The Crafts of Dollywood

The Great Smoky Mountains has a rich history and culture of arts and crafts. The people that settled here were on their own, so they had to figure out how to provide for themselves. Dollywood provides many opportunities to discover the various arts and crafts of the region. Master craftsmen and women demonstrate every day throughout the park, mostly in Craftsmen's Valley. Many of these people are extremely talented and have been doing these crafts their entire lives.

My personal favorite is the Woodcarving Shop. I regret not taking some inside shots of the store - I will be sure to do this next time I am there. There are tons of wood-related items in this shop. I especially enjoy smelling the cedar wood items. Thats me, picking up a wood box, opening, and sniffing. Some of the more interesting items are the wood spirits and fireplace mantels. Pretty much, anytime you go in there, the master woodcarver is working on a fireplace mantel with an elaborate mountain scene on the front. The attention to detail is amazing. Whats even more amazing is watching the craftsman work. He will also do customization of items you buy in the store. I found the perfect hiking stick on the shop's front porch and had him put my name on it. They make it look easy! We also ended up buying a mail and key holder wall hanger. The shop also includes wood carving starter kits in case you want to give it a try. I ended up getting one online before I went on my trip and I got quite far on my starter project - just need to get back to it and finish it. The wood spirits are especially cool. People in Germany once believed wood spirits protected the forest from fire and destruction. Eventually, people created these wood spirits as their interpretations of what the wood spirits look like. What you see here are the Smoky Mountains version of wood spirits.





Old Flames Candles is a candle shop with the most unique and amazing candles I've ever seen. Just look at the pictures below. I've never seen an ice-cream sundae candle before, but there it is! They also have an area where you can dip your own candles to color them. Watch out - that wax is hotter than it looks!







Smoky Creek Leather is the place to satisfy your leather needs. Hats, belts and jackets, oh my! I might have to get one of the leather wallets next time I am there. The leathersmith can usually be found at work making items to sell as well as doing customizations. This store smells really good...



Handmade wagons is a really interesting shop because you can watch the craftsmen build wagons. They had finished working on a Christmas sleigh last time I was there. This fully-functional shop is one of the last wagon-making shops in our country. There are signs around the shop educating visitors on different aspects of wagon-making. Also, they will let you hitch a horse up to a wagon and take it for a test drive. Just kidding...








The Blacksmith and Foundry has tons of iron items, signs, decorations, etcs, many of which will add nicely to your home decor. They create a lot of items daily here. Its interesting watching the blacksmith as he forges various items and talks about what he is doing. Its amazing to think this is how it was done! I believe he takes requests for customizations.





You haven't seen anything until you watch one of the glassblowers demonstrate the art of glassblowing at the Rainbow Glass Blowing Factory. I am trying to remember if there were glass items in the attached shop. I think there may have been some, but that shop has lots of other stuff in it that is unrelated. There is a shop in a different part of Dollywood called Custom Glassworks that is devoted exclusively to handmade glass figurines and ornaments.




Even though I mentioned the Sweet Shoppe in my Dining At Dollywood post, it had to be mentioned again here due to the fact that you can watch the candymakers make taffy and many other types of candy that are sold right there in the store. The candymaker was really nice and explained what she was doing when we asked how she did it!



During the Dollywood National Gospel and Harvest Celebration (basically, all of October), you will see dozens of different craftsmen from all over the country. The booths are spread throughout Dollywood. I found a woodcarver right near Victoria's Pizza that had all kinds of wood puzzles. I ended up buying two pair of wooden dice, regular size and jumbo size. I got a few other items but they alude me at the moment. If you have crafts you want to sell, you can request a booth and participate! Below is the fiddle maker in one of the provided booths.



In summary, Dollywood has many crafts demonstrated daily throughout the park. If you REALLY like crafts, October is the time to go as dozens of craftsmen and women participate in the Harvest celebration.

Check out my other Dollywood posts:
Dollywood Introduction
The Rides of Dollywood
Blazing Fury IS a roller coaster, mom!
Dining At Dollywood
The Shows of Dollywood

The Shows of Dollywood

One thing that has always made Dollywood great is the live entertainment. Dollywood has a history of incredible talent gracing the stages all across the park. From the newest country hits, classic country such as Patsy Cline, bluegrass, gospel, 50s, comedy and more, its really hard to find another place that has such diversity.

Also, shows change throughout the year depending on the season. During the Festival of Nations, performers from all over the world perform their country's dance and music. With Fall comes the National Gospel & Harvest Celebration. Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas wraps up the year with Christmas shows that really add to the holiday spirit.

