Sandi Patty, Guy Penrod among Headliners at Dollywood’s National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the leaves change in the Great Smoky Mountains, one of the area’s
most beautiful places to be is Dollywood’s National Southern Gospel &
Harvest Celebration presented by Humana, Sept. 30-Oct. 29.

Dollywood proudly hosts the best in Southern gospel music with an
impressive lineup of talent sure to inspire park guests. The
soul-stirring sounds of beautiful harmonies ring through the crisp
autumn air with free daily concerts on the park’s various stages.

“It’s no secret I love singing about the beauty of God’s coloring book,”
said Dolly Parton, “and viewing the bright fall colors of the Great
Smoky Mountains on His pages is so very inspiring. When you mix in all
of that great Southern gospel talent, including Sandi Patty, this truly
is a great time of year to visit my Dollywood.”

Five-time Grammy Award winner Sandi Patty, who is in her final year of
touring, headlines this year’s festival with concerts Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
Guests can see a number of returning Dollywood favorites including Guy
Penrod (Oct. 14-15), The McKameys (Oct. 7-8), Karen Peck & New River
(Oct. 19-20), The Isaacs (Oct. 5-6), Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (Oct.
16-17) and Gold City (Oct. 21-22).

“It is such an honor for me to be performing at Dollywood for this
year’s National Southern Gospel & Harvest Celebration,” Patty explained.
“The vision that the legendary Dolly Parton has created in her theme
park and Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort is evident in the meaningful
entertainment that is constantly offered. It is such a special
opportunity to spend a few days at Dollywood during my Farewell Tour. I
look forward to sharing some of the most well-known songs that I’ve had
the privilege of singing in my career. We’re going to have a great time
together in worship.”

Guy Penrod, a guest-favorite for a number of years, greatly anticipates
his annual visit to the park each fall. “I love Dollywood,” Penrod
exclaimed. “It’s probably the most beautiful setting for a theme park
that you can imagine. I admire their love for gospel music and am
thankful for the freedom to perform there.”

Many other artists take to the stage throughout the festival including
special concerts on the Praise 96.3 FM and Singing News stages.
Dollywood’s own Kingdom Heirs also play prominently throughout the
festival. Incredibly, guests can experience more than 350 concerts, all
free with park admission, during the festival. For a complete Southern
gospel concert schedule, visit Dollywood.com/gospel.

Additionally, Dollywood’s own master craftsmen are joined by more than
40 visiting artisans from around the country. Daily craft demonstrations
illustrate how many of America’s vital products were made for centuries.

Dollywood’s master craftsmen make a multitude of beautiful handmade
products from glass ornaments and glazed pottery to decorative candles
and rustic knives. Among the visiting crafters Dollywood guests can
observe during the National Southern Gospel and Harvest Celebration are
banjo and fiddle making, loom weaving, rug hooking, basket weaving,
paper marbling, felt hat making and much more. Products for purchase
also include dulcimers, various forms of jewelry, chainsaw carving,
bentwood boxes, stained glass artwork, and more.

Finally, Dollywood perfectly captures the essence of fall with
perfectly-themed menus which take advantage of the crops from a
bountiful autumn harvest. Special food locations feature various recipes
including fresh apples, fried green tomatoes and much more. New this
year is a special harvest treat cooked on Dollywood’s famous Big
Skillets. The harvest version features smoked sausage, potatoes, sweet
potatoes, green and red peppers, and onions.

Guests also can attend worship services each Sunday during the festival
at Dollywood’s Robert F. Thomas Chapel. Named in honor of the doctor who
delivered little Dolly Rebecca Parton, the one-room country church
reminds guests of a simpler time. Park visitors also can attend chapel
services, which take place throughout the regular operating season at
11:30 a.m. every Sunday.

Each day is a picture-perfect opportunity to enjoy the traditional
experiences of a Smoky Mountain harvest!

To learn more about Dollywood’s National Southern Gospel & Harvest
Celebration, please visit www.dollywood.com
or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.

About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized
leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the
150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country;
Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As
unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010
Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade;
winner of nearly 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 25 Brass Ring
Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the
world). In 2014, Dollywood was named a top three U.S. theme park by USA
Today and TripAdvisor recognized Dollywood as a top 20
worldwide theme park in 2015. Dollywood is open nine months a year (late
March through early January) and offers rides and attractions, shows,
and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s
Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel as one of the country’s
most beautiful waterparks and named 2009’s Must-See Waterpark by the
International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, operates
from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 300-room Dollywood’s DreamMore
Resort provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly
amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash
Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin
accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call
1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com.
Operating days and hours vary.

Contacts

The Dollywood Company
Pete Owens, 865-428-9486 or 865-755-7972
Director
of Communications
powens@dollywood.com
or
Wes
Ramey, 865-428-9484 or 865-640-3805
Public Relations Manager
wramey@dollywood.com
or
Amber
Davis, 865-428-9601 or 865-591-1002
Publicist
aldavis@dollywood.com
or
Ellen
Liston, 865-428-9629 or 865-919-7001
Publicist
eliston@dollywood.com