Dolly kicked off one of her favorite seasons at Dollywood with a brand new addition, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Miniature Railroad. This fascinating multi-level model train display spans 1,000 square feet and features six different garden-gauge trains, complete with bridges and a working waterfall.
Dolly’s award-winning festival gives families a place to come together and celebrate Christmas at Dollywood. Dolly said,
“My Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood is that special place where folks can make their memories and celebrate their own traditions with the ones they love. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!”
Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood is presented by Humana.
Wrapped in more than three million holiday lights, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival opens Nov. 4, headlined by the park’s new holiday show "Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland." Dolly said,
"Our new 'Dollywood's Babes in Toyland' show will fill every member of the family with wide-eyed wonder. Believe me, Santa and I both have a few surprises up our sleeves this Christmas!"
A never-before-seen adaptation of the family classic, "Dollywood's Babes in Toyland" became the most elaborate stage show in the park’s history. The show unfolds in a small East Tennessee village on Christmas Eve and features a fully-orchestrated score highlighted by lush musical arrangements and heartwarming lyrics.
A 45-foot-tall, three-tiered Christmas pyramid—the country’s tallest—was the focal point of Dollywood’s 2004 Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. The pyramid is part of Dollywood’s An Olde World Christmas, the newest element of the theme park’s Christmas festival.
Standing 45.9 feet tall, the pyramid was located at the entrance to the park’s Craftsman’s Valley. It gently revolved, revealing intricate carvings depicting the Nativity. Measuring 20 feet in diameter, the first tier represented the magi keeping a watchful eye for the Christ child. The second tier revolved to reveal shepherds and sheep while trumpeting angels occupied the third tier.
This pyramid honors the rich heritage of Germany’s Erzgebirge region where miners first crafted the popular holiday icon. And, keeping with the German theme, Dolly said she looked forward to some traditional German specialties from the kitchen like Deep Dish Lasagna, German skillet cabbage, Olie Bollens, German tomato salad, Belgian waffles, strudel, bratwurst and mettwurst sandwiches and eggnog ice cream. She said,
“Christmastime in the Smokies reminds me of family gatherings, filled with good food, good times and laughter. I want families to experience all that and more at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas.”
Dollywood’s resident gospel quartet the Kingdom Heirs took home the 2004 Band of the Year Award at this year’s Singing News Fan Awards on Sept. 16. The fan-voted awards ceremony was part of the National Quartet Convention.
This is the second time the Kingdom Heirs received this award. The Kingdom Heirs recorded a new Christmas album, "The Spirit of Christmas," which they featured during the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.
Santa's Workshop was just one element of Dollywood’s "Smoky Mountain Christmas" celebration. Only the North Pole is more hectic than the Dollywood location of Santa’s Workshop! Families stepped into a 7,000 square foot whimsical world as they entered Peppermint Valley. It took more than four weeks of work, 25 pounds of glitter, 100 gallons of paint, strings of candy garland, thousands of lights and ornaments to create the breathtaking Workshop.
Santa was especially busy posing for photographs and accepting Christmas wish lists. Families could play with a safe snow substitute, decorate Christmas cookies and make crafts. VeggieTales films were shown in the Christmas Movie Room.
