For a third year, Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival blossoms against a Smoky Mountain backdrop to deliver brilliant floral hues to guests now through June 5. The festival features elaborate floral installations that emerge throughout the park to translate nature into living art, each coming together to create a breathtaking displays. Guests can appreciate the vibrant beauty of more than a million blooms, explore the fresh flavors of spring with an immersive tasting pass, and delight in unique entertainment offerings.
“Spring has always been so wonderful to me, because the flowers start growing, the sun shines for a little longer, and the birds start singing a new song,” said Dolly Parton. “When I was little and the weather started warming up, all us kids would gather on the porch in the afternoon and enjoy lemonade that Mama brought out for us. That’s springtime to me – getting to make memories with my family and taking in the beautiful colors everywhere.”
While admiring the vivid colors blooming throughout the park, guests can explore a menu crafted with inspiration from fresh spring flavors and Smoky Mountain flair. Returning for this year is the tasting pass, which allows guests to partake in multiple food items at different festival locations.
With the tasting pass (purchase in the park or online), guests can sample five food offerings at any Flower & Food Festival culinary location. This year’s festival menu features a Cuban sandwich with mojo sauce, Reuben spring roll, chicken and andouille skillet, beef bulgogi nachos, seafood mac and cheese, berry and honey funnel cakes, and hand-decorated flower-themed cookies and cupcakes, among many other tasty spring dishes.
A highlight of the festival this year is entertainment, including Dolly’s Butterfly Garden and the return of a former guest favorite to the park. Dolly’s Butterfly Garden is an immersive experience that allows guests to interact with nature elements in a new way. Performers from Australia combine theatrical elements and acrobatics for a thrilling new show called “Bloom!” that takes place high above ground while performers are situated atop sway poles. Guests will not want to miss this elevated display.
Dollywood’s streets are filled with music during the Flower & Food Festival. The Hall Sisters, an energetic quartet of country pop performers, will set the stage in Craftsman’s Valley. A returning favorite show, “A Brighter Day,” features five daily performances at the Back Porch Theater. All shows are included with park admission. A full schedule of live performances is available at Dollywood.com.
Back to provide shade along Showstreet is the mesmerizing Umbrella Sky, which brings together hundreds of colorful umbrellas in a brilliant, suspended arrangement that makes for an “Instagram-worthy” background. Guests looking to capture picture-perfect memories at Dollywood can stop by several locations in the park for an amazing photo. These include the Hillside Carpet Display that brings a florally-crafted sunset to Rivertown Junction, the pathways of Adventures in Imagination that are decorated with creative chalk art portraits, and Dolly’s Butterfly Garden exhibit in Adventures in Imagination.
Festival elements carry over into Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, where guests find festive décor and stunning floral accents. Daily mocktails and cocktails will be served in The Lounge at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, each drawing inspiration from the essence of springtime. Families can enjoy live entertainment in the lobby atrium, festival-inspired cuisine at Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery, and festival-themed activities at Camp DW. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa hosts a Winemaker’s Dinner for guests on Saturday, May 21, inside Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery. This unique dining experience pairs festival-inspired culinary creations with exemplary wines. Reservations for the dinner can be made by calling 865-868-1246.
Dollywood looks forward to a season bigger and better than ever before. This is the perfect year to purchase a season pass in order to create memories with family and friends at the park all year long. Once the Flower & Food Festival is over, the fun continues with Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Bush’s Beans (June 18-August 7), which features an expanded drone and fireworks show every night. Experience the all-new Hoot Owl Hollow as part of this year’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (September 23-October 29), then get in the holiday spirit with Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (November 6-January 1, 2023). The celebration continues all year long at Dollywood.
For more information about Dollywood or the Flower & Food Festival, visit Dollywood.com or download the Dollywood mobile app.