PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. -(June 6, 2025) – The summer heat is in full force across East Tennessee! While everyone is eager to jump into the closest body of water, Dollywood’s Splash Country reminds its guests to do so with safety in mind.
For the 15th consecutive season, Dollywood’s Splash Country is hosting Water Safety Day, occurring this year on Thursday, June 26. Water Safety Day brings people from across the Smoky Mountain area together to celebrate fun around water and to spread awareness on water responsibility.
“It can be so easy to get excited and get straight into the water without thinking about safety,” explained Lauren Lowery, Dollywood’s Splash Country Senior Operations Manager. “We want to be able to use our facilities to spread awareness on how to best prepare families for a day by the water. Water Safety Day allows us to reach out to our community and have fun, but also it give us the opportunity to have a conversation with our guests about water preparedness.”
Dollywood’s Splash Country slides into the fun early on June 26 with the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson at 10 a.m. at the Mountain Waves wave pool; registration and check-in begin at 9 a.m. This one-day event unites children and families at pools and water parks around the world for a common goal of water safety. Instructors from the Knoxville Racquet Club will facilitate a free 30-minute swim lesson covering essential swim skills. In 2024, Dollywood’s Splash Country had the second-largest number of World’s Largest Swimming Lesson participants of any water park in the world.
Guests wishing to participate in the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson will receive FREE admission to Dollywood’s Splash Country on June 26. Complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis by registering online at Dollywood.com/WaterSafetyDay. Season passholders can attend the swim lesson without an event ticket. All swim lesson participants will receive a thank you gift at check-in.
For more information about Dollywood’s Splash Country and Water Safety Day, please visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
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About Dollywood Parks & Resorts: A highly awarded and widely recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 165-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; and Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, and the newly opened Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. 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 58 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 28 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment. The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park and earned the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Park in the world in 2023. In 2024, Dollywood was named by Tripadvisor as the #1 theme park in the country based on actual guest reviews. It also 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 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, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. 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]