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97-593: Parton mentioned working on a new album in July 2013. A month later, news of a tour hit multiple media outlets, as the singer was promoting the expansion of her theme park, Dollywood . The tour was officially announced on The Queen Latifah Show in October 21, 2013. She also performed a new song, "Miss You, Miss Me" along with performing a "rap" that went viral. Parton initially revealed dates only in Australia. Along with

194-490: A Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coaster, opened on June 13, 2016. It opened as the world's first launched wooden coaster as well as the fastest wooden coaster in the world . A year later, in 2017, a 200-foot (61 m) freefall ride called Drop Line, which replaced Timber Tower, opened along with a junior roller coaster called Whistle Punk Chaser. Two new seasonal events debuted, and Dollywood's Splash Country added

291-621: A 60 ft (18 m) tall Ferris wheel ; Twist and Shout, a scrambler ride; and Tennessee Twister, a tilt-a-whirl. The Balloon Race ride was relocated to the Daydream Ridge area to make room for the new attractions. Also new at the park was "Sunset Musicfest," a summer music festival. A year later, in 1994, the Gaslight Theater became the Heartsong Theater, named for the multi-media musical presentation that told

388-589: A City Manager-Commission form of government, in which a city manager, commission, and mayor work together to manage the city. As of 2018, the mayor is David Wear, and the City Manager is Earlene M. Teaster. The city government has 181 miles (290 km) of water main piping, hundreds of fire hydrants, 20 water tanks, 19 pump stations, 86 miles (138 km) of publicly maintained streets and roads, 89 miles (143 km) of sanitary sewers, and approximately 234 vehicles and 272 pieces of equipment. Pigeon Forge

485-615: A common living room at the other. As his family grew, Shields constructed separate houses for his children, one of which was purchased by Horatio Butler in 1797 and remained with his descendants until it was torn down in 1994. Although the Shields Fort was too far from the main Cherokee trails to ever experience a serious assault, the Wear Fort straddled Indian Gap Trail, making it a target for small bands of Cherokee warriors. After

582-553: A complete makeover, providing a modern shopping experience as guests look to find unique Dollywood keepsakes. Also, as guests have continued to ask for more room to provide spacing in the park, two buildings were removed to allow for wider walkways — the former Eagle Shop (part of the second phase of the Craftsman’s Valley widening project) and the former Christmas Cottage in Rivertown Junction. On August 5, 2022, it

679-408: A dual-launch coaster that launches forward and backward. Opened in 2019; attractions include Dragonflier , a suspended family coaster; Big Bear Mountain, a family launched coaster; The Mad Mockingbird, a flying scooter ride; The Wildwood Tree, a 50-foot-tall (15 m) lighted tree; and Till & Harvest Food Hall, a Smoky Mountains-inspired restaurant. In 2023, Big Bear Mountain (roller coaster) ,

776-456: A few inches above the ground to more than 26 feet (7.9 m) in the air. The area also included a scaled-down play area called Camp Teachittoomee for younger children. Also for the 2010 season, Dollywood brought back "Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke" and changed its logo for the 25th anniversary. In 2011, a new area called Owens Farm with a $ 5.5 million giant swing called Barnstormer replaced Dreamland Forest. The barnyard-themed area included

873-719: A huge event. This created an uproar on the Internet. Dolly responded to the chaos stating she was not miming. She continued to say "My boobs are fake, my hair's fake but what is real is my voice and my heart". The news came alongside media reports of Parton in a car accident . Parton described the incident as a fender-bender and that she sustained no injuries. While touring in Australia, the singer will also launch her program Imagination Library in that region. In November 2013, show in California , Nevada and Arizona were revealed. Initially believed to be one-off shows, Parton stated

970-483: A launching steel family roller coaster, was added. Dollywood hosts six of the South's largest festivals between the months of March and December: In 2017, Dollywood won Golden Ticket awards from Amusement Today for Friendliest Park, Best Christmas Event, Best Food and Best Show. In 2018, Dollywood received a Golden Ticket award from Amusement Today – a leading trade publication for the amusement park industry – in

1067-423: A major role in the early history of Pigeon Forge. In the early 19th century, circuit riders preached in the valley, creating a large Methodist following that remains to the present day. On October 20, 1808, Bishop Francis Asbury delivered a sermon at what is now Shiloh Memorial Cemetery in the northern half of Pigeon Forge, where a crude log church was erected. The first "tourists" to visit Pigeon Forge came for

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1164-467: A male householder with no wife present, and 33.8% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 9.4% of those living alone were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 2.99. The population consisted of 23.8% of individuals under the age of 20, 8.1% from 20 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

