large group, Pirates Voyage is a top choice for a fun summer adventure!
Recently named Tripadvisor’s number one theme park in the nation, Dollywood kicks off its Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration with new experiences, returning guest favorites and extended summer hours throughout the festival, which runs until August 7. Based on actual reviews left by guests about their time spent in the theme park, Dollywood ranked #1 in the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Amusement Parks in the United States and #8 on the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Worldwide Amusement Parks list, reflecting the hard work and dedication that goes into making Dollywood a world-class experience and such a great place for families.
Dollywood’s Splash Country splashes into another summer of fun in the sun, now open for its 22nd season until September 5. Nestled right next to Dollywood, the region’s friendliest and most trusted water park offers a resort-style getaway with an upgraded park experience this summer, including a new zero-depth entry play space, more entertainment and new dining opportunities.
In a highly competitive bidding situation, Sony Pictures has landed the film adaptation of “Run, Rose, Run.” Dolly and James Patterson will produce the feature film alongside Reese Witherspoon, via her Hello Sunshine banner. Dolly will be writing original songs for the big-screen adaptation, in addition to producing and starring in the film, marking the first time she will have a starring role on the big screen since her popular 1992 flick, “Straight Talk.”
Dolly’s highly-anticipated first novel, co-written with best-selling author James Patterson, is now available. Also offered is the companion album, which features 12 original songs by Dolly! The album debuted at #1 on the Current Country Albums, American/Folk and Bluegrass charts, with the novel spending five weeks atop The New York Times Best Seller list — making it the longest-running #1 New York Times Best Seller of the decade and the bestselling novel of the year.
Exclusive “Run, Rose, Run” merchandise, created for Dolly’s latest album and book release, is available now! Each item complements the music and the story as told by Dolly Parton.
As we embark on a new season, take time to celebrate all of the moments, big and small, that make summertime so sweet.
(Blaise Tosti / George Reneau)
Though the sun may be dawning
You’re the one that lights the morning
As I awake to the heaven
Of your sweet summer lovin’
By a stream in the country
Running barefoot and feeling free
While the love in our hearts blend
Into sweet summer lovin’
Love,
What says summer vacation better than spending quality time with your family and friends at one of the top-rated dinner attractions? At Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, you can experience an action-packed adventure with acrobatic competitions, singing and dancing, and more. Plus, we can’t forget to mention the four-course pirate feast!
For a summer you’ll never forget, plan a visit to Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Myrtle Beach, SC or Pigeon Forge, TN. Here’s what to expect when you visit:
Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show features pirate battles on land, on deck, in the water, and high above the full-sized pirate ships in a 15-foot-deep indoor hideaway lagoon! This incredible adventure features sword fights, blazing canyons, and pirates scaling high above the ships as they battle for lost treasure. You’ll also witness mermaids, diving dogs, salty sea lions, and tropical birds joining in on the quest to find the treasure!
Be sure to bring your appetite because the show wouldn’t be the same without the four-course pirate feast. The meal includes the following:
Plus, there are delicious vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free meals available upon request.
One thing is for sure: You’ll create incredible, long-lasting memories this summer when you visit Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show. Family members of all ages agree that this dinner attraction is an exciting, inspiring, and swashbuckling experience for all hands on deck! Whether you’re visiting with your family, friends, or a large group, Pirates Voyage is a top choice for a fun summer adventure. You’ll be talking about how great the show is with each other long after it’s over!
Are you ready for an action-packed summer adventure? Visit the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show website for more information and to get your tickets.
After the cold winter months, there’s so much for everyone to look forward to with the arrival of spring. The birds start chirping, the flowers start blooming and sunshine warms our days and our hearts. Dolly sends some of that sunshine our way by sharing what she loves about springtime.
“I just want to take a minute to wish everybody a happy springtime! What I love about spring is that the days start getting longer, the sun seems to shine a little brighter, and we really get to see all of God’s beauty blossom right in front of our eyes. There may be a few April showers here and there, but you know what I always say, ‘If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!’”
Dollywood welcomes guests to celebrate the beauty of springtime during their annual Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health, happening April 22 – June 5. This popular event delights guests with hundreds of thousands of brilliant flowers, truly bringing spring in the Smokies alive throughout the park. And, in 2022, this event blooms with even more fun and discovery around every corner, thanks to several new larger-than-life Mosaicultures floral sculptures.
Dolly’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge and Branson welcomes families to kick off the spring season with an evening of action-packed fun. Enjoy a bountiful four-course feast while delighting in a thrilling show filled with singing and dancing, impressive horse-riding stunts, family-friendly comedy and more.
At Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show in Pigeon Forge and Myrtle Beach, buccaneers of all ages are invited to set sail into a fun spring season. This exciting adventure features everything from pirates battling for hidden treasure to high-diving mermaids, plus a delicious Pirate Feast. Come join in the fun!
Dolly’s Imagination Library welcomes the arrival of spring by celebrating the growth of the childhood literacy program, putting free books into the hands of more children than ever before! In Canada, the Imagination Library recently kicked off the province-wide expansion of Dolly’s book gifting program across Newfoundland and Labrador. In the United States, the Imagination Library celebrated National Read Across America Day (March 2) by announcing that the program would be expanding statewide in Washington!
Dolly took the stage on March 7 to host the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards, which streamed live without commercial interruption from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Dolly’s hosting appearance marked the first time the awards show was broadcast in the streaming format, airing exclusively on Prime Video.
