New attractions at Dollywood

Friday, 30 Jan, 2026 0

Fresh from a milestone year celebrating 40 years in 2025, Dollywood is gearing up for a record-breaking 2026 with inaugural events and the opening of its largest attraction ever.

Here’s what’s new at Dolly Parton’s Eastern Tennessee theme park for 2026:

Opening Day: Dollywood will open for its 41st season on Friday, March 13, with the I Will Always Love You Music Festival. Guests can experience the debut of two new shows, “MotoMotion Freestyle Showdown,” which features expertly choreographed performances with a combination of extreme riders, breakdancers and aerial daredevils, and “Artreageous,” a 3D visual concert that combines art, live music, singing, dancing, humor and audience participation.

The popular “From the Heart – The Life & Music of Dolly Parton” show also returns following her personal journey and career taking her from Sevier County to Nashville to pursue her dreams. The festival runs through April 12.

New event – Run Dollywood: The inaugural Run Dollywood race weekend is set for April 25-26. Participants can enjoy spring in the Smokies as they race through a course that winds its way through the park, which will be in the midst of its Flower & Food Festival, and surrounding areas. Events include the marquee half-marathon, a 5k, a 10k and a 1-mile kids fun run for ages 4 to 12. Registration is limited at Dollywood.com/RunDollywood

New attraction – NightFlight Expedition: Dollywood’s most ambitious and innovative ride yet is scheduled to open this spring. It’s the park’s most significant investment in any attraction since Dolly assumed ownership in 1986. A one-of-a-kind indoor hybrid adventure coaster, NightFlight Expedition takes guests on a journey through the Smoky Mountains to search for bioluminescence in the nation’s most visited national park. During the 5 ½-minute coaster experience, riders soar on a nighttime flight over the scenic Smokies, enjoy a whitewater rafting excursion and traverse a mountain ridge.

New ticketed event – Harvey’s Boo Bash: This fall, guests traveling to Dollywood’s Harvest Festival will have the opportunity to experience a new nighttime event, Harvey’s Boo Bash, on October 16, 23 and 30. The separately ticketed, limited-capacity event offers guests an evening to enjoy Great Pumpkin LumiNights, which features more than 12,000 glowing gourds; exclusive access to activities and attractions; multiple candy-collecting stations; and unique, event-only food and merchandise from 9 p.m. to midnight.

New Harvest Festival offerings: Dollywood’s Harvest Festival will glow even brighter this year thanks to a new dance party featuring upbeat music and dazzling lights. The festival also will introduce Apple Jack’s Market, a newly decorated area that features special culinary offerings and décor that celebrate that prized harvest treat, the apple. Another section of the park will spotlight corn, serving it grilled and featuring themed décor. The Harvest Festival runs from September 14 to October 31.

Celebrating America: To commemorate America’s 250th birthday, Dollywood guests will see vibrant red, white and blue décor throughout the park in the spring and summer. During the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration (June 15 to August 2), the park will light up the sky each evening with a patriotic salute during its Sweet Summer Nights drone show. Additionally, Dollywood, in partnership with the American Eagle Foundation, provides the country’s largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles, which are housed in a 30,000-square-foot outdoor aviary that recreates the birds’ natural habitat.

Since 1991, guests visiting the park have been able to see the national bird up close and learn about raptor conservation, education and protection in the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary and Wings of America theater, which features a Wings of America Birds of Prey show. The park is also recognized for showcasing time-honored Appalachian crafts such as blacksmithing, glassblowing, leatherworking, candle making and candy making.

New at Dollywood’s Splash Country: One of the nation’s top water parks, Dollywood’s Splash Country, will debut a separately ticketed event called Neon Lights this summer. The new high-energy, glow-themed event is set within the foothills of the Smokies and will feature a live DJ, vibrant neon and unlimited access to select attractions. Neon Nights takes place every Friday and Saturday from June 19 through August 1. Dollywood’s Splash Country is open daily from May 23 through August 9.

To make the most of a visit to Dollywood, the theme park offers lodging at two resorts, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. Both hotels include TimeSaver passes for expedited ride access, door-to-door transportation, preferred parking at Dollywood parks, and package delivery for purchases made at Dollywood theme park.

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.