Dolly Parton's Stampede Review
Dixie Stampede : Family-Friendly Pigeon Forge REVIEW

Dixie Stampede

This dinner show, which is owned by Ms. Dolly Parton, is so much more than a meal! Guests are allowed into a saloon an hour and a half before dinner actually begins, and can get yummy specialty drinks (like frozen slushes or fancy soda combinations…no alcohol here) and some popcorn. And you get to listen to a tremendous 3 piece band play songs that you are pretty much guaranteed to know, which makes it easy to sing along.

Darah was completely mesmerized by the banjo player (he serves as Dolly’s banjo player when she tours!). We weren’t supposed to take photos of the performers, but I snapped one of Darah in her trance!

After the pre-dinner show, we were ushered into the arena where the main event would take place. Everyone had assigned seating, so there was no actual “stampede” to get inside, which I appreciated. And once I saw the arena, I realized that there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The tiers between rows are quite large so that views aren’t obstructed, and the performers in the show do a fantastic job of going all over the performance space so that everyone can get a good view. Once again, no photography was allowed once the show started, but here’s a shot I snapped before that time.

Throughout the show, we were served our delicious meal, which included a really yummy creamy vegetable soup (my personal favorite!), a whole rotisserie chicken (yes, a whole chicken per person!!!), a hickory smoked bbq pork loin, corn on the cob, a homemade biscuit and a herb-basted potato. For dessert we had an apple pastry that was quite yummy, and we also had unlimited Pepsi products, tea or coffee throughout the meal. To say it was a feast would be an understatement! And I appreciated that they offered doggie bags so that you could take home your leftovers.

I haven’t even told you about the show, yet. It is a very playful competition between the north and south, and includes some truly incredible trick riding on horses, great audience participation, and fun songs. It was REALLY GREAT entertainment, and our 4-year-old was on the edge of her seat the whole time! This experience, in my opinion, is really a must if you visit the Pigeon Forge area.