Runners took on hills, cinnamon bread stops, and beautiful scenery during Dollywood’s first-ever race weekend.
Thousands of people race through Dollywood during the first race weekend
Thousands of people lined up for the inaugural Run Dollywood Race Weekend, where runners could refuel with the park’s famous cinnamon bread.
- Dollywood held its first-ever Run Dollywood Race Weekend in late April, featuring a 5K, 10K, and half marathon.
- More than 5,900 people from around the world participated in the inaugural race event.
- Along the race route, staff took runners through the theme park, past dormant rides and shops, while providing encouragement and refreshments.
Early on a weekend morning, I was trudging up a 5km hill in the dim early morning light, listening to The Chicks’ “Ready to Run.” As I turned the corner, a woman standing by the road said exactly what I wanted to hear.
“It’s all downhill from here, guys!” I wasn’t used to encouragement while jogging, but this wasn’t your standard morning run. Dollywood staff members were stationed there as part of the first-ever Run Dollywood Race Weekend.
It could be her words of encouragement, adrenaline, or an unexpectedly excited competitive instinct. After all, it was a race. But I picked up the pace and made my way to the finish line, overcoming dormant roller coasters and still-closed stores.
For two days in late April, the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, theme park became a 5k, 10k, and half marathon course (along with a Kids Fun Run).
Eugene Norton, president of Dollywood Parks & Resorts, said he met participants from all over the world, from California in the United States to the Netherlands. “It’s been a dream of mine to host a race here because of the beauty of the Smoky Mountains and how much people love coming here,” he told USA TODAY.
More than 5,900 people attended over the weekend. The situation is as follows.
What happened at the first Run Dollywood Race Weekend?
I signed up for a 5K that started early on April 25th. I was staying at Heartsong Lodge & Resort, one of Dollywood’s two resorts adjacent to the park, where participants received a packet the day before, including a race bib with a timing device and a free T-shirt. The facility’s Runner Expo also featured limited edition merchandise and accessibility information.
On race day, a trolley picked us up from the resort around 5:10am. Even though it was well before business hours, someone started singing Dolly Parton’s hit “9 to 5” while we were waiting to leave. It might have seemed strange elsewhere.
After about 4 minutes of riding, the trolley dropped us outside the park, and from there we walked another 10 minutes to the starting line. It hadn’t even been nearly an hour since the race started, but many people were already warming up, stretching, and sitting on the pavement in various sections organized based on estimated pace (I did the same at one point to conserve energy).
I saw at least two women wearing cloaks shaped like butterfly wings (a motif seen throughout the park), a woman wearing a butterfly-print T-shirt, and several people wearing blonde wigs. Before I knew it, the wait was over and I was on my way.
The route started near the Dolly Parton Experience, which opened in 2024, and moved clockwise through the park. I wanted to maintain a steady pace, but it was difficult to avoid pausing at various points along the way. By the park’s main entrance, staff handed out bite-sized bites of Dollywood’s famous cinnamon bread, while the Corey Zink and Co. bluegrass band performed near the Dollywood Express depot.
There were a few narrow spots where I had to reposition myself to avoid bumping into other runners, but other than that I felt the trail was easy to follow. Staff were always on hand to guide the runners, hand out water, and cheer them on.
Later in the race, we left the park and continued to the end of the route, where we finished in the parking lot. We tackled the last small hill and soon crossed the finish line to receive a snack box containing bananas, granola bars, etc. and a medal in the shape of a butterfly.
As I sat on the ground to catch my breath, I heard the announcer reassure the crowd, “Don’t worry, it’s not sweat. It’s rhinestones.”
Is the Run Dollywood Race Weekend available?
Participants were allowed to use competition wheelchairs, walkers, and other equipment. According to Runner’s Guide, the theme park strongly encourages guests to “contact Dollywood Accessibility at least one week prior to race day to discuss accommodations, device approval, and participation needs.”
Was Dolly Parton in the race?
Parton herself wasn’t at the race, but she recently appeared at the park to celebrate the start of the 41st season in March. Dollywood’s Dreamer-in-Chief typically appears in person multiple times a year, but there is no set schedule.
“When Dolly is here, you never know where she’s going to show up, which makes it all the more exciting when you experience a ‘Dolly sighting,'” Public Relations Director Wes Ramey told Knox News, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2024.
When is the next Run Dollywood race weekend?
The next Run Dollywood Race Weekend will be held on September 26th and 27th. Prospective runners can sign up to renew their registration on the park’s website.
Pricing information for fall races is not yet available, but registration and processing fees for April races ranged from $27.50 to $289.75 depending on guest selection when I registered in November. We paid a total of $144.10 for the 5K and 2 days of park admission.
Norton also said the first few weeks of the Smoky Mountain Christmas event will be “focused on Christmas,” and that he hopes to add a full marathon next year.
Contributor: Eve Chen
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Please contact us at ndiller@usatoday.com.
