Pumpkin season at Dollywood is down to its final week. The park’s Harvest Festival wraps up on Saturday, October 31, and the switch to Christmas comes quickly after that, with Smoky Mountain Christmas opening Friday, November 6. If you’re heading to Pigeon Forge this week or early next, here’s what to know.
Harvest Festival ends Saturday, October 31
Dollywood’s Harvest Festival has been running since September 14, and this is your last chance to catch it in 2026. Here’s what’s still going on through Halloween:
- Great Pumpkin LumiNights. After dark, thousands of carved pumpkins light up the park, along with a 40-foot pumpkin tree and the glowing owls of Hoot Owl Hollow.
- Live music all day. Dozens of Southern gospel, bluegrass and country acts play on stages and streets around the park.
- Candy Corn Country. The Country Fair area has a candy corn theme this fall, with characters to meet.
- Fall food. A Harvest Festival Tasting Pass lets you try up to five festival foods for one price.
- Rides with a view. Big Bear Mountain, Mystery Mine and the Dollywood Express are all running, and the fall color around the park makes them even better.
Last Harvey’s Boo Bash is Friday, October 30
This year Dollywood added Harvey’s Boo Bash, its first separately ticketed after-hours event. The last one is Friday, October 30, from 9 p.m. to midnight, and the event page says ticket holders can come in starting at 4 p.m. to enjoy Harvest Festival first. Expect treat trails with candy, dance parties, character meet-and-greets and rides after dark, including the new NightFlight Expedition. Tickets are $129.99 plus tax for ages 4 and up, and capacity is limited, so check availability before you go.
A ticket deal for the final stretch
Dollywood’s ticket page currently lists a Buy 3, Get 1 Free offer on one-day tickets for visits from October 19 through October 31. You need to buy exactly four tickets, and they show as $74.99 each at checkout. Prices don’t include tax, and offers can change, so confirm on Dollywood’s site before you buy.
Smoky Mountain Christmas opens Friday, November 6
Once the pumpkins come down, Dollywood switches over to its biggest season. Smoky Mountain Christmas runs from November 6, 2026, through January 3, 2027. Here’s what’s coming:
- More than six million lights across the park, each area with its own color scheme.
- Peppermint Valley, the new holiday look for the Country Fair area.
- Snow in the Grove, a nightly show in Wildwood Grove with light, music and snow.
- Holiday shows including “Christmas in the Smokies,” “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Appalachian Christmas” and “O Holy Night.”
- A Smoky Mountain Christmas Tasting Pass with up to five holiday foods.
Harvest Festival ends October 31 and Christmas starts November 6, so the park has a short break in between. If your trip falls between those dates, check Dollywood’s operating calendar before you plan your day around the park.
Planning tips
- Go late in the day. The pumpkins look their best after dark, so plan to stay into the evening on your last Harvest Festival visit.
- Expect a busy Halloween week. The last days of a festival tend to draw crowds, especially on the weekend of October 31.
- Pack layers. Late-October evenings in the Smokies can get chilly once the sun goes down.
- Pair it with town. Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville all have free trick-or-treating events this week, too.
For more on the park, see our Dollywood guide, our list of free Halloween trick-or-treating events and our November events guide. Dates and details come from Dollywood, so check there for the latest hours.