Dollywood Celebrates 25th Anniversary in 2010

Dollywood marks its 25th Anniversary in 2010 and this Pigeon Forge, Tennessee theme park plans on celebrating with all-new attractions, new shows and a promotion that encourages “Celebrate the Dreamer in You.”

Dollywood’s season begins on March 27 with the annual Festival of Nations. This year’s event includes a new show, Drum, which features a Nova Scotia based group of 20 musicians, dancers, drummers and singers from four main cultures – Aboriginal, African, Celtic & Acadian for a 45-minute stage show that is combines the four cultures for an unforgettable production. Invaders, a Caribbean steel drum show, is also new to Festival of Nations, as is Jallmay, a troupe of musicians and dancers from Peru.

Adventure Mountain is Dollywood’s new attraction. It features two acres of obstacle courses, with 100 different obstacles and four different courses. The courses range in difficulty and are equipped with swinging beams, flying islands, suspension bridges and tire traps. Adventure Mountains will also be home to Camp Teachittoomee, a ground based experience for little ones.

Dollywood Splash Country, opening on May 22, also has a new attraction – Slick Rock Racer. The 300-foot, multilane attraction will offer a unique experience to Splash Country guests, as the park does not currently offer any slide rides of this nature. Riders will travel down the chutes on their bellies while laying head first on a foam mat. The slide will start with an initial dip to give speed and will include several more bumps throughout the course to allow for additional momentum.

To get in on the fun, purchase a Dollywood Vacation Package today. It includes Dollywood tickets and lodging in Pigeon Forge, with options from Pigeon Forge Hotels and Pigeon Forge Cabins available.

Dollywood Festival of Nations features Entertainment from Around the World

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is gearing up for their 25th season in 2010. With an opening date of March 27th, Dollywood will spring into their Festival of Nations celebration, an event featuring captivating entertainment from around the world. Festival of Nations is scheduled for March 27-April 26 and is included with your Dollywood tickets.

The Festival of Nations also presents delicious food and unique crafts from around the globe while great new shows have also been added.

The full line-up for this month-long celebration includes:

Invaders – This new addition to Dollywood’s Festival of Nations features lively island rhythms performed by an ensemble steel orchestra. The sounds of Trinidad & Tobago are infused with gospel, salsa, reggae and American big band tunes for a unique sound.

Drum! – This Nova Scotia based group features 20 musicians, dancers, drummers and singers from four main cultures – Aboriginal, African, Celtic & Acadian for a 45-minute stage show that is combines the four cultures for an unforgettable production.

Atahualpa – Representing different areas of the Andes, Atahualpa showcases contemporary music, South American dance rhythms and traditional songs played by native Incan instruments alongside guitars and keyboards for an eclectic show.

Jallmay – Created by 28 dancers & musicians, Jallmay highlights Peru’s South American rhythms from ancient dances to modern beats.

Keona – This instrumental duo performs the hang drum, a new instrument created in Switzerland in 2000. The touch of the player’s hand upon the steel drum creates distinctive melodic sounds that visitors are sure to enjoy.

Imagine presented by Le Grand Cirque – This cast of premier international performers return to Dollywood for a production featuring daring acrobatics, aerialists, jugglers, clowns and high wire artists that will amaze Dollywood audiences.

Zambia Vocal Group – Created from different tribes throughout Africa, Zambia performs a capella traditional hymns and original songs that mix African rhythms with vocal percussions and a uniting message.

Don’t miss the Festival of Nations at Dollywood.

Dollywood vacation packages are on sale now.

Save Money on Dollywood Tickets with Pigeon Forge Lodging Packages

Dollywood & ReserveDirect have partnered to offer Tennessee visitors a great way to purchase Dollywood packages. These Dollywood packages are available in a variety of combinations so that families can choose the exact vacation package that fits their needs and budget. Dollywood tickets, Dollywood Splash & Play tickets, Dollywood Splash Country tickets and Dixie Stampede tickets are all available for purchase. Plus, these all-inclusive packages allow customers the ease and convenience of reserving Pigeon Forge hotels too, so a convenient money-saving package is just a few clicks away.

Choose from the following Dollywood Vacation Packages:

Dollywood Vacation Package
Dollywood Splash Country Water Adventure Package
Dollywood Smoky Mountain Splash & Play Combo Package
Dollywood & Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Vacation Package
Dollywood Splash Country & Dixie Stampede Vacation Package
Dollywood Splash & Play + Dixie Stampede Vacation Package

These packages are not offered anywhere else but through Dollywood’s website, so make sure you book now and save.

Adventure Mountain Attraction at Dollywood Announces New Details

Dollywood has announced new details regarding its new attraction – Adventure Mountain. Scheduled to open March 27, 2010, Adventure Mountain will feature 2 acres of mountainside terrain and four different courses, ranging from easy to expert. The courses will inclide 100 challenging obstacles including swinging beams, suspension bridges, flying islands and a tire traverse. Based on which course challengers choose, riders can be engaged anywhere from 15 minutes to any hour.

The courses inlcude Geyser Gorge, which as the name suggests is a geyser studded course; Black Bear Cliff, which features a narrow rock ledge; and Rocky Top Trail, a course with great views and aerial rope bridges suspended 90 feet above Wilderness Pass. Camp Teachittoome is located at the base of Adventure Mountain and is geared towards the kid crowd of Dollywood. This camp will feature ground based experiences safe for the little ones.

Pigeon Forge visitors who choose to partake in Adventure Mountain must be no more than 300 pounds. There is a miniumum height requirement of 42-44 inches for riders accompanied by a 16 year old guardian or older. All riders must wear closed-toe shoes. No sandals are allowed.

Pigeon Forge's Dollywood Wins Awards for Live Shows

The International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions has announced the winners of its annual Big E Entertainment Awards for 2009.

Dollywood won a Heartbeat Award for Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke, a production that focuses on the lives of the people that call the Smoky Mountains home. The show features eight original songs written by Dolly Parton and tells the story of the last family leaving the area that would become the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The $1.3 million production premiered this year, on May 9, 2009.

Dollywood also won three additional awards at the Big E Entertainment Awards ceremony. Creature Adventures starring the Kratt Brothers, which premiered in 2008 and headlined the park’s annual KidsFest event for two consecutive years, won Best Live Edutainment Show. Park performer Gabriel Myers from Dreamland Drive-In won Best Male Performer. Dollywood’s Gem Tones, an a capella group that performs ’50s and ‘60s music, won honorable mention as Best Atmosphere/Street Performer.

Dollywood Vacation Packages are on sale now.

16 Free Things To Do in Pigeon Forge Tennessee

In the breathtaking state of Tennessee you’ll find the picturesque Smoky Mountains. Both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are great places to visit for fantastic indoor and outdoor fun! A vacation to the Smoky Mountains is perfect too, because there are so many things to do in the Smoky Mountains. Even better, there are plenty of FREE things to do in the Smoky Mountains!

The natural outdoor allure of the Smoky Mountain destinations of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg is easy to understand. With the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as their backyard, these two vacation destinations allow guests to discover what they’ve been missing…refreshing, all natural fun!

1. Cades Cove: This is a great area for a scenic drive! There is an 11 mile one way loop that winds around the valley, complete with wildlife, campgrounds, bike rentals, spectacular foliage in autumn, facilities for horseback riding and historic buildings.

2. Sugarlands Visitor Center: A free 20-minute orientation motion picture provides an in-depth look at the Smokies and the enormous diversity of plant and animal life in the Park. Natural history exhibits include mounted specimens of park animals in recreations of their habitats and reproductions of journals kept by the first park naturalists are also on display. Ranger talks and slide shows are presented daily from spring through fall. You’ll also want to visit Laurel Falls, a beautiful waterfall located off Little River Road near the Sugarlands Center.

3. Patriot Park: Located in Pigeon Forge, this park is home to a big "liberty" bell, all 50 state flags, a historic patriot missile and a picnic pavilion amongst the open fields & a veteran's memorial park. Relax with the family while enjoying the beauty of Pigeon Forge.

