October 12, 2022
Editor's Note: This blog post was written by Public Relations Intern, Emily Chesteen
Fall is my favorite time of year and, in my opinion, the best time to visit Dollywood. The park's Harvest Festival presented by Humana (now-Oct. 29) offers so many exciting things to see and do. This map gives you a quick glance at where you'll find live entertainment, craft demonstrations and pumpkin displays. You can see the activities cover the whole park. Let me walk you through it! 
On this map, my eye is drawn toward the big, orange pumpkins that dot the path dominantly in the upper left. You definitely need to plan to walk through this area during the daytime and then again at night because it's two different experiences! You'll know you're in the right place when you see the entrance portals on both sides of the route. 
Great Pumpkin LumiNights presented by Covenant Health covers several areas of the park including Timber Canyon, Wildwood Grove, Wilderness Pass and the top of Craftsman's Valley. You'll be surrounded by hand carved pumpkins that come to life when the sun goes down.
In The Plaza at Wilderness Pass is a 40-foot Pumpkin Tree. It is something you won't want to pass up. The Plaza also serves as an area for character interaction, so be on the lookout and take a few photos with some new friends! 
This year, Dollywood introduced Hoot Owl Hollow. It extends the Great Pumpkin LumiNights footprint as this new area features more than 150 all-white carved pumpkins and a 14-foot Harvest Owl. These pumpkins will be on rooftops, shelves and the ground-so everywhere we look, we will find something new. We might even spot Ollie the Owl! 
Referring back to the map, notice the symbols of the leaves. The purple represents Dollywood's craftsmen, and the burnt orange color represents all the artisans who are invited to join us for this festival. 
Craft demonstrations will be on display in Craftsman's Valley, Rivertown Junction, The Village and Showstreet. Some of these visiting men and women are local while some of them are from across the country. They demonstrate everything from jewelry creations to glass painting to fiddle making. 
Dollywood's Harvest Festival would not be complete without our award-winning entertainment. (Notice the heavy presence on the map along Showstreet, Rivertown Junction and Craftsman's Valley. But those aren't the only places!) There are more than 1900 performances scheduled during this festival alone! Look for shows throughout the park in all of our theaters and outdoor stages. Here is a link to the full schedule and more information. 
Beyond the items called out on the map, I want to point out a few other of my favorite elements. The Festival Tasting Pass has been quite popular this year. For $34.99 (or $31.99 if you have a Gold or Diamond Season Pass!), you can sample five items from the selection of festival foods. Some of the items I'm most excited to try are the BUSH'S Three Bean Pumpkin Chili and the Sweet Potato Poutine. 
One final note about pumpkins: some of my favorite displays can be enjoyed just as much during the day as they can at night. Near Market Square, the Colossal Pumpkins are impossible to miss. These giant pumpkins were grown by farmers who often compete for their size. The pumpkins can weigh up to 1500 lbs. each! Each pumpkin has a sign telling you who grew it and how much the pumpkin weighs. 
Also, in The Village area of the park you can find even more pumpkins-the Pumpkin People! If you haven't seen it, there's a "community" of pumpkins who love to paint, walk their dog, play with their band or just hang around. 
I hope this blog has shown you that there is much to experience (both day and night) this fall at Dollywood. I barely scratched the surface! Don't miss Harvest Festival (now - Oct. 29).
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