The first show I have to mention is a show that, sadly, is no longer. My hope is that Dollywood may eventually revive it. Back before Dollywood was Dollywood, it was Silver Dollar City. Every evening, as the rest of the park closed, the Barnwood Theatre would host the Silver Dollar Jamboree. From about 7 until 9, this show was the ultimate closer to a day at the park. It was later named the Dollywood Jamboree after it became Dollywood. The show starred James Rogers, who had (and still does have) a one-man show several times throughout the day at Dollywood. The Jamboree featured a live band, a female lead, cloggers (dancers), and for comedy relief, Elwood Smooch. I will be writing an article all about him very soon. The music featured was current country hits along with classics. I have a lot of good memories of this show. As I said, it was the PERFECT way, for us the ONLY way, to close out our days at Dollywood. We would always sit front row or maybe second row. It was great seeing James lead the way after having seen him hours earlier in the day at his one-man show (of which I will cover below). James is an accomplished singer/song writer, best known for the song Fly Eagle Fly. I just spoke with him recently on my visit in October 2008, telling him of my fond memories of watching the Jamboree and he said he was just coincidentally speaking with the management at Dollywood to try and get something like that going again. For me, the highlight was whenever Elwood would come out from backstage and interact with James. Billy Baker, aka Elwood Smooch, is an absolutely amazing performer. He brings to life Elwood in such a way that its hard to believe Elwood is a character - even to this day. To me, Elwood is as real as anyone. Sure, this is one goofy hillbilly, but if you saw him, you'd know what I was talking about. I remember going on stage with them as a kid. Before the show began, a Dollywood staff member would ask a select few kids if they wanted to be in the show. I remember one year we went to Dollywood 4 days in a row (we went after 3, did the next day free, then repeated that). I remember being at the show the first night, they asked if I wanted to go on stage, I said sure. The next night, they asked again. I said I was just on stage last night. The guy says, no problem, you can do it again! Then on the third night, someone asked me AGAIN! I was like, I was on stage the last two nights. The guy says, thats fine, no problem! So I was literally on stage 3 nights in a row!!! Other fond memories of this show were waiting to talk to James and Elwood, I mean Billy (heheh), after the show. I remember walking out of Dollywood after the show, being among the last few people left. We would walk by the River Rampage, which was always empty at this point at night. And I remember going out to our motorhome, the only vehicle left in the parking lot! Then there was the drive through the woods between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, then out of Gatlinburg along highway 321 to our campground Crazy Horse/Clear Creek Resort. Ahhhh, such great memories.

Ok, so that was a lot about a show that doesn't even exist anymore, but those were truly magical times. Dollywood needs to get this going again. So now on to the shows that ARE still being performed daily at Dollywood.

This has to start off with James Rogers. This show is one of the most fun shows I've ever been to. James has several guitars, some of which are capable of special sound effects. His show has comedy and music that ranges from rock, country, 50s to patriotic. He is an avid lover of bald eagles and as mentioned above, wrote the song Fly Eagle Fly, which was adopted as one of Tennessee's state songs. James is an amazing talent - a singer, song writer, and really friendly guy. He stays around after his shows and meets with fans, sign autographs, answer questions, or just catch up with those of us that keep coming back for more. He knew my family quite well when we went every year back when I was younger. If you go to Dollywood and just want to have a fun time, definitely see James Rogers. I just discovered his show was moved to the Wings of America Theatre for the 2009 season, which is appropriate given his love of bald eagles. Hmmm, now that I think of it, I wonder what James thinks about performing outside? He's been performing indoors for quite a few years now.




Country Crossroads, which is performed in the outside Valley Theatre, is a great show with a cast of six, three guys and three girls, who sing to recorded backing music. This show is one of my favorites because of the songs they sing. The songs range from older stuff like Patsy Cline all the way to the latest in country music like Rascal Flatts. The singers in July 2006 were noticeably better than when I went in October 2008, but maybe they had a few new people. Anyways, definitely a show worth seeing!







The Jukebox Junction section of Dollywood hosts the Dreamland Drive-In at the Pines Theatre. This show features the hits of the 50s and 60s with a very talented cast. The costumes and set are top-notch. My parents grew up in the 50s and 60s, so this was always a fun show to see with them. My mom is a huge Elvis fan. Even for those of us that are younger, its still a great time. One thing I love doing when I see this show is getting some cinnamon glazed almonds or pecans in the lobby!



Dolly's Family Reunion is just the latest incarnation of a tradition that goes back to the beginnings of Dollywood. Originally called The Kinfolks (as you will see in a picture below), this show is performed at the Backporch Theatre and features family members of Dolly Parton performing music and telling stories about Dolly.




If you want to hear some bluegrass, then see the Smoky Mountain String Band. Its funny, I don't really listen to bluegrass, but whenever I hear it, I love it. Its just so fast and up-beat. I don't know how anyone can listen to it and stay still! There's just too much energy! Orange Blossom Special, anyone?! I got a cd from one of the prior bluegrass bands at Dollywood and throw it on every now and then.

