Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas runs through Jan. 3
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (Monday, Nov. 2, 2026) – Holiday joy fills every corner at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana starting Friday, Nov. 6. More than 6 million twinkling lights, glistening decorations, memory-making entertainment, delicious dining options and many more festive experiences turn the theme park into a captivating winter wonderland that captures the spirit of the most wonderful time of the year. It is this atmosphere that has led Dollywood’s holiday festival to being a 15-time winner for Best Theme Park Christmas Event.
Guests are sure to feel the holiday spirit from the moment they walk in the park, thanks to the glow and sparkle of awe-inspiring lighting displays and Christmas trees located around every corner. Wildwood Grove transforms into a snowy winter wonderland with its immersive Snow in the Grove experience. Guests will feel the Christmas magic as snow gently begins to fall upon Wildwood Creek as the Wildwood Tree glows to life every evening. The merrymaking continues as Dollywood’s Christmas characters, Roly and Poly, Benjamin Bear, and Flit and Flutter join in the fun as the snow descends.
Glacier Ridge returns to fill Dollywood’s Timber Canyon, Wildwood Grove, Wilderness Pass and Upper Craftsman’s Valley with an expansive and vibrant arctic display sure to inspire, dazzle and delight guests. The Christmas Reflections trees of light in the Rivertown Junction area offer a glow as night descends, where the pond shines brightly as five colorful trees shimmer to life with their lights reflecting onto the water below. Country Fair has transformed into a sweet treat as Peppermint Valley features sparkling red and white candy cane lights that will delight kids and kids at heart with their colorful display.
With a number of family-favorite shows throughout Dollywood, the park’s beloved entertainment makes everything merry and bright on both indoor and outdoor stages during Smoky Mountain Christmas. The festival’s headline show, “Christmas in the Smokies,” returns to Celebrity Theater to delight guests and create family traditions, while “Heidi Parton’s A Christmas To Remember” showcases the talents of Dolly’s niece, Heidi, as she shares songs and stories from her family’s Christmas traditions. Other Dollywood Christmas show classics returning this holiday season include “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs,” “O’ Holy Night,” “Appalachian Christmas with the Smoky Mountain String Band,” “Candlelight Carolers,” roaming holiday characters and much more.
One of the most unique experiences guests can enjoy at Dollywood for Christmas is Santa’s List… Naughty or Nice? where jolly Ole Saint Nick gives visitors a sneak peek into his cozy Smoky Mountain cabin. Families can see him hard at work finalizing this year’s naughty and nice list and can work with Santa’s elves to perfect Christmas wish lists to be presented to the jolly old elf himself. Santa also wants to share a special breakfast with Dollywood guests before he returns to the North Pole for a well-deserved vacation after Christmas Day; St. Nick will be at the park early on Dec. 12, 13, 19 and 20 at Aunt Granny’s Restaurant to have a bountiful breakfast that includes a tasty and hearty holiday meal that is the perfect way to prepare for a day at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas. This separately ticketed event will happen at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.; pricing is $24.99 for adults and $12.99 for children. Remember, Santa’s last day checking his list at Dollywood is on Dec. 23 before his Christmas Eve flight around the world.
Dollywood definitely is one of the tastiest places to spend the holidays, with the park’s creative culinary experts putting together the most delicious and decadent assortment of sweet and savory tastes and treats. Guests will delight in the delicious holiday menu that includes buffalo chicken stuffed baked potatoes, jambalaya, stuffing stackers, loaded potato soup, crispy fried corn strips and parmesan rosemary knots, while those with a seasonal sweet tooth will be enticed by the wide array of treats being offered, including a mint chocolate chip brownie sundae, red velvet hot chocolate, vanilla eggnog and candy cane cupcakes, apple dumplings, traditional sugar cookies, gingerbread people cookies and so much more. Festival Tasting Passes are available and include multiple festival offerings for one price at different festival locations; they can be purchased online or at culinary locations throughout the park for $45.99 plus tax or $42.99 for gold and diamond season passholders.
