Dollywood Begins Early Harvest Festival Setup as Opening Approaches
Festival Setup Begins Four Weeks Early
Dollywood has begun early setup activities for the Harvest Festival presented by Humana, scheduled to open September 12, 2025. The initial preparation work includes planning logistics for the installation of more than 12,000 pumpkins throughout the park and coordinating the complex transformation that will convert the summer theme park environment into an autumn wonderland over the coming weeks.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights Preparation
Early setup work includes preparation for Great Pumpkin LumiNights, the award-winning evening experience that has been named the theme park industry's best fall event. Technical planning is underway for the lighting systems that will illuminate thousands of creatively carved pumpkins and the centerpiece 40-foot pumpkin tree that serves as the focal point of the nighttime spectacular.
Candy Corn Country Construction
Setup work has begun on the new Candy Corn Country area, which will transform the Country Fair section of the park with colorful themed elements celebrating the Halloween candy. This new addition for 2025 requires specialized construction and theming work to create the fanciful environment featuring adorable characters and seasonal surprises in the traditional candy colors of yellow, white, and orange.
Logistics Coordination Underway
The early setup phase includes coordinating delivery schedules for the massive quantities of real and faux pumpkins that will fill every corner of the park, including colossal pumpkins weighing nearly 1,000 pounds for the Colossal Pumpkin Patch presented by Food City. Storage and staging areas are being prepared to handle the volume of materials required for the six-week festival.
Entertainment Venue Preparation
Setup activities include preparing performance venues for the more than 700 live performances featuring over 140 artists that will take place throughout the festival. Stage areas, sound systems, and lighting equipment require advance preparation to support the extensive entertainment lineup spanning Southern gospel, bluegrass, country, and Americana genres scheduled throughout the September 12 through October 27 festival period.