When you get off the train (notice I say WHEN, because if you go to Dollywood and don't ride the Dollywood Express, you are depriving yourself of a tradition!) Professor Seymour Tricks Magic Show will start up just as you come around the back of the caboose. For years and years and years, maybe even since the days of Silver Dollar City, there was a magician named David Talent. Unfortunately, he left Dollywood about two seasons ago. Anyways, the magic show is fun for the crowd, especially for the kids, some of which may end up on stage at some point! Right next to the stage is the magic shop where you can find all kinds of cool magic tricks, gags, etc. My nephews were going nuts in the magic shop. While in the shop, Professor Seymour will show you how to perform the tricks if you want! I got a squirt coin and squirt camera from here when I was a kid and I'm happy to say they still have them in the shop! This past year, we got a couple of items, but the most fun one is the magic coloring book, which you'll likely see during the show!



Several years ago, Dollywood became host to many injured and endangered birds in the form of the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. This large aviary is home to many birds that are being rehabilitated. Its here that you can watch the Wings of America Birds of Prey show at the Wings of America Theatre. This show features some beautiful birds, some of which soar over the crowd. Of course, the star of the show is a bald eagle. Truly a majestic bird.










Sha-Kon-O-Hey! is a brand new show this season, 2009, so unfortunately, I have not seen it. If you've seen it, please leave us comments and tell us what you think. I can say that it looks like its a replacement for a previous show that was themed similiarly - a show all about the Great Smoky Mountains, how the mountains were before they were settled, and how life was for the earliest settlers after they arrived. I am sure this show has fantastic special effects, sets, costumes, and talent. Even though I haven't been back to see it yet, I can just about guarantee this is a show not to miss! This show takes place in Dollywood's "main" theatre, the Celebrity Theatre.

One final show I will mention is Heartsong in the Heartsong Theatre. This is a short, 20 minute multi-sensory show that is narrated by Dolly herself where she talks and sings about her home, the Great Smoky Mountains. Its interesting to see, but don't beat yourself up too much if you miss it.

Believe it or not, there's even MORE shows at Dollywood, although I would say these are the main ones. Dollywood's web site has a page listing all of them here: Dollywood Shows

Smoky Mountain Christmas is a very special time to visit Dollywood as there are tons and tons of lights throughout the park. The holiday season at Dollywood features 7 different Christmas shows. Talk about holiday spirit! These shows are Dollywood's Babes in Toyland, Christmas in the Smokies, Appalachian Christmas, Carol of the Trees, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, O' Holy Night, and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I went to Dollywood once during this season, but it was MANY years ago, and they have added a lot of shows I haven't seen. Therefore, I would say click the link above and scroll down the list of shows and you will see the Christmas shows. When I finally make it up there for Christmas, I will do a post on all the Christmas shows. It might be within the next few years, so stay tuned! If you go this season and write a good description of each show, let me know and maybe I will allow a contribution!

The shows at Dollywood are the only thing you really have to plan for - everything else you just do when you come to it. So I would recommend picking a few shows you really want to see and planning your day around those shows. Sha-Kon-O-Hey! is probably the show you don't want to miss. If you want to have a real fun time, definitely see James Rogers. If you are in a 50s and 60s mood, you don't want to miss the Dreamland Drive-In. To see Dollywood talent performing today's hits, Country Crossroads is where its at. If you want a real dose of Dolly, why not spend a little time with members of her family at Dolly's Family Reunion? All in all, Dollywood offers a great variety of shows from very talented performers! Its a BIG part of the Dollywood tradition!

Check out my other Dollywood posts:
Dollywood Introduction
The Rides of Dollywood
Blazing Fury IS a roller coaster, mom!
Dining At Dollywood
The Crafts of Dollywood

Dining At Dollywood

On to one of my favorite subjects, food! Dollywood has some really great food throughout the whole park.

A great way to start off any discussion of food at Dollywood is to start with a great place to have breakfast, Aunt Granny's. Arrive at Dollywood 30 minutes before it opens and they will let you in. At this point, the only thing open in the park is Aunt Granny's. This is a high quality, all-you-can-eat buffet that serves both breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, you'll find ham, eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, grits, biscuits and gravy, french toast, hashbrowns, fruits, cereals and anything else any self-respecting southern buffet would have on hand. It amazes me that the scrambled eggs still taste exactly the same as they did 20 years ago, which is a good thing because they are great. Normally, I am not really a biscuits and gravy kind of guy, but when I was there in October 2008, I couldn't believe how good they were - I was going back for more! Its just nice sitting there having breakfast, looking out the window at Dollywood, seeing the people walk by, and anticipating all the fun stuff you'll be doing throughout the day! Aunt Granny's also serves lunch and dinner buffets with a wide assortment of stuff, including fried chicken, baked chicken, fish, shrimp, steak, corn, mashed potatoes, other vegetables, breads, and some tasty desserts such as ice cream, cakes, and pies. Believe it or not, I am not sure if I have eaten there for dinner before, so I'll have to make it a point to do that next time I am there!




