Dollywood Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights Return Sept. 14

Dollywood will shift into its fall season Sept. 14 when the Harvest Festival and Great Pumpkin LumiNights return to the Pigeon Forge theme park.

The festival runs through Oct. 31, combining daytime craft demonstrations and seasonal food with illuminated pumpkin displays after dark. Thousands of carved pumpkins and large-scale characters will be installed around the park, giving families a nighttime experience that is distinct from the rides and shows available earlier in the day.

Hoot Owl Hollow in Craftsman's Valley remains one of the festival's signature areas. Its centerpiece is a 14-foot owl assembled from more than 150 carved white pumpkins, surrounded by smaller owls placed in trees, on buildings and along the hillside.

Visiting artisans from around the country will demonstrate and sell handmade work during the festival. Dollywood also plans a rotating menu of harvest-themed food, extending the event beyond the decorative displays.

The 2026 fall calendar includes several additions around the established festival. NightFlight Expedition, Dollywood's new indoor adventure coaster, is scheduled to be operating during its first Harvest Festival season. The park has also announced three separately ticketed Harvey's Boo Bash nights on Oct. 16, 23 and 30 after regular festival operations end.

Harvest Festival activities are included with regular Dollywood admission, while Boo Bash requires a separate event ticket. Dollywood's operating calendar varies by date, and the park is not open every day, so visitors should review the current calendar before choosing a trip date.

The festival is scheduled from Sept. 14 through Oct. 31 at Dollywood, 2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard in Pigeon Forge.