4. Clingman’s Dome: Clingman's Dome is a short drive from Gatlinburg through the national park. There is a steep 1/2 mile hike to the top lookout, but anyone can enjoy the views from the level parking lot area. However, the views at the top of the dome are well worth the hike.

5. Free Child Admission at Pigeon Forge Shows: Many Pigeon Forge shows offer free admission for children (with a paying adult ticket). A few of the shows that participate in free kids admission are The Comedy Barn, Smith Family Dinner Show, Country Tonite, Hoot N Holler Dinner Show, Magic Beyond Belief and The Miracle.

6. Tennessee Heritage Trails: Our Heritage Trails link attractions in three categories - History, Arts & Crafts and Music - to showcase the distinctive character and talents of Tennessee trails and to connect both well-known and obscure attractions under a common theme.

7. The Old Mill: Visit the Old Mill in Pigeon Forge to tour the shops, including the candy kitchen, where you’ll get a free sample of fudge or taffy. Guests will also want to tour the Old Mill to see how they make corn meal and other products. The tour is about 30 minutes and there is a small admission fee of $3.

8. Great Smoky Mountains Arts and Craft Community: This is the largest group of independent artisans in North America. This historic 8-mile loop has been designated a Tennessee Heritage Arts & Crafts Trail. Established in 1937, these artisans create unique and treasured pieces. It doesn’t cost a dime to explore the shops and craftsmen at work.

9. Newfound Gap Road: The 33-mile drive from Gatlinburg to Cherokee North Carolina along Newfound Gap Road is the only route that completely traverses the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The drive offers a unique opportunity to enjoy an abbreviated experience of everything the Park has to offer, without necessarily trekking far from your automobile.

10. Hiking: Enjoy a hike on any of the more than 800 miles of trails through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. With over fifty trails available to hike, you’ll discover a new treasure each time you explore.

11. Douglas Lake: Beautiful Douglas Lake extends its 33,000 lake acres and 513 miles of shoreline to the rolling hills of the Great Smoky Mountains, attracting nearly 2 million visitors each year. Favorite activities at Douglas Lake include fishing, boating, rafting, swimming, camping, and bird watching.

12. Little River Railroad & Lumber Company Museum: This free museum teaches visitors about the history of steam logging in the Smokies. It is both an indoor and outdoor museum, with outdoor exhibits featuring a vintage caboose and portable Frick steam engine.

13. Gatlinburg Space Needle: Towering over downtown Gatlinburg, the Space Needle rises 407 feet, offering fantastic scenic views to visitors. This is a small admission fee of $7.25 for adults & $3 for children.

14. Shopping in the Smokies: Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are a shopper’s dream and it doesn’t cost a thing to look! There are several Outlet malls, such as Belz Factory Outlet Mall, as well as hundreds of unique shops to explore.

15. Festivals: Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are a haven for festivals. Many of these, such as the Bloomin’ Barbeque & Bluegrass Festival, have free admission and concerts!

16. Plus, at Dollywood, you can get your next day FREE if you arrive at the park after 3 pm!

With so many things to see and do in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, you and your family are sure to experience the vacation of a lifetime!

Celebrate the Holidays at Dollywood during a Smoky Mountain Christmas

Celebrate a Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge this holiday season. Spectacular light displays and a fantastic lineup of live Christmas shows are planned to help celebrate the true meaning of the season.

The park is decorated in over 4 million lights, casting a warm glow across a winter wonderland scene straight out of a picture. Dollywood is a great place to enjoy the holidays with friends and family as they present favorite shows like Babes in Toyland and Christmas in the Smokies.

Santa’s Workshop is also a favorite of park-goers. It features larger-than-life sized toys, an 18-foot tall Christmas tree and a cast of colorful characters that bring out the kid in everyone.

During a Smoky Mountain Christmas, guests can watch the Carol of the Trees, a nightly light synchronization show located at Rivertown Lake. The Kingdom Heirs will also be at the park providing southern gospel classics and popular Christmas hymns. Appalachian Christmas, an acoustic-style Christmas show, hearkens a simpler time and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas features a family finding its own Christmas miracle with the help of a mysterious, white-bearded stranger.

The Polar Express 4-D Experience at Dollywood invites guests on an extraordinary journey based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg, which inspired the animated movie of the same name.

A Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge runs from November 7 – January 2, 2010.

Dollywood tickets are on sale now. Book a Dollywood Package for additional savings.

Celebrate Harvestfest in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Official Press Release from Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism:

Scores of talented artists and craftsmen seem to take a cue from Mother Nature when the leaves start changing colors in the Great Smoky Mountains and appear in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for two major autumn festivals.

Basket makers, carvers, painters and others are on hand for the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Festival and Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Celebration.

The Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Crafts Festival (Oct. 1-30) is one of the region’s biggest crafts events, attracting almost 50 craftsmen, artists and exhibitors from more than a dozen states. It takes place under a giant red and white tent at Patriot Park. Rotarians volunteer their time to run the festival, and proceeds benefit numerous charities.

Dollywood’s National Gospel & Harvest Festival (Oct. 2-31) complements the theme park’s regular operation with an array of traditional and contemporary craftsmen and adds scores of free gospel music concerts to the entertainment lineup. Among the featured crafts are spinning, weaving, sorghum making, fiddle making, rug hooking and woodworking.

Both events take place against the backdrop of Pigeon Forge’s Harvestfest season, which continues through Oct. 31.

During Harvestfest, businesses throughout the city erect fanciful fall displays of hay bales, scarecrows, cornstalks, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers, mums and other symbols of the season.

Dollywood Presents National Gospel & Harvest Celebration in October

Dollywood is presenting their National Gospel & Harvest Celebration October 2-31, 2009, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The four week-long festival is the biggest Southern Gospel Festival in the Smokies and is made even more exciting by the autumnal colors that overtake that area during the fall.

The festival features some of the country’s most talented artisans as they demonstrate their talents and techniques. Delicious food is also part of the event as special dishes that pay tribute to the taste of fall and Tennessee heritage will be available to park goers.

The Harvest Celebration Crafters that will be on hand will demonstrate rope making, woodturning, fiddle making, glass working, stain glass making, paper making and many other crafts throughout the October festival. There is also an all-star line-up of Bluegrass & Gospel performers planned, including the likes of Riders in the Sky, Dailey & Vincent, the Gibson Brothers, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Legacy Five, The Kingsmen, and The Isaacs, among many others.

Rusty’s Chuckwagon is also a good place to stop by while you’re visiting Dollywood during their Harvest Celebration as they will be serving up tasty campfire cooking and will perform Dutch Oven cooking demonstrations so you can recreate the tasty treats at home.

Don’t miss one of the southeast’s top woodcarving events at Dollywood’s 18th annual Woodcarving Showcase and Competition (Oct. 2 – Oct. 4). See demonstrations by master carvers each day as they showcase this unique art form through a variety of carving styles. Each day features a special carving event including whittling contests and the Great Pumpkin Carving Competition.

For lodging reservations during Dollywood's National Gospel & Harvest Festival, take a look at ReserveDirect's Pigeon Forge Hotels and Pigeon Forge Cabins.

Dollywood Wins Golden Ticket Award for Best Shows & Best Christmas Event

Amusement Today has announced the winners of the 12th Annual Golden Ticket Awards. Presented to the “Best of the Best” in the amusement industry, the Golden Ticket Awards are calculated from an international poll conducted by Amusement Today. Surveys were sent to a database of experienced and well-travelled amusement park fans, asking them to rate the “bests” in 25 categories.