Another great place for breakfast is the Spotlight Bakery. Just walk through here and breathe in all the freshly baked breads and pastries. Fruits, salads, soups, and sandwiches can all be had here. I had a pastry last time I was there and it was huge. I would recommend sharing if you get anything really big. This bakery has it all - except for one VERY important thing... The best bread in all of Dollywood can't be found here, but rather requires a trip to the Dollywood Grist Mill. Inside this fully functioning grist mill, you'll find Dollywood's famous cinnamon bread, baked fresh daily until early afternoon. This stuff is REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY awesome. Don't forget to try some of this. Two people will devour a whole loaf in less than 5 minutes. I am not joking. Time yourself.





Another personal favorite of mine is Victoria's Pizza. Located across from the Dollywood Express train station, this place serves very good personal pizzas and some of the best garlic breadsticks/marinara sauce I've ever had.




Red's Diner is pretty cool because its in the 50s section of Dollywood called Jukebox Junction. This gives you a real feel of what it must have been like to eat in a hamburger joint in the 50s! Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, chili dogs, and french fries are washed down with Coca Cola and root beer. The apple pie is pretty good too. I just love sitting in here with the 50s music playing in the background and all the Dollywood staff are dressed like its 1955! There's some old cars right outside that adds to the whole 50's atmosphere.




Apple Jack's Sandwich Shop is the place to go for sandwiches, soups, and salads. I believe their main sandwich is a chicken sandwich with all the fixings. If you are in the mood for some tasty apple cider, this is the place to go. They don't call it Apple Jack's for nothing!



If you are in the mood for a hand-pulled bbq pork sandwich, Hickory House BBQ is waiting for you. Amusement Business magazine named this the best pork in any theme park in the country! They also feature smoked chicken and smoked turkey legs.



You'll likely smell Market Square before you see it. As you walk up, the aroma of onions and peppers cooked in giant skillets and later put in cheese steak sandwiches is sure to catch anyone's attention. This is one of the first places you'll come to as you enter Dollywood.



If you happen to see someone walking around Dollywood eating a turkey leg, it likely came from Miss Lillian's BBQ Pit. I had a really good bbq pork sandwich here a few times, and their rotisserie chicken is pretty good. Corn on the cob, baked beans, and roasted potatoes round out the sides.



Miss Lillian also has an all-you-can-eat buffet, Miss Lillian's Chicken House. Located in Craftsman's Valley, you'll find some really good fried chicken here. Country fried steak and ham also round out the main selections along with some sides such as mashed potatoes, green beans, and other vegetables.



The Sweet Shoppe features several flavors of Edy's ice cream along with different types of milkshakes. This place is the place to go if you happen to be there on a hot summer day. The Sweet Shoppe also has a candy kitchen in it where you can watch taffy and other candy being made. The staff will even tell you how its done if you have questions! They have a ton of different types of candy here. Notice to all fudge-lovers - this is where to go! I got 5 types of fudge last time I was here! Milk chocolate fudge, maple fudge, maple walnut fudge, mint chocolate fudge, and peanut butter fudge. They had even more flavors - those were just what I walked out of there with! I believe this is where you can also get different jams and other stuff too. My sister loves Dollywood's pumpkin butter. I, on the other hand, am a huge fan of their apple butter! My buddy Ted just went up there a month or so ago with his family and I had him bring me back Dollywood's Hickory BBQ sauce and Mesquite BBQ sauce! I forgot to have him bring me back their apple butter! Cracker Barrel has a decent apple butter, but not as good as Dollywood's!



There are even more places to eat, such as the Backstage Restaurant. I am not sure if I have eaten there, so I can't really report on it. I would imagine its good like everything else Dollywood has to offer. Again, I think I'll make it a point to try it out next time I am there.

Bottom line, Dollywood is absolutely at the top of the game when it comes to food in a theme park. There is something for everyone all throughout the park. When I am there, I feel overwhelmed because I want to eat at all the different places but I can only pick a few! If you take one thing away from this post, take this: go to the Dollywood Grist Mill and get the cinnamon bread!!! And not too late in the afternoon or they might be out! We've literally been handed the last loaf to come out of the oven, with a line of disappointed people behind us! And this was like 2 pm, I think!

Check out my other Dollywood posts:
Dollywood Introduction
The Rides of Dollywood
Blazing Fury IS a roller coaster, mom!
The Shows of Dollywood
The Crafts of Dollywood