Dolly’s eagerly-anticipated first novel, co-authored with New York Times Best Seller James Patterson, is now available. Glittering with danger and desire, “Run, Rose, Run” is a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, determined to do whatever it takes to survive. This riveting novel is now available for purchase in hardcover, ebook and audiobook.
Dolly’s latest album, “Run, Rose, Run,” serves as a companion to the original novel, enhancing the reader’s experience with 12 original songs by Dolly that tie into the book’s story line. The album is available now on all digital streaming platforms and as a digital download, as well as on CD, standard vinyl and some special vinyl color variants.
Dolly is set to star in Hello Sunshine’s feature film adaptation of “Run, Rose, Run,” her recently-released novel, co-authored by James Patterson. Dolly and James will produce the feature alongside Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine’s President of Film and Television, Lauren Neustadter.
Exclusive “Run, Rose, Run” merchandise, created for Dolly’s latest album and book release, is available now! Each item complements the story and music as told by Dolly Parton.
Spring is a time when all the world bursts forth with the beauty of new life. As sunlight breaks through the rain clouds, take time to look for the rainbows that start to appear. Let this beautiful time of year bring you joy and fill your heart with a song.
Together you and I can stop the rain and make the sun shine
Paint a pretty rainbow brushed with love across the sky
Together you and I belong like a songbird and a song
And we’ll always be together you and I
Love,
Ahoy! You’re invited to set sail into a fun spring season at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show! This is an adventure you don’t want to miss. Experience everything from pirates battling for hidden treasure to high-diving mermaids in this action-packed show. Plus, you get to enjoy a delicious pirate feast while you watch! Does it get any better than that?
If you’ve never been to Pirates Voyage, you’re in for a treat. Here are some of the best things to look forward to this spring at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show:
During Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, Blackbeard and his quartermaster, Calico Jack, are on a quest to find the hidden, sunken treasure! Get ready to watch the Crimson and Sapphire crews battle on land, on deck, in the water and high above their full-sized pirate ships. You’ll be amazed by acrobatic competitions, impressive aerial feats, high-diving stunts, singing and dancing, and so much more. The show features skillful pirates, beautiful mermaids, and a favorite among guests: live animals. Watch as tropical birds, dock-diving dogs, and even sea lions captivate the audience with their talents! It’s a show packed full of entertainment and adventure!
You better bring your appetite because Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show serves guests a mouth-watering, four-course pirate feast! Enjoy Voyager Creamy Vegetable Soup, Buccaneer Bread, Half O’Roasted Cackler (Myrtle Beach location), Cracklin’ Pan-Fried Chicken (Pigeon Forge location), Swashbucklin’ Sugar-Cured Ham, Cob O’ Buttery Corn, Pirate Herb-Basted Potato, and a specialty dessert. There are also vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options available upon request.
The whole family will have fun at Pirates Voyage, from the kids to the grandparents. This exciting show is fit for pirate-lovers of all ages! From the moment your family walks in the door, you’ll start making memories together that will last a lifetime. Sword-fighting, blazing cannons, and pirates swinging from ship to ship are just a few of the many things your family can expect to experience this spring. There is something for everyone in the family to love at Pirates Voyage!
Are you ready to set sail into spring at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show? Visit the Pirates Voyage website to get your tickets!
It’s time again to set sail on a daring and exciting Pirates Voyage in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Final preparations are underway as the dinner show gets ready to debut its fourth swashbuckling season on February 11, 2022.
From the show’s Buccaneer Bay, a colorful and fearless crew of characters combine adventure, acrobatics, animals and all things pirate for a treasure chest of memories. The uniquely-exciting Pirates Voyage showcases the thrill of sword fights, cannons and pirates scaling high above two full-sized pirate ships in a “fight” to win Davy Jones’ coveted sunken treasure. Beautiful mermaids gracefully perform high above the water before diving and disappearing back into Buccaneer Bay, while a couple of castaways that include a “Salty” sea lion win a battle with Captain Blackbeard through clever antics and pirate wit. An adventurous crew of characters then combines heroics and high-flying fun that will have guests cheering and experiencing thrills around every corner in an epic battle for lost treasure on land, on deck, and in the water of the show’s 15-foot-deep indoor lagoon.
“Pirates Voyage takes our visitors on an adventure they’ll certainly remember long after they leave,” said Jeff Thomas, General Manager of Pirates Voyage. “Families tell us how much they love experiencing all of the unique elements that are part of our show – the pirate ‘battles’ and acrobatics, amazing mermaids, cannons and pyrotechnics, and the antics of our sea lions and dogs. And that doesn’t include the great comments about their pirate feast!”
As visitors enter the hideaway lagoon for this Dinner and Show spectacular, guests are served a hearty four-course feast straight from Captain Blackbeard’s galley that makes Pirates Voyage the most unique place to eat in the Smokies. The meal begins with voyager creamy vegetable soup and buccaneer bread. The feast fit for a pirate – or mermaid – continues with the crew’s secret recipe cracklin’ pan-fried chicken, swashbucklin’ sugar-cured ham, buttery corn on the cob and an herb-basted potato. Walk the plank specialty dessert and unlimited Coca-Cola® products, tea or coffee complete the meal. Vegetarian and gluten-free meals are available by request.
Show times and reservations are available by calling (865) 505-2469 or visiting piratesvoyage.com.
