PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee – (June 19, 2026) – Run Dollywood is going the extra mile with an expanded three-day race weekend that lets runners “fall” in love with the beauty of Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains during the award-winning Harvest Festival presented by Humana. The race weekend takes place Sept. 25-27, and participant registration is now open.
The fall event features three days of racing, beginning with an exciting Friday night 5k on Sept. 25 that takes place through the illuminating glow of Dollywood’s popular Great Pumpkin LumiNights. A 10k and 1-mile Kids Fun Run take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, with the headline Half Marathon slated for Sunday, Sept. 27.
Following a successful sell-out during the inaugural Run Dollywood weekend in April, the fall events create even more excitement for participants thanks to a completely different race atmosphere featuring the unforgettable sights and sounds of the Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights.
“We had an incredible response to our inaugural Run Dollywood event,” said Eugene Naughton, President of Dollywood Parks & Resorts. “We learned a lot during that first weekend and we’re applying those learnings to the fall event. The addition of the Friday night race and the expanded three-day event schedule provide our runners and their families with the perfect reason to come experience fall in the Smokies. I think it will be a race-cation they will never forget.”
As was the case during the April Run Dollywood event, runners will receive an exclusive finisher medal, event-specific T-shirt and race bib. After crossing the finish line, participants can enjoy the park’s world-class attractions and shows—voted the #1 theme park in the U.S. in 2025 by Tripadvisor users. The same unique experiences runners enjoyed throughout the route this spring will return for the fall event. Participants raved about the race features—from on-course entertainment and character interactions to a mid-race cinnamon bread station—saying no other marathon events were quite like this one located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Registration and race details are available at Dollywood.com/RunDollywood. Interested participants are encouraged to register early as race entries for the inaugural weekend filled quickly.
Racers are encouraged to extend their stay by booking accommodations at either of Dollywood’s award-winning resort properties, Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort or Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa. Race weekend resort guests enjoy a number of special privileges including convenient resort to race course transportation and easy access to all race activities.
For more information about Dollywood Parks & Resorts, visit Dollywood.com or download the Dollywood App.
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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 and owner 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]
For B-roll, photography and more information, visit the Dollywood Media Room at http://www.dollywood.com/Media/Media-Room