1261-540: A million guests during the first season as Dollywood. In 1987, the Daydream Ridge area opened and included the Mountain Slidewinder water toboggan ride, Mountain Dan's Burger House, Sweet Dreams Candy Shop, The Rainbow Factory blown glass shop, and Critter Creek Playground. Engine #70 was restored to operation. In 1988, the 1,739-seat Celebrity Theater, featuring the "Showcase of Stars" celebrity concert series,

1358-434: A narrow gorge cut by the river between Cove Mountain and Shields Mountain acts as the city's boundary with Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification : Cfa) with cool winters and hot summers. Precipitation is heavy year round, peaking during the months of May–July, with October being the driest month, having only 2.67 inches (68 mm) of average annual precipitation. As of

1455-643: A new Chance Rides carousel. In 1999, the Tennessee Tornado , a steel looping coaster, opened in the area formerly occupied by Thunder Express. Also new was the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame, while the Balloon Race ride was removed. The Daydream Ridge area was renovated and became Dreamland Forest, a children's mountain-themed interactive play area in 2000. The Festival of Nations international music festival premiered

1552-631: A new shoot the chutes flume ride, opened in the area formerly occupied by the Flooded Mine a year later in 1997. At the time, it was billed as "The Highest and Fastest Waterfall Ride in America" with its 62 ft (19 m) drop. Thunder Express was closed in September and sold to Magic Springs Theme Park in Arkansas. The antique carousel was removed at the end of the season and replaced with

1649-621: A new summer festival that replaced KidsFest. It included the Great American Country Show, Gazillion Bubbles, The Little Engine Playhouse, and Salute to America. Dollywood extended its hours and added a nightly fireworks show. Smoky Mountain Christmas added a new show that was Dolly Parton's version of Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol . Dollywood's slogan for the year was "Make Time for Happy!" Imagination Cinema became Dreamsong Theater and played Dolly's My People ,

1746-414: A number of concerts and musical events each year, including appearances by Dolly Parton and her family as well as other national and local musical acts. The theme park is the anchor of Parton's 150-acre (61 ha) Dollywood amusement destination, which also includes the 35-acre (14 ha) sister water park Dollywood's Splash Country , the 20-acre (8.1 ha) Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa, and

1843-580: A play area for younger guests. Christmas on Ice, a new ice skating Christmas show, premiered in DP's Celebrity Theater and headlined Smoky Mountain Christmas. Wild Eagle opened March 24, 2012, and was the first Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Coaster in the United States. It was also the biggest investment in Dollywood history. In 2012, the operator of SkyZip sued Dollywood, blaming the park for damaging

1940-651: A safe stopover for early pioneers in the Sevier County area. Wear later served as a member of the committee that drafted Tennessee's state constitution . In 1785, Cherokee signed the Treaty of Dumplin Creek, ceding much of what is now Sevier County to the United States. Among the first to take advantage of this was Robert Shields (1740–1802), who received a survey for a tract of land in the Pigeon Forge area from

2037-560: A show about Dolly's family. In 2014, FireChaser Express , a dual-launch family coaster, replaced Adventure Mountain in the Wilderness Pass area of the park. Dollywood's slogan was changed to "Love Every Moment," and Smoky Mountain Christmas added a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer meet-and-greet called Holly Jolly Junction. Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa opened adjacent to Dollywood's Splash Country in 2015. For

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2134-410: A show that focuses on the musical styles of marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. It uses technology, including video screens and special effects, to enhance soul, R&B, country, and other types of music. Renovations included upgrades to Aunt Granny's and re-branding and renaming of two shops. Work began in October 2017 on "Wildwood Grove", adding eleven new experiences to

2231-529: A sister park to their original Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri . The Herschends spent about $ 1 million upgrading the park upon purchase and added other improvements over the years. Also in 1977, the train ride added two new steam locomotives , the #70 and the #71, plus the remains of engine #72 for spare parts, from the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad . In 1986, Dolly Parton, who grew up in

2328-697: A stop at a mock frontier mountain town, complete with blacksmith shop, general store, and saloon. By 1964, interest in the Civil War Centennial was beginning to die down, so the Robbins brothers decided to rename the railroad Goldrush Junction. The attraction was reworked with a "Wild West" theme replacing the Civil War theme, in a similar fashion to the Robbins' other tourist train ride in North Carolina, Tweetsie Railroad . Goldrush Junction

2425-542: A string of fords along the Little Pigeon. When Great Smoky Mountains National Park opened in 1934, the Tennessee Valley Authority reported no tourism-oriented businesses in Pigeon Forge. By the 1950s, improvements to US-441 led to the establishment of a few campgrounds and lodges, but they did not generate major revenue. During this period, however, two factors in nearby Gatlinburg led to

