Dollywood now: Harvest Festival dates and 2026 ride plan

TL;DR:

Harvest Festival runs September 12 to October 27, 2025.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights lights up nights with 12,000+ pumpkins.
Artist lineup features Dailey & Vincent, October 15 to 19.
Dollywood ranked among the top fall theme park events this week.
New “NightFlight Expedition” hybrid coaster-rapids ride opens in 2026.

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival is in full swing in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The 2025 edition runs from September 12 to October 27, 2025, with daytime music, seasonal food, and crafts, followed by glowing nighttime displays. The park confirms the dates on its official calendar and festival pages.

By day, guests can catch dozens of Southern gospel, country, and bluegrass sets across the park. By night, Great Pumpkin LumiNights returns with thousands of illuminated pumpkins and whimsical scenes, creating a family evening draw after sunset. The park’s fall planning page highlights the atmosphere and programming.

Dollywood also shared weekly entertainment grids for September and October. If you want to time a visit around particular artists, check the printable schedules for each week of the festival.

What’s new or special this week

On October 3, 2025, trade outlet Amusement Today spotlighted Harvest Festival headliners Dailey & Vincent, slated for October 15 to 19. That window lands in the middle of peak fall color in the Smokies, which adds to the draw.

The festival is also earning wider buzz. On October 2, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported the event placed among USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice fall theme park events, underscoring the festival’s national profile this season.

Enthusiast coverage this week also zoomed in on Great Pumpkin LumiNights, calling out the sheer scale of the pumpkin displays and family-friendly focus. If you want less thrill and more cozy fall vibes, this is your night program.

Looking ahead: the 2026 headliner ride

Dollywood has begun building NightFlight Expedition, a “first-of-its-kind” attraction that mixes a roller coaster with a whitewater river ride. The park revealed the name and concept on September 17, 2025, describing four distinct ride experiences woven into one narrative journey in Wildwood Grove. Local TV coverage and the park’s ride page outline the concept and expansion.

Construction photos published September 17 show site work and art that hint at the multi-mode system. Enthusiast and local press reports add that the project is a major investment for the park’s next growth phase.

Key dates at a glance

Item	Dates	Notes
Harvest Festival	Sept 12 – Oct 27, 2025	Daytime music, crafts, fall food. Nights feature Great Pumpkin LumiNights.
Great Pumpkin LumiNights	Nightly during festival	12,000+ glowing pumpkins and large set pieces.
Dailey & Vincent	Oct 15 – Oct 19, 2025	Part of the Harvest Festival lineup.
Smoky Mountain Christmas	Nov 1, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026	Holiday shows and 6 million lights, per the festival hub.
NightFlight Expedition	2026 season	Hybrid coaster-rapids ride in Wildwood Grove.

Planning tips for October visits

Arrive mid-afternoon. Ride lines often ease before the dinner hour, then you can shift to LumiNights after dark.
Target weekdays. Tuesday to Thursday evenings are usually lighter than weekends.
Use the entertainment grids. Check the weekly schedules, then cluster shows in the same area to cut walking.
Book lodging nearby. Staying in Pigeon Forge makes it easier to pivot when fall weather changes.
Mind closing times. Fall nights are busy. Arrive with a short list of must-see sets and displays.

Short checklist

Tickets and parking planned
Weekly show schedule saved to phone
Layers for cool nights
Portable charger and water bottle
Photo time set for LumiNights after full dark

What to ride and see now

Dollywood’s lineup mixes big coasters with family attractions. If thrills are a priority, hit the major coasters first in the afternoon, when queues fluctuate as guests shift to shows. Families can split time between Wildwood Grove’s rides and pumpkin displays after dark.

The park continues to market Big Bear Mountain and other headliners during the festival. For a balanced day, pair one or two marquee rides with music blocks, then return for LumiNights. The official rides page also teases NightFlight Expedition as part of the Wildwood Grove expansion, which gives repeat visitors a reason to come back in 2026.

Background and context

Dollywood, co-owned by Herschend and Dolly Parton, has leaned into seasonal events to smooth out attendance. The fall festival, anchored by Southern music traditions and pumpkin-forward visuals, now draws national recognition, as this week’s 10Best placement shows. That attention feeds short-term travel demand across the Smokies and sets the stage for 2026’s high-profile ride debut.

Why it matters

If you are choosing a fall theme park trip, Dollywood is delivering two hooks at once. You get peak-season shows and Great Pumpkin LumiNights through October 27, 2025, plus a clear reason to plan a return when NightFlight Expedition opens in 2026. That cycle gives families flexibility, and it rewards fans who like seasonal visits.

Sources: