Everything Pumpkin is on the Menu This Fall at Dollywood

• Ellen Liston

I sure do love the long, lazy days of summer and am always a little sad when they come to an end. But any sadness is soon eclipsed with sheer happiness, as the season of pumpkin everything begins. Dollywood is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the pumpkin experience, especially in the culinary creations of this fall favorite icon.

Dollywood’s harvest selections on menus throughout the park are loaded with delicious choices, and I was thrilled to see even more items that have anything from a hint of pumpkin to all-out pumpkin perfection like Pumpkin Pie Punch. To help you plan the culinary portion of your Dollywood experience this fall, I’ve prepared the perfect pumpkin plate for your palate during this year’s Harvest Festival. Perhaps the best part is that all of these choices are part of the special event’s Tasting Pass, where you can get five different pumpkin pleasers for one price (and it comes with a cool souvenir lanyard, too).

Here is my four-course menu of fall favorites with the pumpkin part listed first, then an honorable mention harvest choice made with other delicious ingredients that bring out the bountiful tastes of fall.

Pumpkin Starter: Spiced Pumpkin Bisque with Toasted Pepitas

Honorable Mention: Salted Maple Potato Tornado

Pumpkin Main Course: Three Bean Pumpkin Chili             

Honorable Mention: Loaded Sweet Potatoes – several topping options including Vegetarian Three Bean Chili, BBQ Chicken and Maple Brown Sugar Pork Belly

Pumpkin Dessert: Pumpkin Praline Bread Pudding

Honorable Mention: Belgian Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich with Heath Bar Crumbles

Pumpkin Beverage: Pumpkin Spiced Cold Brew

Honorable Mention: Apple Arnold Palmer

Need more pumpkin for your autumn afternoon or evening at Dollywood?  You have to try these – I know I am!

Toasted Pumpkin Sausage & Ricotta Flatbread

Pulled Pork Sandwich & Pumpkin Spiced BBQ Sauce

Pumpkin BBQ Pulled Pork served with Loaded Mac & Cheese

There are so many sweet treats with pumpkin as the main ingredient that I’ve got to mention a few more that you’ll need to sample – your taste buds will thank you.

Pumpkin Pie Funnel Cake

Pumpkin Spiced Milkshake

Pumpkin Pie Punch

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie

Pecan Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake & Chantilly Cream

Whew! That’s a lot of pumpkin pleasers.  I honestly am not going to be able to just choose five items to as part of my tasting pass, so I’m bringing three or four people with me so we can try everything on the list. The Harvest Festival Tasting Pass is available for $36.99 plus tax per person, and Gold/Diamond Season Passholders get a $3 discount per pass. See you at Dollywood sometime during the Harvest Festival beginning Sept. 20 and continuing for six glorious fall weeks full of pumpkin goodness – until Oct. 30. Happy Fall y’all!