2522-465: A target. In 1961, shortly after Pigeon Forge officially incorporated, North Carolina brothers Grover and Harry Robbins opened Rebel Railroad in the town's Middle Creek area. The railroad simulated a ride on a Confederate steam train that was under attack by Union soldiers during the Civil War, playing upon the centennial anniversary of the war. After the Union assault was beaten back, the railroad came to

2619-520: A theme park on the slopes of Pine Mountain in the city's south section. In 1985, the Herschends approached entertainer Dolly Parton (who was born in nearby Sevierville) with a proposal for a partnership in the promotion and operation of Silver Dollar City. After lengthy negotiations, Parton became a majority partner in the enterprise, and Silver Dollar City was renamed Dollywood to launch a major marketing campaign. Magic World folded in 1994. Although

2716-473: A whitewater rafting ride; Back Porch Theater; Aunt Granny's Dixie Fixins' Restaurant; and Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home , a replica of the cabin that was Parton's childhood home. Also new was "Rags to Riches: The Dolly Parton Story", a museum displaying articles and mementos from Dolly's life and career. "The Butter Churn" (a Trabant ride ) was removed at the end of the season. Park attendance doubled to more than

2813-487: A working radio station. To accommodate the expansion, the park's main entrance moved from Rivertown Junction to Showstreet. The Barnwood Theater was converted into Imagination Station, an interactive children's play area. Dollywood's annual attendance topped 2 million for the first time during the 1992 season. In 1993, the Fun Country area was renovated and became The Country Fair with three new rides: The Wonder Wheel,

2910-689: A year later in April 2001. Dolly's Splash Country , a new 25-acre (100,000 m ) water park opened adjacent to Dollywood's parking lot. Dollywood Boulevard was renovated and became a new area, Adventures in Imagination, in 2002. Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure, a new simulator film, replaced Thunder Road, and a new Dolly museum called Chasing Rainbows opened in the building formerly occupied by DJ Platters. In 2003, summer children's festival KidsFest premiered, and Imagination Station

3007-513: Is Sevierville , just a few miles from Pigeon Forge. Pigeon Forge has various entertainment opportunities for car and truck enthusiasts. The calendar of car and truck show events varies each year and has included: The Pigeon Forge Parks and Recreation Department manages the Pigeon Forks Community Center along with 134 acres (54 ha) of park land and approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of greenways. Pigeon Forge has

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3104-443: Is served by a mass transit system of buses that are referred to as "Fun Time Trolleys" due to their physical resemblance to early 20th-century trolleys . The system operates more than 40 vehicles and has more than 200 stops throughout Pigeon Forge as well as in neighboring Gatlinburg and Sevierville. All the trolleys are equipped with lifts for mobility aids and wheelchairs. U.S. Route 441 , known as " The Parkway ", runs through

3201-594: The 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge Dollywood Express steam train, Heartsong Theater, Village Carousel. Rides include Dizzy Disk , The Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, The Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, Lucky Ducky, Dolly's Demolition Derby, and The Scrambler. Attractions include the Mystery Mine coaster, the Thunderhead coaster , Drop Line, Whistle Punk Chaser, and Lumberjack Lifts. Attractions include

3298-421: The 2020 United States census , there were 6,343 people, 2,346 households, and 1,712 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census , Pigeon Forge had 5,875 people, 2,238 households, and 1,482 families residing in the city. The population density was 506.5 inhabitants per square mile (195.6/km ). There were 5,187 housing units at an average density of 447.2 per square mile (172.7/km ). The racial makeup of

3395-587: The Cleveland Browns football team – bought Goldrush Junction. The park retained the railroad and added an outdoor theater and the Robert F. Thomas Chapel. For the 1975 season, the park name was changed to "Goldrush". In April of 1976, Jack and Pete Herschend, owners of Silver Dollar City , bought Goldrush. The park continued to operate as Goldrush for the 1976 season. In 1977, the Herschends renamed Goldrush to "Silver Dollar City Tennessee," making it

3492-541: The Cleveland Browns ) purchased Goldrush Junction. In 1976, Modell sold it to the Herschend Brothers of Branson, Missouri . The Herschends renamed the park Silver Dollar City after their successful theme park in Branson. The Ozark mountain theme of the Branson location was easily reapplied as an Appalachian theme in Pigeon Forge, and the park's attendance began to climb. In 1982, hoping to capitalize on

3589-540: The Watauga Land Office in 1786. Shields, who was also a veteran of the Revolution, established a small fort along Middle Creek near what is now Dollywood. Shields' son later wrote that the fort was 100 feet (30 m) long and 16 feet (4.9 m) wide, with 12-foot (3.7 m) walls constructed with "heavy logs." The fort contained living quarters for six families, with a common kitchen at one end and

