Dollywood Announces 2018 Festivals for “Season of Showstoppers”

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — During 2018, Dollywood guests also will be treated to an exciting new Festival of Nations lineup, thrilling summer shows and more great entertainment throughout the season.

With new entertainment options (all included with park admission) available next year, Dollywood officials have developed a new option for guests looking to enjoy it all. New multi-day tickets allow guests to purchase tickets good for two or three days, providing them more flexibility to enjoy performances across multiple days during their visit to the award-winning park. 

The season begins with Dollywood’s Festival of Nations (March 17- April 9), a festival that offers a glimpse of a number of cultures from across the globe. Three internationally-known groups—all new to Dollywood in 2018—headline this season’s festival. The National Dance Company of Siberia, The Flamenco Kings starring Los Vivancos, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo—who worked with Dolly on her 1996 album Treasures—bring three high-energy shows. JigJam is a quartet from the heart of Ireland that blends traditional Irish music with bluegrass to create a new genre known as “Celtgrass.”

Perennial Festival of Nations favorites including the Caribbean’s Invaders Steel Drum Orchestra and Ecuador’s Atahualpa return to provide guests a fun, educational escape around the world.

Dollywood’s Spring Mix (April 11- 29) is three weeks of performances across multiple genres. The impressive roster of Spring Mix artists have combined to earn 42 gold albums, 18 platinum albums, 25 Grammys, 12 Country Music Association Awards, 10 American Country Music Awards, four American Music Association Awards and 56 Dove Awards.

The first week includes classic country artists like Crystal Gayle, Shenandoah, Pam Tillis and Suzy Bogguss. The second week plays host to inspirational artists including Amy Grant, The Blind Boys of Alabama and comedienne Chonda Pierce – also known as “The Queen of Clean.” Classic artists like The Marshall Tucker Band, The Drifters, and The Atlanta Rhythm Section entertain park guests during the final week of the event.

2018 Dollywood Spring Mix Concert Schedule*

Week One (Country)

Wednesday, April 11- Crystal Gayle and Suzy Bogguss

Thursday, April 12- Shenandoah and Restless Heart

Friday, April 13- Janie Fricke and The Malpass Brothers

Saturday, April 14- Connie Smith and Mandy Barnett

Sunday, April 15- T.G. Sheppard and Sylvia

Monday, April 16- Pam Tillis and Exile

Tuesday, April 17- DOLLYWOOD CLOSED

Week Two (Inspirational)

Wednesday, April 18- Amy Grant and The Martins

Thursday, April 19- Chonda Pierce and Triumphant Quartet

Friday, April 20- David Phelps and Wayne Watson

Saturday, April 21- Blind Boys of Alabama and Dallas Holm

Sunday, April 22- The McKameys and Carman

Monday, April 23- Selah and Larnelle Harris

Tuesday, April 24- DOLLYWOOD CLOSED

Week Three (Classic)

Wednesday, April 25- The Marshall Tucker Band and The Drifters

Thursday, April 26- Orleans and Al Stewart

Friday, April 27- Atlanta Rhythm Section and Maureen McGovern

Saturday, April 28- Firefall and In My Life: A Beatles Tribute

Sunday, April 29- Debby Boone and The Tams

*Artists currently scheduled to appear. Performer listed first appears in DP’s Celebrity Theater; performer listed second appears at Showstreet Palace Theater. Artists at DP’s Celebrity Theater have two one-hour performances (2 and 5 p.m.), while those at Showstreet Palace Theater have three 40-minutes performances (2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.).

Dollywood’s popular Barbeque & Bluegrass (May 25-June 10) adds an extra week in 2018 and includes performances by Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Dailey & Vincent, The Grascals, and many more.

Dollywood’s Summer Celebration (June 16-Aug. 5) is a time to celebrate making memories with family. This year’s event features extended park hours, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (park hours are extended to midnight on June 30 and July 7). America’s Got Talent finalists iLuminate bring their glow-in-the-dark costumes to perform dance routines and illusions, while DRUMLine Live! creates a synchronized musical masterpiece based on the hit 2002 movie Drumline. Dollywood’s festive nightly fireworks show is a colorful extravaganza set to uplifting music.

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 28- Nov. 3) provides more fall family fun with the expansion of the new guest-favorite Great Pumpkin LumiNights and the largest Southern gospel event in America. Dollywood is open until 9 p.m. every night during the festival.

Celebrating a decade of being honored as the Best Christmas Event at any theme park worldwide, Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 10- Jan. 5, 2019) provides the perfect holiday atmosphere to put families in the Christmas spirit. For the first time, the park is open every day during the festival, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For guests who wander through the park’s more than four million holiday lights, enjoy the performances, tastes and family atmosphere.

Dollywood won the 2017 Golden Ticket from Amusement Today for Best Entertainment at any theme park in the world. The honor was the ninth consecutive triumph for the park in that category. With Parton’s commitment to show-stopping entertainment in 2018, Dollywood looks to lead the way in securing its 10th victory in the category.

For more information, visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.

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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.