During the holidays, guests can experience the thrill of Dollywood’s world-class rides, as most attractions are operational during the Christmas season. From these rides, guests can take in the dazzling display of millions of lights shining down below.
“Dolly’s love for the Christmas season began right here in these beautiful Smoky Mountains. Christmas is the season of wonder and family, a time when we all remember special memories and create new ones that become traditions that everyone cherishes,” said Eugene Naughton, Dollywood Parks & Resorts President. “Christmas really is the most special time of the year, because it’s when we all come together to share time with all those we hold most dear. We hope that everyone who visits us this season experiences the love and joy of a traditional Smoky Mountain Christmas. During their time here, we hope they’ll laugh, love and linger as they enjoy the light of the season. We also hope they create those new memories and family traditions that they’ll share for many years to come.”
The Christmas spirit also can be found at Dollywood’s resort properties, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, where guests can enjoy roaming entertainment, marshmallow roasting and hot seasonal beverages. Camp DW provides holiday crafts and activities to spark joy in the youngest visitors at each resort.
At Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, every corner is adorned with colorful holiday décor. Guests can gather around the breathtaking two-story Christmas tree that brightens both levels of the lobby or enjoy the beautiful Christmas Tree Show on the resort’s pool deck. DreamMore Resort’s culinary team prepares decadent meals in Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery, and the resort is a perfect place to share delicious meals during Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort is decking its halls with beautiful Christmas décor inspired by the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains. In the lobby, guests can relax by the fire in front of the lantern-inspired four-story windows. Guests will be welcomed to the table at HeartSong Lodge’s restaurant Ember & Elm: Tastes Rooted in the Smokies. This unique dining location will present delicious dinners crafted by the culinary team for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
For anyone wishing to share the magic of creating cherished family memories, a Dollywood Season Pass is the best gift to give. Guests can purchase their 2027 Season Pass now or upgrade their regular admission ticket on the day of their visit to the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. Ticket purchasers receive credit for the value of a regular one-day ticket toward purchasing a 2027 Season Pass. Four season pass levels—Diamond, Gold, Silver and the Summer Fun Pass—provide great options for every guest, while the popular Pre-K Imagination Season Pass offers free admission all season long to any child born in 2022 or 2023.
For veterans and active military members, a special savings of $35 per pass is available from Nov. 2-15 on Silver, Gold and Diamond Season Passes and is good for all members of the immediate family. Active and retired military should validate their status at id.me and will then be able to take advantage of the special offer. Passes are on sale starting on Monday, Nov. 2.
Anyone who purchases a 2027 Dollywood season pass receives admission to this year’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival and to Dollywood during the entire 2027 operating season. For guests who become Dollywood season passholders for the first time, additional savings and benefits per pass are available for a limited time by visiting dollywood.com/newpasssignup.
No matter what activities are on the Christmas list this year, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas is sure to shine a familiar light on holiday traditions that families will share and cherish for years to come. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana takes place Friday, Nov. 6 through Jan. 3, 2027. For more information, visit dollywood.com or download the Dollywood app.
-Dollywood2026-
About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, Dollywood Parks & Resorts consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and two award-winning resort properties: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. As unique as its namesake Dolly Parton, Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on May 3, 1986, and earned the theme park industry’s highest accolade, the Applause Award, in 2010. Dollywood has earned 67 Golden Ticket Awards and 28 Brass Ring Awards for live entertainment. In 2022, 2024 and 2025, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has been recognized as a top U.S. theme park by USA Today on multiple occasions. Dollywood is open mid-March through early January and offers rides, attractions, shows and crafters inspired by and authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and Tripadvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks, operates from mid-May to mid-September. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa as well as Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort provide guests with spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. For more information, visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.
Media Contacts:
Pete Owens: Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]
Wes Ramey: Public Relations Director, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]
Ellen Liston: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]
Jennifer Webb: Sr. Publicist, (865) 428-9602, (865) 323-7584 or [email protected]
Sophia Nieves: Publicist, (865) 428-9456, (256) 631-5413 or [email protected]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room