3686-636: The 21st century, adding a separate water park in 2001. In 2016, the area was affected by the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires . Pigeon Forge is located on the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.6 square miles (30.0 km ), all of which is land. The West Fork of the Little Pigeon River flows north from its source high on

3783-615: The 30th anniversary of the park, the park redesigned the entrance for resort guests and added two new shows to Festival of Nations called "Rhythm of the Dance" and "Timber". Cas Walker's was demolished to make room for a new attraction, and six new shows were added to "Great American Summer" along with the revival of the Showcase of Stars concert series. Also new was Rock the Smokies, a Christian music festival, and Rudolph and friends returned to

3880-538: The 5-acre (2.0 ha) Dolly Parton's Stampede Dinner Attraction. The park opened in early 1961 as a small tourist attraction owned by the Robbins brothers from Blowing Rock, North Carolina . Named " Rebel Railroad ", it included a steam train , general store , blacksmith shop, and saloon . With a theme inspired by the centennial of the Civil War, the train ride let visitors experience "attacks" by Union soldiers, train robbers, and Native Americans . The train and its riders were protected by Confederates who fought off

3977-469: The Best Food category, marking the park's fourth win in seven years. In addition to three dinner show options, more than 25 vendors serve meals and snacks, ranging from barbecue ribs, pizza, corn dogs, and pork rinds to cinnamon bread, funnel cakes, cotton candy, and banana pudding made using Dolly's recipe. The park also received Golden Tickets for Best Shows, Friendliest Park, and Best Christmas Event and

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4074-604: The Cherokee attacked his fort in 1793, a frustrated Wear led a band of 60 frontiersmen across the northwestern Smokies into the Overhill Cherokee region, where they attacked and destroyed the town of Tallassee (near modern-day Calderwood Dam ), killing at least 15 Cherokees and capturing several others. In 1794, the Cherokee fired on Wear and his two sons just outside Calvin's Blockhouse (near Maryville ), but they both escaped unharmed. Although treaties negotiated at Tellico Blockhouse in 1794 and 1798 brought calm to

4171-541: The Fort Wear site on the town's north side. It was common during this period for the residents of large urban areas to visit mountain springs, the waters of which were believed to have health-restoring qualities. In the early 20th century, Pigeon Forge was an isolated mountain hamlet with no major roads. The nearest railroad station was in Sevierville. Bridges were also rare, with the only major water crossings being

4268-738: The January 28, 2014 concert at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona. It does not represent all concerts during the tour. Encore Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park that is jointly owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton through her entertainment company, Dolly Parton Productions. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee , near

4365-684: The Little Pigeon River, in the vicinity of what is now the Old Mill. The name of the river comes from the flocks of passenger pigeons that frequented its banks at the time of the first Euro-American settlers' arrival. For centuries, the Cherokee used the valley where Pigeon Forge is now located as a hunting ground. A Cherokee footpath known as "Indian Gap Trail" crossed the Great Smokies from North Carolina and passed through

4462-560: The Pigeon Forge valley en route to its junction with Great Indian Warpath in modern Sevierville. (US-441 closely parallels this ancient trail, although it crests the mountains at Newfound Gap rather than Indian Gap). From Sevierville, Great Indian Warpath headed west toward the Overhill Cherokee towns along the Little Tennessee River . Indian Gap Trail brought the first Europeans to the Pigeon Forge area in

4559-620: The Rockin' Roadway car ride and Pines Theater. Also featured is Lightning Rod a high-speed lift wooden roller coaster. Attractions include Barnstormer , a barn and plane styled giant swing attraction. It also includes soft play areas and a splash pad. Attractions include Dolly Parton's My People! show at Dreamsong Theater and the Chasing Rainbows Museum . Attractions include The Plaza at Wilderness Pass, Wild Eagle – America's first winged coaster – and FireChaser Express ,

4656-571: The Smoky Mountain Christmas festival. In 2010, Parton said that she would like to open more Dollywood parks in the future. "We definitely want to expand with new things every year, eventually with a resort," she said. "We may eventually have Dollywoods in other parts of the country, where we can kind of be true to whatever's going on in that part of the world." On August 21, 2013, Parton announced Dollywood's DreamMore Resort and Spa, which opened on July 27, 2015. Lightning Rod ,

4753-1062: The TailSpin Racer mat racer slide complex. Sideshow Spin and River Battle were removed. In 2018, the former River Battle site was transformed into the Plaza at Wilderness Pass, a new open space with covered seating for relaxing and enjoying seasonal events. With the debut of the Spring Mix three-week music series, the 2018 "Season of Showstoppers" also marked the park's largest investment in entertainment in Dollywood's history. The 2018 Festival of Nations includes three headliners that are new to Dollywood: Flamenco Kings starring Los Vivancos (Pines Theater), National Dance Company of Siberia (Celebrity Theater), and Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Showstreet Palace Theater). The first Summer Celebration event includes various performances and attractions, including DRUMLine Live! in Celebrity Theater,