Several ReserveDirect attractions were honored with Golden Ticket Awards, including:

SeaWorld Orlando for Best Marine Life Park

Silver Dollar City in Branson for Friendliest Staff

Universal Orlando Resort for Best Halloween Event

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge for Best Christmas Event and Best Shows

Disney World Theme Parks (Epcot – IllumiNations: Reflections of the Earth) for Best Outdoor Night Show Production

Universal Orlando Resort Islands of Adventure (Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls) for Best Water Ride

Universal Orlando Resort Islands of Adventure (Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man) for Best Dark Ride

Universal Orlando Resort Universal Studios (Revenge of the Mummy) for Best Indoor Roller Coaster

Congratulations to all for the well-deserved honor of receiving a highly-coveted Golden Ticket Award.

Pigeon Forge July 2009 Events

Dollywood KidsFest
Dollywood, 1020 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge

Mid-June to Early August 2009
Kid crafts, karaoke, puppets, clowns, jugglers, magicians, a trained dog show, extreme sports and much more highlight the festivities at Dollywood theme park during Kidfest. Other annual events held at Dollywood include the Dollywood Festival of Nations in April, Harvest Celebration in September and Smoky Mountain Christmas starting in November.

July PowWow
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds, Cherokee, North Carolina
July 3-5, 2009
Live music, arts and crafts, traditional dance, singing can be experienced at the two-day July Powwow, which takes place at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.

3rd Annual Smoky Mountain Music & Heritage Festival
Old Mill Square – Pigeon Forge
July 3rd, 2009
The festivities begin at 6:30pm and admission is free. Logan Murrell will be the featured performer.

Cherokee Fourth of July Fireworks
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds, Cherokee, North Carolina
July 4th, 2009
Celebrate Independence Day with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee and enjoy a spectacular fireworks display at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.

Patriot Festival at Patriot Park
Patriot Park, Old Mill Avenue, Pigeon Forge
July 3, 2009
865-429-7350
Enjoy live music, great food, children’s activities and a spectacular fireworks display during the Patriot Festival at Patriot Park in downtown Pigeon Forge.

Fourth of July Fireworks Show
Downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Fourth of July, 2009
865-436-0500
Celebrate Independence Day with an incredible display of fireworks that will light up downtown Gatlinburg. The fireworks show usually takes place approximately 1 hour after dark.

Fourth of July Midnight Parade
Downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Fourth of July Weekend, 2009
865-436-0500
Lighted floats, giant helium balloons, lively marching bands and more make up Gatlinburg’s Fourth of July Midnight Parade, which begins promptly on July 4 th at 12:01 AM – making it the first Independence Day parade in the country each year.

Gatlinburg River Raft Regatta
River Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Fourth of July 2009
865-436-0500
Starting at 12 PM sharp on the Fourth of July at Christus Gardens bridge, the Gatlinburg River Raft Regatta is an unmanned floatable object race for prizes. Arrive at 11:30 AM to enter the free Gatlinburg River Raft Regatta.

John Anderson in Concert
Country Tonite Theater – Pigeon Forge
July 10, 2009

Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair

Gatlinburg Convention Center, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
July 17-26, 2009
865-436-7479
More than 200 of the most talented artists and craftspeople in the Smoky Mountains showcase their talents in the areas of woodworking, pottery, furniture making, basketweaving, dulcimer making, stained glass, metal work, jewelry, broommaking, quilting, candlemaking and more at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair, which also takes place in Ocotber.

Indian Summer Festival
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds, Cherokee, North Carolina
July 17-19, 2009
Come see the annual gathering of tribes from throughout the Americas takes its rightful place as the finest showcase of native dance, art, and culture in the southeast. The Festival of Native Peoples is an exposition of non-competitive dance, storytelling, and song performances expressing the collected history, culture, tradition, and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. And for 2008, juried artists and artisans will return to Cherokee to display, show, and sell their beautiful work. The Cherokee Festival of Native Peoples is a unique event that is not to be missed.

Tennessee Smokies Baseball

Smokies Stadium, 3540 Line Drive, Kodak, Tennessee
Early April to Early September 2009
865-286-2300
For a night of fun, affordable family entertainment, Tennessee Smokies baseball can’t be beat! A Class AA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Tennessee Smokies compete in the Southern League of Professional Baseball against the likes of the Chattanooga Lookouts, Greenville Braves, Carolina Mudcats and Jacksonville Suns. The state-of-the-art Tennessee Smokies Stadium, which opened in 2000, features 6,000 seats, a grass berm around most of the outfield and a full-service restaurant called the Double Play Café. The Tennessee Smokies play their home games in Kodak, which lies just Northwest of Sevierville (Exit 407 off of Interstate 40).

George Jones in Concert
Country Tonite Theater – Pigeon Forge
July 31, 2009

Save on Dollywood Tickets with Money-Saving Lodging Packages

Dollywood is offering a great way to purchase your Dollywood tickets and Dollywood’s Splash Country tickets while saving on a variety of area hotels and lodging, including the family-favorite, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. These Dollywood Packages are available in a variety of combinations to fit any traveler's vacation and budget:

• Dollywood Smoky Mountain Splash & Play Combo Package
• Dollywood Vacation Package
• Dollywood’s Splash Country Water Adventure Package
• Dollywood & Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Vacation Package
• Dollywood’s Splash Country & Dixie Stampede Vacation Package
• Dollywood Park Combo & Dixie Stampede Vacation Package
  

These packages are not offered anywhere else but through Dollywood’s website, so make sure you book now and save.

Adventure Mountain back on track at Dollywood

Dollywood had previously been forced to delay their $5 million expansion due to the economy. Construction costs were to blame for soaring costs of the expansion, so management thought it best to wait until the economy stabilized a bit and costs went down. Now, the $5 million project is back on and will be built to its original specifications, instead of a scaled back plan.

Officials at Dollywood plan to break ground on Adventure Mountain this summer. It will be the world’s largest interactive ropes course with swinging bridges and ladders crisscrossing their way across two acres of an area known as Wilderness pass. Adventurers will be harnessed in and will slide along a track as they try to overcome obstacles along the way.

Each stage requires varying levels of skill and ability. Three two-level courses invite adventurers to navigate rugged rope trails, net ladders, swinging bridges, moving beams and more including the base-level Camp Teachittoomee.

Adventure Mountain is scheduled to open on Dollywood’s Opening day in 2010. The opening of the new attraction will coincide with Dollywood’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Great Smoky Mountains 75th Anniversary Events

The Great Smoky Mountains are celebrating their 75th year as one of America’s National Parks. After being established in 1934, the Smoky Mountains have become the most visited national park with over 9 million visitors annually. Located near the beautiful towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, the park easily provides vacationers with a mix outdoor fun and nearby entertainment, including Pigeon Forge’s Dixie Stampede and Dollywood.

The 800 square mile park - about 187,000 acres – has a lot to explore, which can be done in a variety of ways. Auto touring is a favorite for many, as travelers can see gorgeous views of the wilderness from Highway 441. There are also plenty of scenic stops and flowing creeks to stop at, which make auto touring a relaxing way to take in the beauty of the area. Hiking in the Smoky Mountains is also a favorite activity and with over 150 official hikes to choose from, there is enough to see and do in the Great Smoky Mountains that visitors come again and again to see more of the scenic area.

The 75th Anniversary Smoky Mountain Celebration is presenting several events and activities. Here’s what’s happening this spring:

Music of the Mountains: Scheduled for March 28th, this event celebrates the Appalachian heritage of this area and the music it has created. There are six performances scheduled throughout the day, with the event commencing at 6:30pm with a concert by Jimbo Whaley.

Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage: This week-long event takes place April 22 – April 26. It is an educational event geared towards informing participants on the flora, fauna, and culture of the park. Headquartered at Mills Conference Center in Gatlinburg, the event costs $20 for one day or $40 for two more days for adults. Students are $10 for one or more day and children 12 and under are free.

National Junior Ranger Day: This free event is scheduled for April 25 from 10am – 2pm. Children and their families can join in a variety of free hands-on activities that range from searching for salamanders to making dinner bells at a blacksmith shop. Historic toy making, weaving, wildflower searches, and other natural and cultural opportunities will be available.

