Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Dollywood Kicks Off Its New Season With Festival Of Nations
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on March 17, 2015
Budding trees, blooming flowers and worm-hunting robins aren't the only signs of spring here in the mountains. The opening of Dollywood theme park each season is another sure-fire way to tell that spring is at our doorstep. This weekend, Dollywood kicks off its 30th season in the Smokies as it does every year, with the annual Festival of Nations.
The 2015 Festival of Nations runs March 21 through April 20 and welcomes the world to East Tennessee as it showcases a full month of live performers, foods, and arts and crafts from nations across the globe. In all, some 20 countries will be represented this year through authentic demonstrations of music, dance, cuisine and other cultural activities – all designed to give Dollywood guests a glimpse of the traditions of other nations.
Two brand-new shows will highlight this year's stellar lineup of international performances. Rhythm of the Dance is a musical extravaganza featuring a wealth of Irish talent, demonstrating a fresh and modern view of traditional Irish step dancing. The production includes a live band, three tenor vocalists and 22 dancers.
The other new show is TIMBER!, a festive, high-energy show from Canada that offers epic feats of strength and agility combined with a traditional folk soundtrack. These talented artists perform incredible acrobatics inspired by the exploits of the first North American loggers and farmers.
Also look for these live shows:
• Los Pampas Gauchos – A high-energy show that showcases the traditional music, dances and comedy of an Argentine fiesta.
• Invaders Steel Orchestra – Trinidad's oldest steel drum band, Invaders Steel Orchestra, celebrates 75 years of creating festive music in 2015.
• Alash Ensemble – Masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time.
• Mariachi Divas – This Mexican act is a three-time Grammy Award winner, performing unique songs infused with the Latin sounds of mariachi.
• Atahualpa – With a rhythmic blend representing different areas of the Andes, Atahualpa bridges the gap between Dollywood and Ecuador.
• Zebra Stelzentheater of Germany – German stilt dancers in original costumes performing high-spirited routines while roaming the streets of Dollywood.
Of course, Dollywood guests can still enjoy all of the park's usual activities, including thrill rides, family rides, wet rides, live music shows, craftsmen, shops and eateries.
Looking a little further ahead on the calendar, Dollywood Splash Country water park opens around Memorial Day for its summer-fun run, and although it won't be open until later this summer, Dollywood's DreamMore Resort will offer on-site accommodations. So even if you're not planning your Dollywood visit until late summer or fall, you can still make reservations now.
Throughout Festival of Nations, Dollywood will be open every day except Tuesday, and park hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Season tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased for less than the price of two single-day admissions.
For the best ziplines Pigeon Forge has to offer, however, you won't find what you're looking for at Dollywood. Our attraction has more ziplines and offers more fun by far. That's because ziplines are all we do here, and we offer hours of family fun for one value-packed price. At Dollywood, their ziplines are an add-on fee, on top of what you pay just to get inside the theme park.
Smoky Mountain Ziplines is also not far at all from the theme park and is easily accessible by Pigeon Forge visitors. In fact, we're just a couple of miles off the Parkway, not far from the turn-off to Dollywood. We offer plenty of parking, a full array of safety gear, experienced guides and transportation to and from the zipline course.
Give us a call to make your reservations for your next trip to the Smokies!