4850-522: The Wilderness Pass area. A new exhibit housing the Wings of America show birds moved to its former location. The Polar Express 4-D Experience was shown in Imagination Cinema during the park's Smoky Mountain Christmas. In 2009, Dollywood presented two new shows, "Imaginé" by Le Grand Cirque and "Sha-Kon-O-Hey! Land of Blue Smoke," which featured music written by Dolly Parton and told the story of

4947-412: The announcement, the singer posted a message to her Australian fans on her official website. It stated: "Australia, here I come again. We have a lot of new and exciting things for the show and can’t wait to share it with you. I love my fans in that part of the world. You've been so very good to me for so many years and I know that we're gonna have a wonderful time. It's a long way from home in your part of

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5044-561: The area, bought an interest in Silver Dollar City. As part of the deal, the park reopened for the 1986 season as "Dollywood". In 2010, Parton said she became involved with the operation because she "always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area." Dollywood has approximately 4,000 people on its payroll, making it

5141-545: The attacks. The park was modeled after the Robbins brothers' first successful theme park, Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock. For the 1964 season, the park was renamed "Goldrush Junction". A special announcement was made in the May 24, 1964, edition of Knoxville News Sentinel. As part of the name change the park switched to a wild west theme similar to its sister park Tweetsie Railroad. In 1970, Art Modell – who also owned

5238-529: The biggest crowd of the festival. Despite bad weather and mud, she performed at the Pyramid Stage in an all white catsuit. She performed an abbreviated setlist from the current runs; which featured a guest appearance by famed guitarist Richie Sambora on "Lay Your Hands On Me". Despite the high praise, the festival appearance was shadowed by allegations of lip-synching . Sky News reporter, Kay Burley, tweeted her in disappointment with Parton for miming

5335-573: The city was $ 20,959. About 9.8% of families and 10.6% of the population were living below the poverty line , including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or older. Besides the natural environment of the area, the attractions in Pigeon Forge draw approximately 11 million visitors each year. Attractions include the Dollywood theme park and the Stampede theater, both owned by country music superstar Dolly Parton , whose home town

5432-443: The city was 80.6% White , 1.1% African American , 0.7% Native American , 2.1% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 13.5% from other races , and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race accounted for 18.2% of the population. Of the 2,238 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had

5529-409: The commercial boom in Pigeon Forge vastly increased the town's revenue, it had several undesirable effects. As land value increased, many farmers could no longer afford the accompanying high property taxes and were forced to sell their land. The high cost of living in Pigeon Forge is difficult to offset with the low wage jobs that often accompany the tourist industry. Dollywood continued expansion into

5626-512: The early 18th century. Along with hunters and trappers from North Carolina, traders from Virginia passed through the valley before 1750. Some time after 1783, Colonel Samuel Wear became one of the first permanent white settlers in the Pigeon Forge area. A veteran of the American Revolution , Wear erected a stockade near the confluence of Walden Creek and Little Pigeon River (now Pigeon Forge City Park) in 1792. This "fort" provided

5723-470: The eventual commercial boom Pigeon Forge experienced in the latter half of the 20th century. First, surrounded by high mountain ridges, Gatlinburg had limited land resources. Second, its land resources were largely controlled by a few local families who thwarted attempts by outside businesses to take advantage of the town's prime location. Thus, outside entrepreneurs were forced to look elsewhere. Pigeon Forge, located just north of Gatlinburg along US-441, became

5820-484: The extended revivals that were held in the Middle Creek area on the grounds of what is now Middle Creek Methodist Church as early as 1822. These revivals could last for weeks at a time. In 1810, Revolutionary War veteran Mordecai Lewis obtained a 151-acre (61 ha) land grant along the Little Pigeon River near the heart of what is now Pigeon Forge. In 1817, Lewis' son-in-law, Isaac Love (1783−1854), established

5917-423: The first multi-line zip line tour inside a theme park. The Adventure Mountain attraction opened at a cost of $ 5 million in the Wilderness Pass area in 2010. It included three distinct adventure courses, Geyser Gorge, Black Bear Cliff, and Rocky Top, that ranged from easy to expert with 100 different rope features, swinging beams, suspension bridges, flying islands, and floating stairs. Adventure trails ranged from