Cosby in the Park: On May 16th, this free event will be open to the public from 10am – 4pm. This event spotlights the Cosby community, which is partially located in the Great Smoky Mountains. This event features old-time mountain music, storytelling, old-fashioned children's games, and traditional crafts.

Great Smoky Mountains Natioanl Park 75th Anniversary – Oconaluftee: Programs and exhibits will celebrate Smoky Mountain life from the Cherokee through park establishment on June 15. A ground breaking ceremony will symbolically initiate the construction of a new Oconaluftee Visitor Center and history cultural museum.

Battle of Burg Hill- Civil War Re-enactment: A Civil War Re-enactment and Living History Days of the historic Battle of Burg Hill, the only Civil War skirmish in Gatlinburg. Join hundreds of Civil War historian re-enactors camping and living as was done in 1865. Witness a battle between the Blue and Gray with infantry and canons. Learn the history and experience Civil War living first hand. Educational and entertaining for the entire family. This event is scheduled for June 19-21.

Dinner on the Grounds: Cliff Dwellers Gallery will host 'Dinner on the Grounds' as a fundraiser with all proceeds going to the Park. Dinners will be based on a typical 1930's Sunday noon meal similar to one served at the Wonderland Hotel at that time. Dinner will be served on Sunday, July 5, 2009 from 11 am to 3 pm. The charge will be the 1930's price of 35 cents plus a donation to the Park ($5.00 suggested minimum). This is the last of three 'Dinner on the Grounds.' Celebrate our country's 4th of July & the 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Art and Artists of the Great Smoky Mountains, Before and after the Creation of the Park: Art and Artists of the Great Smoky Mountains, before and after the Creation of the Park" is a feature exhibition of the East Tennessee Historical Society. Through historical works of art, the exhibition highlights the lives and artistic expression of artists both local and visiting who chose the Great Smoky Mountains as their subject. This exhibit begins July 20 and runs through October 4.

Stringtime in the Smokies: A musical celebration of Appalachian life with a variety of well-known performers appearing throughout the event. Featured music will include traditional, bluegrass, and Americana styles with an emphasis on bluegrass. Activities for youngsters are on-site, along with excellent festival foods. This event is scheduled for August 14 & 15.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary - Park Rededication: On September 2 a rededication of the park, reminiscent of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historic 1940 park dedication speech, will be enacted at the Rockefeller Memorial at Newfound Gap. Special invitations to attend the ceremony will be issued accompanied by live broadcasts at the parks gateway communities.

Mountain Life Festival: Join park staff and volunteers on September 19 as we celebrate the fall harvest. The Mountain Farm Museum will be alive with history as demonstrators provide visitors with a glimpse into the past as they make soap, apple cider, sorghum molasses, hominy, music and more.

97th Cherokee Indian Fair: Scheduled for October 6-10, the fair offers an opening parade, midway, fireworks, traditional Cherokee food and competitions that bring out the best of the Eastern Bands basket makers, carvers, quilters, gardeners and more.

Sawin' in the Smokies: Scheduled for October 17 & 18, this event will be a fall festival centered around a 10 event lumberjack and Chainsaw carving competition with auction. The lumberjack event will also be this years US national "Single Buck"(Cross-Cut saw) Championships. In addition, there will be storytellers, bluegrass music, and arts and crafts vendors. There will be pig catching contests for the children, along with pony rides, a mini petting zoo, and hayrides all weekend. Ample parking, restrooms, and concessions will be available. the event is being held in Wears Valley Tn,in a very nice old field, with the mountains, Cove Mountain in particular, towering above and all around.The chainsaw carvers will carve a "masterpiece" and have 2 seperate hour long "quick carves" with all work to be auctioned for charity.

Thanksgiving in the Mountains: Scheduled for November 23 - 29, Fontana Village will bring together all the food and activities that make Thanksgiving in the mountains what it is with cooking seminars by local chefs using locally grown and indigenous plants and meats, family fun and activities, arts & crafts, music and entertainment throughout the Village.

Festival of Christmas Past: 2009 will mark the 34th annual Festival of Christmas Past celebration, to be held Saturday, December 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sugarlands Visitor Center. The event, sponsored in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains Association, is free to the public. The popular event is a celebration of Christmas and winter in the Smokies. Around Christmas time, people gathered in churches, homes, and schools, and many of them celebrated the holiday through music, storytelling, and crafts. The Festival of Christmas Past lets us pause and remember some of these traditions. The festival will include old-time mountain music and Old Harp singing, as well as demonstrations of traditional domestic skills such as the basketmaking, quilting, spinning, and apple butter making.

Holiday Homecoming: On Saturday, December 19, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a holiday homecoming at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and the Mountain Farm Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The visitor center will be decorated for the holiday season and will include an exhibit on Christmas in the mountains in the past. Hot cider and cookies will also be served. The Davis/Queen farmhouse at the Mountain Farm Museum will be open for visitors to walk through and park staff and volunteers will provide demonstrations and music.

For a complete schedule of 75th Anniversary Events, click here.

KidsFest at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge begins June 12

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is presenting their biggest KidsFest yet this summer. Scheduled for June 12 – August 2, KidsFest is full of exciting shows and events geared specifically towards kids and the kid inside us all.

The festival is bringing back some park favorites, as well as introducing some new acts that are sure to amaze. The line-up for KidsFest 2009 is as follows:

Creature Adventures starring the Kratt Brothers: Go wild this summer at Dollywood’s KidsFest with Creature Adventures starring the Kratt Brothers, stars of the popular PBS Zoboomafoo series. See Chris and Martin live as they introduce an amazing array of their animal friends in this spectacular new show. Animal lovers of all ages will marvel at this magnificent menagerie of critters!

Journey to the Center of the Earth 4D: Come along for the ride of your life as Brendan Fraser stars as Professor Trevor Anderson along with his teen-aged nephew Sean and their mountain guide, Hannah, in the action-packed Journey to the Center of the Earth 4D adventure! The trio encounters a series of hair-raising close calls only to discover there is just one way out of this incredible odyssey! Their quest to discover a lost world will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Kamp KidsFest: This summer, you definitely want to plan a trip to Kamp KidsFest featuring Kreatures, Kritters & Krafts. Located in Dollywood’s Valley Exhibition Hall, Kamp KidsFest is crawling with animal encounters. Animal handlers from the Knoxville Zoo are on hand daily to let guests of all ages get up-close with a variety of small animals, remarkable reptiles and captivating bugs while sharing fascinating facts about each creature.

Sandscapes: If you think sand sculptures are something you only find at the beach or in a sandbox, you’re in for a surprise at KidsFest. Sandscapes, the 12-time World Sand Sculpture Champions, creates large-scale, three-dimensional sand sculptures. Located in the Village area near the Train Depot, Sandscapes’ original KidsFest designs will feature trains and animals made from a whopping 75 tons of sand. Some are even eight feet tall! Sculptures are on display throughout KidsFest, and you can watch the artists at work throughout the festival as they build new pieces.

Penguin Group USA presents Dolly’s Imagination Playhouse featuring the Penguin Players: It's the most fun playhouse anywhere--Dolly's Imagination Playhouse featuring the Penguin Players! See three children's books come to life onstage in lively 20-minute musicals featuring fun-filled sing-along songs, including music written by Dolly! This year, the captivating Penguin Players introduce two new stories along with the Watty Piper classic The Little Engine That Could. Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama Red Pajama tells the story of Baby Llama and his mama while teaching audiences that there’s no problem that’s too big for the two of them! Judy Schachner’s Skippyjon Jones is a rambunctious Siamese kitty boy with very large ears and a gigantic imagination to match, and he just can’t stay out of trouble. See all three this summer at Dolly’s Imagination Playhouse.

SkyZip Adventure at Dollywood Now Open

Starting in May 2009, you can add a special zip to your visit with Dollywood's first premium adventure, SkyZip. Fly like an eagle over Dollywood and experience the majesty of the Great Smoky Mountains as you've never seen them before. Be a pioneer in the sky as you explore the first multiple station zip-line attraction to open in a theme park.

Your hour-long SkyZip adventure includes experiencing up to five treks ranging in length from 100 to nearly 1,000 feet. Plus teeter above the treetops on a 100-foot-long swinging bridge. Each tour offers a distinctive point-of-view as you venture from point to point on an elevated and inclined wire high above the ground. Click here to view the Park Guide Map and see where you can fly on SkyZip.

SkyZip is the first of a series of above the ordinary experiences to launch exclusively at Dollywood. Stay tuned for new adventures launching later this year. In addition to park admission, a reserved ticket is required for each adventure. Gold Passholders save 20% on ticket prices.

Building or Area of Park: Wilderness Pass
Cost: $40 + park admission (tax not included)
This is an Outdoor attraction.

Dollywood's "Sha-Kon-O-Hey!" showcases the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

Dolly Parton’s Dollywood recently unveiled a new show – “Sha-Kon-O-Hey!-Land of the Blue Smoke” – which showcases Parton’s songwriting and her appreciation of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The one million dollar production is the largest and most elaborate in the theme park’s 24-year history. The new show coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The 45-minute production features eight original songs written by Dolly Parton, which were released on a CD entitled “Sha-Kon-O-Hey,” and takes audiences back to the time when the park was first being organized. The musical journey follows a reluctant family as it bids farewell to the area that eventually becomes the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The captivating story introduces audiences to the settlers, the rail and lumberman, the Cherokee Warriors and shiners while honoring the spirit of the mountains and the heritage of the people who live there.

The production consists of eight singers/dancers and 10 acrobats plus a six-piece live band. The theater also compliments the production well, as guests are greeted by a cascading waterfall upon entering the theater, and other scenic elements and various stage effects are incorporated to create a unique telling of the land of the Smokies.

New Zip Line Attraction Unveiled at Dollywood

Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is introducing a new attraction next month that will make zipping around their 150 acre theme park easier than ever. The new SkyZip attraction, a ride in which guests can pick from among 5 zip-line treks ranging in length from 100 feet to nearly 1,000 feet, including a 100-foot swinging bridge.

This is the first multiple station zip-line experience to open at a US theme park. The elevated and inclined zip line is safe and secure for guests as it works with a pulley & seating apparatus allowing visitors to zip from one point another propelled by gravity.

The unveiling of this new attraction coincides with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th Anniversary, which is a bonus, as this tour will also provide an environmental and historical tour of undeveloped and unspoiled property surrounding Dollywood hosted by specially trained adventure guides.

The SkyZip tours are themed, depending on your launching point. Fliers can launch from a perch above the park's region called Wilderness Pass and soar to Dollywood's famed triple spiral-looping roller coaster, Tennessee Tornado, and beyond. Or Fliers can take a trail that takes adventurers breathtakingly close to Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. After a brief hike, the adventurers can zip above Craftsman's Valley, home to Dollywood's talented artisans, and back to the same point where their adventure began.

The SkyZip does require a fee in addition to regular Dollywood admission. It is operated by Hawaii based Skyline Eco-Adventures.

Dolly Parton's Homecoming Parade set for May 8

The Dolly Parton Homecoming Parade is set for May 8 2009. This is the events 24th year. The parade honors Pigeon Forge native Dolly Parton, and is especially poignant this year because she is also serving as the official ambassador of the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The parade is usually held in March, but has been moved to May to take advantage of the warmer weather and longer days.

The parade will start at 6pm of Friday, May 8. The parade route stretches along the parkway, from Traffic lights 3 through 6. The parade will feature a variety of floats representing high school marching bands, Pigeon Forge theaters, car clubs, cheerleading teams, equestrian clubs and twirlers. The Sevier County High School Band will also perform.

Dollywood Opens this Weekend, March 28th

Dollywood is set to open this weekend, with opening day occurring on March 28th. The park expects this season to be great, and with “Festival Of Nations” kicking off their season, they are giving park goers plenty of reasons to attend the park this spring.

Festival of Nations will feature performers from around the world, giving the relatively small town of Pigeon Forge a big dose of international culture. A few of the scheduled performers include Dainava, a Folk art group from Southern Lithuanian, the Jennifer Roland Band, a Canadian fiddle player, and Atahualpa, a rhythmic group representing different areas of the Andes. Imagine, presented by Le Grand Cirque, is set to take the stage as well, and will feature daring acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, clowns and high wire artists.

Dolly Parton will be in Pigeon Forge the weekend of May 8, when she takes part in the annual Dollywood Parade in the city of Pigeon Forge.

As summer arrives in Sevier County, Splash Country will open with a new large-group pavilion and Dollywood will premiere Sha-Kon-O-Hey, its largest single production ever.

The show was written by park entertainment coordinator Paul Couch, while Parton added eight original songs to the production. The script tells the story of the last family in the Smokies as they leave their home at the creation of the park. Tracing roots all the way back to the Cherokee, it involves a huge stage set including a waterfall that parts to teach the lead character the park's creation will allow everyone to share the wonders of the Smokies while they live forever in his heart.

Special Dollywood Packages are available.

Dollywood Festival of Nations in Pigeon Forge begins March 28

Dollywood’s Festival of Nations presents the most captivating entertainment from around the world during this month long celebration of music, dance, food and art. The festival is scheduled for March 28th through April 27th. The Festival of Nations at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge is an international adventure right in Tennessee.

This year, Dollywood is proud to welcome Le Grand Cirque as it presents Imagine. The unimaginable becomes spellbinding reality as a cast of premier international acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, clowns and high wire artists amaze audiences with their athletic ability, lavish costumes, dynamic lighting, mesmerizing music and breathtaking feats. And that's just the beginning of Dollywood’s celebration of music, artistry, foods and crafts from around the globe during Festival of Nations.

There are several other new additions to the Festival, including the Czech Pilsen Brass Band, the Jennifer Roland Band and Keona. The Czech Pilson Brass Band showcases a talented youth ensemble from the Czech Republic and will be performing March 28 – April 13. The Jennifer Roland Band features entertaining fiddle playing from Nova Scotia, Canada. They will perform the entire festival, from March 28 – April 27, as will Keona. Keona is an instrumental trio that features the hang drum, an instrument created in Switzerland in 2000. Their creative energy produces special performances you can only see at Dollywood.

Some favorites will also be joining the Dollywood Festival of Nations again. Atahualpa, a rhythmic group representing different areas of the Andes, presents music performed with traditional Incan instruments and South American dance for unforgettable lively performances. Calpulli Danza Mexicana consists of sixteen performers that blend the most highly recognized sounds and images of the Mexican region with vibrant costumes, ceremonial dances and festive music that honor the country’s rich heritage.

Dainava is a folk music group from Southern Lituhania. Dainava's unique sound incorporates such instruments as the skuduciai, kankles and skrabalai as well as the accordion, clarinet, panpipes and horns in a musical presentation that includes authentic and stylized songs and dances still performed today among Lithuania’s many villages.

The Royal Stiltwalkers of Merchtem Belgium take entertainment to new heights with their performances atop 12 foot high stilts. Belgium’s heritage is reflected in their clog dancing, folk songs and costumes. The Zambia Vocal Group is a combination of African tribes that form a collective sound representing a message that unites us all. The group's a capella performance includes traditional hymns and original songs which feature a unique combination of traditional African rhythms, vocal percussion and complex vocal harmonies.

Dollywood’s Festival of Nations in Pigeon Forge creates a wonderful atmosphere for fun. All of the regular attractions, rides and eateries are open during the festival too, so come on down for some international fun.

Pigeon Forge Hotels and Pigeon Forge Cabins are still available for reservations. Book yours today!

