Dollywood Begins Installing Fall Decorations for Harvest Festival Opening
Massive Decoration Installation Begins
Dollywood crews have begun the extensive process of installing fall decorations throughout the park in preparation for the Harvest Festival's September 12 opening. The installation includes more than 12,000 real and faux pumpkins that will fill every corner of the park, requiring weeks of preparation to position and illuminate these displays before the festival opens to guests.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights Setup Underway
The centerpiece installation involves the creation of the 40-foot tall pumpkin tree, described as a massive mountain of glowing pumpkins that serves as the focal point for Great Pumpkin LumiNights. Technical crews are working on the complex lighting and special effects systems that will illuminate the thousands of jack-o-lanterns and larger-than-life pumpkin displays throughout the park during evening hours.
Candy Corn Country Transformation
The Country Fair section of the park is undergoing its transformation into the new Candy Corn Country, featuring adorable characters and fall surprises in the traditional candy colors of yellow, white, and orange. This new themed area represents one of the major additions for the 2025 Harvest Festival, requiring specialized theming and decoration installation to create the fanciful candy-themed environment.
Traditional Fall Theming Installation
Beyond the pumpkin displays, crews are installing thousands of fall flowers in traditional autumn hues of red, yellow, and orange throughout the park. Mountain-fresh touches including white and green gourds, purple blooms, and gorgeous greenery add unique elements to the seasonal transformation, creating comprehensive autumn theming across all park areas.
Behind-the-Scenes Preparation Complexity
The scale of the installation process demonstrates the complexity behind Great Pumpkin LumiNights, which has been recognized as the winner of the 10Best Reader's Choice Award for Best Theme Park Event. Dollywood will offer Behind the Glow guided tours during the festival to showcase what it takes to set up the elaborate displays, special effects, lighting systems, and more that create the award-winning fall experience.