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6014-469: The franchise from the ride altogether. In December of the very same year, the park announced that Adventure Mountain would be closed permanently following the 2012 season. Dollywood dedicated 2013 to encouraging families to spend time together. New shows for the season included Cirque Shanghai, Mystic India, and One World Party as part of Festival of Nations along with more than 50 new international food items. The park also introduced "Great American Summer,"

6111-523: The gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains . Hosting nearly 3 million guests in a typical season from mid-March to the Christmas holidays , Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee . It has won many international awards. In addition to standard amusement park thrill rides , Dollywood features traditional crafts, food, and music of the Smoky Mountain area. The park hosts

6208-726: The historical eras and culture of East Tennessee , while Owens Farm and Adventures in Imagination explore Dolly Parton's life and imagination. Many attractions focus on the history and culture of the Southern Appalachian region. Attractions include Showstreet Palace Theater and the Celebrity Theater. Attractions include Dolly's Tennessee Mountain Home, Back Porch Theater, and Smoky Mountain River Rampage whitewater rafting ride. Attractions include Dollywood Grist Mill, Valley Theater, Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, Wings of America Theater, Robert F. Thomas Chapel, Calico Falls Schoolhouse, Tennessee Tornado coaster , Blazing Fury coaster, Daredevil Falls flume ride, and craft exhibits. Attractions include

6305-448: The iron forge for which the city was eventually named. The complex included a bloomery furnace and water-powered trip hammer to smelt and mold ore into iron bars. Love erected the Pigeon Forge Mill in 1830, and on May 29, 1841, Love's son, William, established a post office – which he named "Pigeon Forge" – for the mill and the small community that had developed in its vicinity. Local businessman John Sevier Trotter (1807−1884) purchased

6402-456: The largest employer in the community. From 1986 to 2010, the park doubled in size to 150 acres (61 ha). On November 16, 2010, Dollywood earned the industry's most prestigious award, the Liseberg Applause Award , which Dolly Parton accepted during a ceremony at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2010 in Orlando . On May 3, 1986, Silver Dollar City Tennessee reopened as Dollywood. The new Rivertown Junction area included Smoky Mountain River Rampage,

6499-432: The last family living in the Smoky Mountains at the time it became a national park. "Imaginé" headlined the park's Festival of Nations. "Thunder Road" was renamed "White Lightning" and then changed to a new attraction, Journey to the Center of the Earth: 4-D Adventure , based on the 2008 film. In 2009, an upcharge zipline attraction called SkyZip (owned by Skyline Eco-Adventures of Maui, Hawaii ) opened at Dollywood, becoming

6596-410: The middle of Pigeon Forge en route to Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it crests at Newfound Gap before descending to Cherokee, North Carolina . The six-lane strip along US-441 contains most of Pigeon Forge's tourist attractions. U.S. Route 321 (known as Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge) connects the town with Wears Valley and Townsend to the west. Teaster Lane runs along

6693-405: The mill and furnace in 1849 and subsequently made numerous modifications, including the addition of a sawmill. Although the iron furnace was sold and relocated in the 1880s, the Pigeon Forge Mill – usually called "Old Mill" – still stands and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places . In the 1870s, a health resort was established in Pigeon Forge at Henderson Springs, adjacent to

6790-486: The other Country Fair rides, including the Swingamajig, Tennessee Twister, The Convoy, and The Barnstormer, were removed at the end of the season to free up space for newer rides that were added for the 2005 season. The new rides included Dizzy Disk, Amazing Flying Elephants, Lemon Twist, Shooting Star, Sky Rider, VeggieTales Sideshow Spin (children's roller coaster), Waltzing Swinger, Piggy Parade, Busy Bees, and Lucky Ducky. The National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration

6887-401: The park's operating season into December. Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, an outdoor aviary, was added in 1991 along with the Wings of America Theater, site of the Birds of Prey show, and the 300-seat Valley Theater. The Showstreet area was added in 1992 and included the Showstreet Palace Theater, The Butterfly Emporium, The Backstage Restaurant, The Spotlight Bakery, Friendship Gardens, and WDLY-FM,

6984-432: The park. Attractions include a suspended family coaster ( Dragonflier ), a restaurant (Till & Harvest), an indoor play area (Hidden Hollow), an outdoor splash pad (Wildwood Creek), a swinging boat ride (The Great Tree Swing), and a 50 ft tall tree with a canopy covered in butterflies (The Wildwood Tree). The $ 37 million 5-acre development, described as "a land built from Dolly Parton's dreams", opened May 10, 2019. It

7081-420: The parking complex was renovated to better utilize the lots at both Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country to provide a more efficient experience for guests as they enter the property. The principal change being the swapping of the guest traffic lanes with the tram lanes, which removes previous points of intersection between the two. The multi-property parking complex now employs a one-way circuit which eliminates