Dolly Parton to be inducted into GMA Hall of Fame

Dolly Parton, Michael W. Smith, Dr. Bobby Jones, The Dixie Hummingbirds and producer Lari Goss will be inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame next month.

The ceremony will be held Feb. 2 in Nashville.

Parton is best known for her country and pop hits, but she's also released gospel records and mainstream songs with Christian themes. The Southern Gospel Music Museum and Hall of Fame is located on the grounds of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Michael W. Smith is one of the best known artists in Christian music with 18 albums and many hits, including some that crossed over to the pop charts.

Information courtesy of The Press of Atlantic City Media Group

Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg: #1 On Southern Living's "Best Weekend Getaway" List

Readers of Southern Living Magazine voted Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg #1 on their list of "Best Weekend Getaways" and #5 on their list of "Best Family Destinations" in the magazines annual "Readers' Choice Awards" poll. Results in 14 categories are in the January issue.

The area's family-friendly attractions, particularly the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, earned praise from the magazine's readers and editors, along with the scenic beauty of East Tennessee.

Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga topped the "Best Scenic View" list, which also featured two favorite destinations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park-Cades Cove (#6) and Clingman's Dome (#7), which is the highest point in Tennessee.

"The appeal of our attractions, lodging and dining, plus the spectacular beauty of the mountains resonates with our guests. That will be especially true as people visit this year during the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park," said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism.

Pigeon Forge, which has only 5,800 residents but approximately 11 million visitors a year, offers guests a year-long calendar of special events, approximately 10,000 accommodations (hotel, motel, cabin, chalet), more than a dozen entertainment theaters, six outlet malls, craft shops, art galleries and attractions such as Dollywood, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede and WonderWorks.

A major new attraction, Belle Island Village, is projected to open this spring. Its major components include the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum and the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience.

"Southern Living's 'Readers' Choice Awards' mean a lot. The magazine's circulation is 2.8 million, and its readers really know the South," Mr. Downey said.

Southern Living is the eighth largest monthly magazine in the U.S., and its readership is more than 16 million. Its "Readers' Choice Awards" are acknowledged as one of the largest reader-response programs in the publishing industry.

Other Tennessee favorites in the 2008 voting included Franklin at #5 on the "Best Small Town" list; Nashville at #5 on the "Best City" list; Nashville's Loveless Café and Pancake Pantry at #5 and #6 on the "Best Breakfast/Brunch" list; and the Memphis in May International Festival at #9 on the "Best Festival/Fair" list.

Balloting already has begun for the 2009 awards at www.southernliving.com/readerschoice. Voting ends on June 30, 2009.

Information courtesy of The Chattanoogan

Dollywood Highlights the Christmas Spirit with Festive Events

On a cold, damp Friday afternoon in early December, the crowd pouring into Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., was in complete agreement: it was unseasonably cold for this time of year.

It was not so cold that you couldn’t bundle up the family and walk around the 150-acre park, which was spectacularly decked out for its annual Smoky Mountain Christmas event and filled with the comforting hum of Christmas music. But it was cold enough to temporarily shut down the park’s three big roller coasters. And for a couple of itchy teenagers grumbling in the last car of Blazing Fury — an antique indoor coaster with a couple of mild drops — Dollywood was coming up short on Christmas miracles.

Call it the grade schooler’s revenge. Because as evening fell and the park filled up with hundreds of children on the right side of 10, it became clear that the holiday festivals that have cropped up at theme parks like Dollywood across the country probably aren’t meant to court thrill-seeking teenagers, who seemingly have the run of the parks in summer. Rather, they seem aimed at everyone else: packs of young parents quietly pushing strollers, babysitting grandparents huddled in cafes sipping coffee, nostalgic couples walking hand in hand, soaking in the flickering lights and charitable mood.

And lots — lots — of little boys and girls like Ellie Johnson, a blond, bespectacled 5-year-old.
“I like the Polar Express!” she shouted to her parents, Kevin and Jeny, extracting a wry, knowing smile out of her older sister, Cara. She was referring to the Polar Express 4-D Experience, a multisensory ride that shows a short version of the popular Christmas movie in 3-D, while moving seats rock riders back and forth and smells of hot cocoa fill the theater.

There are plenty of real warm drinks (including a wickedly sweet caramel cider) to wrap your hands around as you walk through the festival. Dollywood began the event 18 years ago, and it has since expanded to include four million lights, a 100-foot-tall Christmas tree light show, a lineup of musicals, a real coal-fired train that does a mile-plus loop through the park, and over 40 rides and attractions (including, when the weather holds out, Thunderhead, which is currently one of the top-rated wooden coasters in the world).

As the temperature dipped, people headed for Santa’s Workshop, an arts-and-crafts area where packs of adults warmed their hands around space heaters and browsed funny T-shirts (“Don’t blame me. I voted for Santa.”).

The children were free to tear around the enclosed 500-square-foot area and play with jumbo-sized toys. But one 8-year-old, Savannah Ledford, stood alone, quietly but fastidiously penning her letter to Santa.

“I want a computer game called Spore, and a Lego Castle play set,” she said, pursing her lips, then adding, “and a computer.”

“We had horses and ponies when I was younger,” her grandmother, Carolyn Ledford, added with a shrug. “But I guess they’re a lot of trouble.”

For all the attractions directed at kids, the event also draws couples without young children. For one young couple from Nashville, Stephen and Susan Curtis, the attractions are the light displays and Christian-themed shows.

For Jack and Debbie Williams, a couple in their 50s who regularly drive down from Maryland, the park holds a special place in their shared history. When they were young, Dollywood was a small tourist stop called Rebel Railroad. (It would change hands, and names, a few times before its current incarnation as Dollywood.)

“His parents brought him here when he was young because they knew the owners,” Ms. Williams said, pointing to her husband, “and my father brought us here because he was thinking about buying it from those same owners.”

They didn’t discover the Dollywood coincidence until years later, after they met in the Air Force and married. If everything goes as planned, the Williamses will move back to the Smoky Mountain area in the next few years.

When Dollywood opened in 1986, it was originally billed as a show park, and those roots are still evident in the heavy holiday lineup of stage shows. One of the sharpest is “Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland,” which showcases an impressive five-man acrobatic team, two talented young leads, and a spectacular grand finale.

Gabriel Myers, who plays the father, sat with some of his fellow castmates after the show, and talked about how it felt to do this year’s show as opposed to past ones.

“With the economic situation the way it is,” he said, taking a minute to choose his words, “everybody’s a little tense, a little worried and a little scared. So any kind of entertainment where you can help them get away from that for a second, and just feel the warmth of the holidays instead of all the coldness that’s going on right now — including the weather — it’s a good feeling for us.”

The festival is open through Jan. 3, though it is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve; admission is $51.30, and $40.15 for kids under 12.

Information courtesy of New York Times

Dollywood Wins 3rd International Heartbeat Award

Dollywood theme park claimed its third consecutive international Heartbeat Award along with three additional trophies at this year's International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo's Big E entertainment awards ceremony in Orlando on Nov. 20.

The latest awards bring Dollywood's total to 11 in the past three years, more than any other theme park in the world.

Dreamland Drive-In won the prestigious Heartbeat Award for the second time. The show claimed the same award in 2006, while the park's The Great American Country Show won in 2007. The Heartbeat Award recognizes the show that demonstrates superior overall ability in reaching the hearts of its audience. Candidates are judged on the commitment of the cast, the quality and content of the production and the effectiveness on the part of the producing organization in seeking to create a special connection with its audience. More than 160 productions were evaluated in the competition.

"We are very pleased to once again receive the Heartbeat Award along with the other recognition we received at this year's Big E Awards," said Dollywood's Director of Entertainment Paul Couch. "At Dollywood, we strive to touch the hearts of our audiences in a meaningful way. This award tells me and our industry that we are doing just that."

