Bush’s® Beans Announced As Presenting Partner For Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass Festival

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (May 17, 2018) —With Dollywood’s reputation for mouth-watering food, a new relationship with BUSH’S® Beans gives the park’s award-winning foods team a great new partner to help create even more tantalizing tastes for guests.

BUSH’S®, based in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee, now serves as presenting sponsor of Dollywood’s annual Barbeque & Bluegrass festival. The event, which runs May 25-June 10 this season, features the biggest names in bluegrass music, alongside expertly-prepared barbeque.

Thanks to the new partnership with BUSH’S®, Dollywood chefs also have created several unique side dishes to accompany the slow-smoked barbeque. Two of these are BUSH’S Hickory Pit Beans, a Dollywood-exclusive recipe featuring several varieties of beans, brown sugar and secret seasonings, and BUSH’S Cowboy Beans, another Dollywood-only item which consists of multiple varieties of beans, topped with BBQ pork, smoked sausage, and sautéed green and red peppers, and onions.

“We’re proud to partner with such an iconic brand,” said Dollywood Vice-President Phil Bernard, “BUSH’S® was established more than 100 years ago, and to work with a company with strong traditions—much like ours—is something we jumped at the opportunity to do. The fact that BUSH’S® manufacturing facility literally is just down the road makes this partnership even more special. Now, we’re just hoping Duke will share a few of those secret family recipes with our chefs!”

Bush Brothers & Company was founded in 1908 by A.J. Bush in Chestnut Hill, Tennessee. Originally created to can locally-grown tomatoes, the company has adapted their products to changing consumer tastes and wants over the years. BUSH’s® became nationally known when they introduced their Secret Family Recipe for BUSH’S® Baked Beans with the help of a certain talking dog.

“BUSH’S® is proud to partner with Dollywood on the Barbeque & Bluegrass festival. Like BUSH’S®, Dollywood is an East Tennessee company that started from humble roots and has grown into a household name,” said Drew Everett, Chairman of Bush Brothers & Company. “And there is nothing that goes better with bluegrass music and barbeque than BUSH’S® Beans!”

After their trip to the park, Dollywood guests should consider visiting the BUSH’S® Visitor Center in Chestnut Hill, housed in the original A.J. Bush & Company General Store. In addition to a museum and gift shop, the BUSH’S® Family Café features a number of bean-inspired dishes.

The opening weekend of Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass presented by BUSH’S® kicks off with The Gibson Brothers (May 25) and the “Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent & The Rage (May 26-27).  Dailey & Vincent (May 29-30), Molly Tuttle (May 31) and The Seldom Scene (June 5) are among the headliners during the festival. Seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Vocal Group of the Year Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver (June 7) also makes an appearance during the event.

For more information, show times and menu information for Dollywood’s Barbeque & Bluegrass presented by BUSH’S®, please call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD, visit www.dollywood.com or download the new Dollywood App.

 -dollywood2018-

About The Dollywood Company:   A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 26 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which celebrated record attendance in 2017. Dollywood was named a top three US theme park by USA Today in 2014 and 2017, and TripAdvisor recognized Dollywood as a top-20 worldwide theme park in 2015. Dollywood is open nine months a year (late March through early January) and offers rides and attractions, shows, and crafters 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 and named 2009’s Must-See Waterpark by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. The 300-room Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, which received the 2017 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.

Media Contacts:

Pete Owens: Director of Communications, (865) 428-9486, (865) 755-7972 or [email protected]

Wes Ramey: Public Relations Manager, (865) 428-9484, (865) 640-3805 or [email protected]

Amber Davis: Publicist, (865) 428-9601, (865) 591-1002 or [email protected]

Ellen Liston, Publicist, (865) 428-9629, (865) 919-7001 or [email protected]

For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room athttp://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room