7178-467: The planned hotel complex announced in 2019. The new resort, with the name revealed to be the HeartSong Lodge & Resort, will have 302 rooms, five floors of suites, a four-story atrium with a large central fireplace, and multiple shopping and culinary experiences. HeartSong Lodge is scheduled to open in 2023, along with campgrounds, three additional resorts, and a "record-breaking" attraction for

7275-611: The publicity generated by the Knoxville World's Fair , Pigeon Forge initiated an aggressive economic plan that centered around theme parks , outlet malls, and live music venues. The first outlet mall, Factory Merchants, opened that same year. By 1987, there were four outlet malls in Pigeon Forge, and by the early 1990s, outlet malls provided 44% of the town's gross revenue. The increasing number of tourist attractions brought competition for Silver Dollar City and its chief competitor in Pigeon Forge, Magic World, which had constructed

7372-473: The region, sporadic fighting between Cherokees and the settlers continued. One notable incident occurred in 1802, when Tavenor Runyan (1787–1802), the son of Isaac Barefoot Runyan (1749–1845) and Margaret Rambo (who had settled near the heart of modern Pigeon Forge), was killed by a Cherokee warrior. The recently elected Governor Archibald Roane was forced to personally intervene to prevent retaliatory strikes. Like many Appalachian communities, religion played

7469-595: The riders, a 95-degree 85-foot (26 m) drop, a heartline roll, and a dive loop. The $ 17 million ($ 25 million in 2023 dollars ) ride used an abandoned mine shaft theme. In 2008, River Battle , an interactive water raft ride, was built in a new section of the park called Wilderness Pass that connected the Timber Canyon and Craftsman's Valley areas. "Thunder Road" returned to the motion theater (Imagination Cinema) and replaced Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure. Della's Lye Soap shop moved from Craftsman's Valley to

7566-543: The same name . Silver Screen Café, a 1950s cinema-themed restaurant, and Centerstage gift shop were also in the area. In 1997, the "U Pick Nick" children's show focused on themes from the Nickelodeon television network and played in Celebrity Theater. The Flooded Mine dark-ride was closed and demolished in October, and Silver Screen Cafe became DJ Platters in the Dollywood Boulevard area. Daredevil Falls,

7663-558: The shows also sparked rumors the singer would perform at the Glastonbury Festival . Parton's participation in the festival was confirmed on June 1, 2014. She expressed her excitement, stating she's wanted to perform at the festival for many years. Before she hit the stage, she was honored by the RIAA with a plaque commemorating 100 million albums sold worldwide. The performance was a success, with BBC News reporting Parton drew

7760-412: The shows will kick off the 2014 tour. She further stated: "It's always great to perform at home in the good ol' U.S.A. We’re kicking off our Blue Smoke World Tour right here at home. I love traveling all over the world; but it's true, there's nothing like home". It was also reported additional shows in the U.S. (and possibly Canada) will take place in May 2014. The following songs were performed during

7857-550: The slopes of Mount Collins through Sevier County before linking up with the Middle Fork in Sevierville . Pigeon Forge occupies a narrow valley along this river between Sevierville and Gatlinburg . High ridges surround Pigeon Forge on three sides, with Pine Mountain to the west, Shields Mountain to the east, and Cove Mountain to the south. A bend in the Little Pigeon provides the city's northern border with Sevierville, and

7954-521: The story of Dolly Parton's life. In 1995, the Jukebox Junction 1950s "Main Street" themed area was added and included Rockin' Roadway miniature car ride, The Pines Theater, Red's Diner, and Cas Walker's Music Store. The Sunset Musicfest did not return for the 1995 season. The Dollywood Boulevard area was added in 1996 and included Thunder Road, a turbo-simulator ride based on the 1958 movie of

8051-410: The theme park. During the 2022 off-season, a few changes were made to better the park and provide more space and improve efficiency. The Silver Dollar Mine tunnel, connecting the lower section of Craftsman’s Valley and The Village, was removed. The area now provides a more open space for guests to walk through and also allow a chance to relax and enjoy the views of the passing Dollywood Express. Also,

8148-493: The two-way traffic pattern of the old parking lot layout. Also, the addition of two extra parking toll booths (four attendants), as well as more staging lanes for the toll booths, will result in a reduction of time spent waiting to enter the property. Other projects throughout the Dollywood theme park property include the renovation of Iron Horse Pizza (formerly known as Victoria’s Pizza) to include greater production capacity and more seating space for guests. The Emporium also received

8245-559: The world, but I always feel like I'm right at home. So Australia, I'm coming home. Wait up!" The tour will serve as the main promotional vehicle behind her forthcoming album, Blue Smoke . Shortly after the announcement, additional shows were revealed in Europe, specifically the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia and Germany. With the release of European shows, Parton remarked: "Every time I come to Europe, I'm just as excited as I