Dollywood's Gem Tones, an a capella group that performs '50s and '60s music, was named Best Atmosphere/Street Performer. Creature Adventures starring the Kratt Brothers, a show which premiered in 2008 as the headliner of the park's annual KidsFest event, won honorable mention in the Best Live Edutainment Show category. Park performer Arnie Shaw from The Great American Country Show won honorable mention for Best Female Performer.

IAAPA is the largest international trade association for permanently situated amusement facilities worldwide. The organization represents more than 4,500 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 90 countries.

Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open nine months a year, Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions including the award-winning coasters Thunderhead® and Mystery Mine®, live entertainment and crafters.

Information courtesy of Cybergrass Newsletter

Dollywood's Polar Express Ride a Unique Christmas Experience

All of a sudden, plates started flying. The seats started jerking. And faintly, you could smell a whiff of hot chocolate. All this was almost like taking a real ride on the “Polar Express” to the North Pole. But wait – in another minute, this railroad took a raw turn. Slipping off a long run of tracks, the train climbed and started skidding, crazily out of control, on a solid sheet of ice. By now, the motion seats at Dollywood’s Imagination Cinema had really started rocking. And then?Well, just as sudden it seemed, the “Polar Express” eased into Santa’s workshop, surrounded by countless elves.And there, staring at the face of Santa Claus, you just had to believe in magic.

All this is part of the new “Polar Express 4-D Experience,” a feature of Dollywood’s 19th annual Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.“This is a big show, where you’re kind of part of the whole thing,” the park’s namesake, Dolly Parton, said during a recent telephone interview. “It’s a wonderful thing for families. That’s our big Christmas thing.”

“Polar Express” riders wear 3-D glasses as they watch a short version of the popular Tom Hanks movie “Polar Express,” staged in the same theater that has been home to the action ride “Thunder Road,” off and on, for about a dozen years. Inside, Debbie Puckett, 47, of Ringgold, Ga., arrived at Dollywood early on a Saturday morning to be among the first in line for the ride.“I loved it,” Puckett said. “I liked the hot chocolate scene, the 3-D effect. And I really liked just the snippets of the movie.”

Puckett’s husband, Jackie Puckett, 56, chose to sit out, however, instead of being jerked around in the giant motion chairs of the Imagination Cinema. All that movement, he said, bothers his arthritis.Still, he watched the 12-minute-long movie in the theater – on a set of motionless bleachers. Outside, meanwhile, Robert Rester of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., stood at the front of the theater, ready to pose for pictures as the “Polar Express” train conductor. “There are two-hour waiting times for the ride,” Rester said. “All the guests I talk to are awestruck after viewing the 4-D. This is kind of a ride-slash-show. It’s really taken off.”

“Polar Express” is only one part of the Pigeon Forge theme park’s holiday happenings. Other attractions include a series of shows that range from song-and-dance routines to a live nativity scene. Still, the main attraction of all the holiday shows at Dollywood is “Babes in Toyland,” highlighted by the march of 21 toy soldiers and a surprise finale that soars above the crowd. Nearly an hour long, the explosive – and sometimes foggy – Dollywood’s “Babes In Toyland” production recently won an honorable mention for best overall production in 2007 by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

“Every year at Dollywood at Christmas is so special,” said Parton, an internationally known singer and actress. “We have so many people who come to the park.” This year, more than 4 million holiday lights are featured at the park, outlining longtime landmarks like the grist mill, train depot and the barn housing the park’s indoor roller coaster, the Blazing Fury, as well as countless trees and shrubs.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

What: Smoky Mountain Christmas

Where: Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

When: Through Jan. 3

Information courtesy of Bristol Herald Courier

More Details Surface on Titanic's Pigeon Forge Attraction

The keel is being laid for Titanic Pigeon Forge, a towering ship-shaped museum/attraction devoted to the world’s best-known ocean liner.

Christening of the 30,000-square-foot structure that will resemble the romantic cruise ship will be in the spring of 2010. It is a $25 million project of Cedar Bay Entertainment, which also is the parent company of the first Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Mo.

Titanic Pigeon Forge will open a little more than a year after the opening of another major tourism investment in Pigeon Forge, the $114 million Belle Island Village mixed-used development that will begin serving guests this winter.

“Home port” for Titanic Pigeon Forge is a 5.69-acre site on the Parkway near the Black Bear Jamboree, the Miracle Theater and WonderWorks on the north end of Pigeon Forge. The city is a gateway community to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and attracts more than 11 million visitors a year.

“Constant change and growth are Pigeon Forge’s greatest assets,” said John Joslyn, president of Cedar Bay Entertainment. “Visitors have always enjoyed many reasons to return to the area, and Titanic Pigeon Forge will easily become yet another reason to stop, shop and be entertained and enlightened.”

Joslyn’s interest in the Titanic began as a producer of television specials, and he has been to the bottom of the North Atlantic to see the actual Titanic while working on specials about the “unsinkable” vessel.

The attraction will display hundreds of priceless Titanic artifacts in 20 galleries on two decks that will also contain exact replicas of the “Grand Staircase,” a first-class suite, a third-class cabin and the Marconi wireless room. The bridge will offer interactive features similar to those of its Branson sister ship.

Each visitor will receive a boarding pass bearing the name of a real Titanic passenger or crew member and will be able to touch an iceberg, experience the chill of 28-degree water, sit in an actual life boat, “steer” the ship and send an SOS message.

“Titanic Pigeon Forge will be a welcome addition to our city’s list of quality attractions,” said Pigeon Forge City Manager Earlene Teaster, noting that it will complement Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, WonderWorks, Belle Island Village, more than a dozen theaters, the Old Mill, Walden’s Landing and several outlet shopping malls.

Citizens National Bank has taken a leadership role in financing with the support of USDA Rural Development. Bob Fleming, president of Idletime is the creative director of the project; Butler, Rosenbury & Partners, Inc. is the architectural and engineering firm; and Turner Construction Co. is the contractor.

Cedar Bay Entertainment is a privately owned entertainment and development company headquartered in Branson. Its Titanic attraction there opened in 2006 and welcomed more than a million guests in its first two years.

A Tennessee connection to the Titanic . . . Of the wealthy first-class American passengers on the Titanic, the Carter family had deep Tennessee roots. Billy and Lucile Carter were on board with their two children, Lucile, 14, and William, 11. The family was prominent in Philadelphia society and entertained lavishly at residences in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Newport, R.I.

Lucile Polk Carter’s Southern lineage was rich with history. Her mother, Lou Ellen Hought Anderson, was born in 1844 in Clarksville, Tenn., where the family stayed until Lucile’s grandfather died in 1876. Her paternal grandfather, David Peale Polk, was the full third cousin of James K. Polk, the 11th president of the U.S., making her “Young Hickory’s” third cousin twice removed. To honor Lucile and her family’s Tennessee heritage, Titanic Tennessee will dedicate a first-class suite to the Polk-Carter family.

Information courtesy of Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

More than 5 Million Lights Brighten the Pigeon Forge Winter Celebration

The lights are on, and the invitations out for the 19th annual celebration of Pigeon Forge Winterfest, an event that includes the start of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The four-month-long event began Nov. 6 and continues through Feb. 28, 2009.

When Pigeon Forge says the lights are on, it really means it, because more than five million lights brighten scores of elaborate displays throughout the mountain resort community. Several displays—including the celebration´s signature snowflakes along the Parkway—have been fitted with energy-saving LED bulbs.

Dollywood enhances the first two months of Pigeon Forge Winterfest with Dollywood´s Smoky Mountain Christmas. New this year is the Polar Express 4-D Experience, described as "a magical cinematic experience" full of multi-sensory thrills and surprises. It is based on the beloved Caldecott Medal-winning children´s book by Chris Van Allsburg.

Dollywood adds to Winterfest´s light displays with more than four millions lights of its own and the nightly Lighted Christmas Parade. Its musical entertainment lineup includes "Dollywood´s Babes in Toyland," "Christmas in the Smokies" and "´Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Pigeon Forge has more than a dozen theaters, and most of them offer special Christmas shows during November and December before resuming non-holiday shows after New Year´s Day.

