Dollywood‘s Smoky Mountain Christmas opens Friday, November 6, 2026, and runs through Sunday, January 3, 2027, according to the park’s festival page. It’s the park’s biggest season of the year, with more than six million lights, indoor and outdoor Christmas shows and holiday food. Here’s what to know before you pick a day, including the dates the park is closed.
Dates and park hours
Dollywood isn’t open every day of the festival, and hours change around the holidays. This is the schedule on Dollywood’s operating calendar as of early November:
- November 6 through November 25: open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26: closed.
- Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28: open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- November 29 through December 23: open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25: closed.
- December 26 through January 3: open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. January 3 is the last day of the season.
Dollywood notes that dates and hours can change without notice, so look at the calendar again the week of your trip.
The lights
Each area of the park gets its own color scheme. Santa’s Village is done in red and green, Glacier Ridge in winter blues and whites, and Craftsman’s Valley has a soft candlelight glow. The Country Fair area becomes Peppermint Valley this year.
In Wildwood Grove, Snow in the Grove runs every night. The Wildwood Tree and the glowing Roly Poly characters come alive with light, music and falling snow. The lights look best after dark, so plan to be in the park into the evening.
Christmas shows
Two indoor shows return, Christmas in the Smokies and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Outdoors, Appalachian Christmas and O Holy Night play among the lights. Showtimes change by day, and Dollywood points guests to its app for the daily schedule. An indoor show is also a good way to warm up on a cold night.
Fireworks nights
Dollywood’s festival page doesn’t list 2026 fireworks dates yet. Pigeon Forge’s official tourism site says the Merry & Bright, Holiday Light! fireworks show runs on Friday and Saturday nights in the weeks after Thanksgiving, with extra shows the Sunday after Thanksgiving and on the nights between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Fireworks nights are limited, so check the Dollywood app or calendar before you plan your evening around them.
Tickets and deals
On Dollywood’s ticket page, a regular adult one-day ticket starts at $94.99 when you pick a date ahead of time, or $99.99 for a ticket good on any operating day. Child and senior discounts are available, and prices don’t include tax. Pick-a-day prices vary by date. Prices can change, so check Dollywood ticket page for the latest.
- Kids’ price for everyone: for visits November 6 through November 22, guests of all ages pay the kids’ price on one-day tickets. You have to visit on the date you choose.
- Bring-A-Friend ticket: buy any Dollywood season pass between November 2 and December 13 and you can get a $45 ticket for a friend, good November 6 through December 13.
- Rain: under Dollywood’s weather guarantee, if rain shuts down rides and cuts your visit short, stop by a ticket booth before you leave for a free return ticket good for the rest of the season.
These offers can change or end early, so confirm them on Dollywood’s site before you buy.
Food and the Christmas tour
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tasting Pass covers up to five festival foods and starts at $42.99. Park admission isn’t included. Prices can change, so check Tasting Pass page for the latest.
The Smoky Mountain Christmas Tour is a guided evening walk through the festival. It includes a collectible lanyard, reserved seats on the Dollywood Express, a meet and greet with a holiday performer, and a seasonal treat with a hot drink. Tours start around 6:30 p.m., need at least two guests, and cost $89 per person for ages 4 and up, plus taxes and fees. You need a separate park ticket. Prices can change, so check tour page for the latest.
Crowd tips
- Go early in the season. The first two weeks, before Thanksgiving, tend to be calmer, and the kids’-price ticket runs through November 22.
- Pick a weekday if you can. Weekends draw more people.
- Expect the biggest crowds Thanksgiving weekend and between Christmas and New Year’s. The park stays open until 10 p.m. on those days.
- Arrive in the afternoon. Ride in daylight, then stay for Snow in the Grove and the lights.
- Dress for cold. Evenings in the Smokies get chilly in November and December, and you’ll be outside most of the night.
- Don’t plan a Dollywood day for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The park is closed all three.
More holiday lights nearby
Pigeon Forge’s Winterfest lights and the holiday lights in Gatlinburg and Sevierville run through the same weeks. Our holiday lights guide has the 2026 start dates, and the November and December event guides cover the shows, parades and festivals happening around the park.