8342-485: The zip line network during its construction of Wild Eagle, but Dollywood blamed the damage on storms. Settling out of court, Dollywood took over SkyZip operations from Skyline Eco-Adventures, and closed the attraction in 2019. Timber Tower was dismantled before opening in 2012 due to a lawsuit with the ride manufacturer. Also in 2012, Dollywood dropped the VeggieTales name from Sideshow Spin, removing any mentions of

8439-435: Was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101 males. According to 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, the median income for a household in Pigeon Forge was $ 34,949, and the median income for a family was $ 41,829. Males had a median income of $ 31,933 versus $ 20,838 for females. The per capita income for

8536-509: Was also new in 2005. In 2006, the Timber Tower ride, along with Lil' Loggers Landing, Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek Boat Float, and Lumberjack Lifts, opened in a new area adjacent to Thunderhead. The Barbeque & Bluegrass festival also premiered. The 2007 season included the addition of Mystery Mine , a Gerstlauer Eurofighter coaster with two vertical lifts hills and dark ride elements. The ride's climax featured fire effects in front of

8633-404: Was announced that a new roller coaster named Big Bear Mountain was under construction and opened on May 12, 2023. It is also the longest in the park's history. Dollywood is organized into 11 themed areas: Showstreet, Rivertown Junction, Craftsman's Valley, The Village, Country Fair, Timber Canyon, Wilderness Pass, Jukebox Junction, Owens Farm, Adventures in Imagination and Wildwood Grove reflect

8730-445: Was constructed adjacent to the entrance of the park. Five new children's rides were added to the Fun Country area, including a Zamperla Balloon Race. The Dollywood Foundation was established to provide books and schools supplies to the children of Sevier County . Thunder Express, a steel mine train coaster, was built adjacent to Blazing Fury in 1989. The ride was relocated to the park from Six Flags Over Mid-America . The 1989 season

8827-456: Was converted into Celebration Hall, a special events facility. It was also the final season for the "Showcase of Stars" celebrity concert series. A new area of the park, Thunderhead Gap, opened with the Thunderhead wooden roller coaster in 2004. The construction of the new area opened up a new valley for park expansion. The Country Fair Falls log flume was demolished in November, and most of

8924-403: Was deferred to May 7 to June 13, 2021. Dollywood filed plans in October 2019 for a new resort adjacent to Splash Country and DreamMore Resort. It is planned to feature a 310-room hotel, a 325-seat restaurant, and a conference space. The plans indicate the resort will create 100 jobs. In June 2021, Dollywood announced plans for a $ 500 million expansion of the complex, including more details about

9021-576: Was much more successful than Rebel Railroad, prompting the Robbinses to buy a log flume amusement ride and erect it on the property in 1967. According to a park tourist brochure from the time, the ride was "brought to Goldrush Junction from the New York World's Fair, where it was one of the most successful attractions." In 1969, after Pigeon Forge issued a zoning plan assigning the entire strip along US-441 for tourism use, Art Modell (owner of

9118-450: Was my very first time, which was many, many years ago. I love that part of the [W]orld and I especially love the fans. We always have such a good time and I've put together a lot of things for this show that I think the fans will love. We had not planned to come back so soon, but we got so much fan mail and such a great reaction that I thought, 'Well, why not. If they’re having a good time and we always do, let's just do it'". The scheduling of

9215-445: Was part of a $ 300 million 6-year expansion project. In October 2019, it was announced that the park would add its first new festival in 14 years. Dollywood's Flower & Food Festival will feature 10 to 15 feet tall topiaries based on Dolly's songs like "Coat of Many Colors", photo opportunities, a rainbow sky over Showstreet, and food. The festival was to have commemorated the park's 35th season and run from May 8 to June 14, 2020, but

9312-887: Was ranked the third best park in the world. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, Tennessee , United States. As of the 2020 census , the city had a total population of 6,343. Situated just 5 miles (8 km) north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park , Pigeon Forge is a tourist destination that caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans. The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country , WonderWorks , Alcatraz East Crime Museum , Dolly Parton's Stampede , as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters. The name "Pigeon Forge" comes from an iron forge built by Isaac Love (1783–1854) some time around 1820. The name of this forge referred to its location along

9409-769: Was the last for the National Mountain Music Festival, which was a carryover from the Silver Dollar City years. In 1990, a 1924 antique Dentzel Carousel , originally built for Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was relocated to the park. Situated near the train depot, it took over the space previously occupied by the Silver Dollar Saloon. The 600-seat Gaslight Theater opened near the carousel. The Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival premiered in November, extending

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