After the excitement of Christmas and New Year´s, Pigeon Forge Winterfest continues with two festivals and a special night of mountain music in January and February:

Wilderness Wildlife Week, Jan. 10-17, is the first. It began the same year as Winterfest as a Saturday afternoon activity and now offers eight days of programs and activities to spotlight Great Smoky Mountains National Park. More than 100 experts on nature and outdoor life present programs on many topics, and there are daily hikes and excursions into the national park.

Wilderness Wildlife Week is the first major participatory event on the official calendar of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

AppalachiaFest on Jan. 13, is a one-night heritage musical event that complements Wilderness Wildlife Week. The Country Tonite Theatre is the venue, and the lineup features Tim O´Brien, Riley Baugus, Dirk Powell and Boogertown Gap. It, too, is a sanctioned 75th anniversary event.

Saddle Up!, a celebration of the American West, returns for the ninth year, Feb. 19-22 It brings some of the best western musicians and cowboy poets to the Smokies for a rare visit east of the Mississippi River. The lineup includes Wylie & the Wild West, the Quebe Sisters Band, Juni Fisher, Kent Rollins and Andy Wilkinson. Events include the Cowboy Symphony, concerts, a chuckwagon cookoff and Cowboy Church.

Pigeon Forge´s popular Trolley Tour of Lights, offered throughout Winterfest, allows guests to get a narrated tour of this Smoky Mountains resort town and a chance to see the major displays. One of the more elaborate displays depicts the city´s most significant historic site, the Old Mill. The actual mill was built in 1830 and still is in operation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Information courtesy of American Chronicle

Pigeon Forge Presents 19th Annual Winterfest

Pigeon Forge, Tenn., is gearing up for the 19th annual celebration of Pigeon Forge Winterfest™, an event made special by the opening of new attractions and the start of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The four-month-long event starts Nov. 6 and concludes Feb. 28, 2009. Expansive and elaborate Winterfest light displays are located throughout the city. More than five million lights are used, and several displays – including the celebration’s signature snowflakes along the Parkway – have been fitted with energy-saving LED bulbs.

Dollywood enhances the first two months of Pigeon Forge Winterfest with its celebration of Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas. New this year is the Polar Express 4-D Experience, described as “a magical cinematic experience” full of multi-sensory thrills and surprises. It is based on the beloved Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.
Dollywood adds to Winterfest’s light displays with more than four millions lights of its own and the nightly Lighted Christmas Parade. Its musical entertainment lineup includes “Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland,” “Christmas in the Smokies” and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”
Pigeon Forge has more than a dozen theaters, and most of them offer special Christmas shows during November and December before resuming non-holiday shows after New Year’s Day.

After the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s, the city continues Pigeon Forge Winterfest with two festivals and a special night of mountain music in January and February:

Wilderness Wildlife Week, Jan. 10-17, is the first. It began the same year as Winterfest as a Saturday afternoon activity and now offers eight days of programs and activities to spotlight Great Smoky Mountains National Park. More than 100 experts on nature and outdoor life present programs on many topics, and there are daily hikes and excursions into the national park. Wilderness Wildlife Week is the first major participatory event on the official calendar of the 75th anniversary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

AppalachiaFest on Jan. 13, is a one-night heritage musical event that complements Wilderness Wildlife Week. The Country Tonite Theatre is the venue, and the lineup features Tim O’Brien, Riley Baugus, Dirk Powell and Boogertown Gap. It, too, is a sanctioned 75th anniversary event.

Saddle Up!, a celebration of the American West, returns for the ninth year, Feb. 19-22 It brings some of the best western musicians and cowboy poets to the Smokies for a rare visit east of the Mississippi River. The lineup includes Wylie & the Wild West, the Quebe Sisters Band, Juni Fisher, Kent Rollins and Andy Wilkinson. Events include the Cowboy Symphony, concerts, a chuckwagon cookoff and Cowboy Church.

Pigeon Forge’s popular Trolley Tour of Lights, offered throughout Winterfest, allows guests to get a narrated tour of this Smoky Mountains resort town and a chance to see the major displays. One of the more elaborate displays depicts the city’s most significant historic site, the Old Mill. The actual mill was built in 1830 and still is in operation. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Information courtesy of Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

Dollywood Presents A Smoky Mountain Christmas

See the Smokies’ most spectacular light display and a lineup of live Christmas shows that celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, all at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. 4 million lights drape the park in holiday splendor, casting a warm glow that sets the scene for a winter wonderland like no other. Create a family tradition at Dollywood’s sensational shows, including the triumphant return of perenial favorites Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland and Christmas in the Smokies. Let the heartwarming sounds of the season set the stage for a Christmas the entire family will enjoy. Don’t miss Santa’s Workshop, where larger-than-life-sized toys and an 18-foot-tall Christmas tree fill guests of all ages with wide-eyed wonder as they discover a giant wagon, sailboat, dollhouse and more amid the hustle and bustle as Santa and his helpers ready for their big night! Santa’s also the star of the Parade of Lights, along with a cast of brightly lit floats and colorful characters.

"The Polar Express 4-D Experience"
Dollywood guests are invited on an extraordinary adventure this holiday season on THE POLAR EXPRESS 4-D EXPERIENCE! When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Christmas in the Smokies
Dollywood’s musical Christmas tradition features a 12-member cast and seven-piece band performing hometown holiday favorites that celebrate the joy of the season.

Dollywood's Babes in Toyland
It’s Dollywood’s most elaborate stage show ever—Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland! Featuring a cast of 20 performers and a fully-orchestrated musical score, this family classic follows “Alan” and “Jane” on their incredible adventure through Toyland. Along the way, the pair encounters a variety of characters who come to life through imaginative puppetry, amazing acrobatics, and spectacular scenery—all highlighted by the magnificent, show-stopping march of the giant toy soldiers! Celebrate an old-fashioned family Christmas sure to mesmerize audiences of all ages at Dollywood’s Babes in Toyland.

Santa's Workshop
Something’s new amid the hustle and bustle of Santa’s Workshop! Step inside the giant toy store, where larger-than-life-sized toys greet you this holiday season. Explore the fun, interactive activities—such as gazing through the oversized ViewMaster™. And of course, visit with Santa!

Appalachian Christmas
Celebrate an acoustic Christmas at the Back Porch Theatre with Appalachian Christmas. Let the beautiful sound of the music take you back to a simpler time.

Breakfast with Santa
Make a holiday memory for your little ones as they enjoy Breakfast with Santa. See the sparkle in their eyes as boys and girls share their Christmas wishes while the family dines on a delicious holiday breakfast at Aunt Granny's. Seating is first-come, first-served (reservations are not available) from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 8, 15, 22, 28, 29 and Dec. 6, 13 and 20. Additional Fee; Dollywood admission required.

Carol of the Trees
Each night thousands of lights and pyrotechnics synchronize with holiday music to transform our Rivertown Lake into a "seasonal symphony for the senses."

Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs
Celebrate a Southern Gospel Christmas as the Kingdom Heirs keep your spirits high with your favorite Christmas hymns and songs.

Dolly's Christmas Chapel
The Robert F. Thomas Chapel hosts worship services at 5:30 p.m. each Sunday throughout Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.

O' Holy Night
A little girl looks for an angel; three shepherds follow a star. They all find their way to the heart of “The Christmas Story.”

Parade of Lights
Everyone loves a parade, especially Dollywood’s daily Parade of Lights featuring Christmas floats adorned with brightly colored lights. Holiday characters add to the excitement as the parade makes its way, bringing holiday fun to everyone.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
A family finds its own Christmas miracle with the help of a mysterious, white-bearded stranger in this delightful musical featuring a 12-member cast and a five-piece band.

Victorian Melodies
Outfitted in period costumes, this melodious group strolls throughout Dollywood performing holiday music true to the Victorian era.

Information courtesy of Dollywood