Thursday May 7th Pigeon Forge will play host to Dolly Parton and the Dollywood Parade. There will be all sorts of local floats, local high school bands and high school bands from abroad. The streets will be buzzing with people of all ages waiting to see the hometown hero. If you are not aware of who Dolly Parton is and what she has accomplished you have been living under a rock!
Dolly Parton in the eyes of East Tennessee is as famous as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Her giving and generosity is unmatched by any “modern day” actor or singer that you see on television today. Take it from the author of this blog, I personally received $500.00 just for graduating high school from Dolly herself. My daughter received a book every month for the first year of her life because of the Dollywood foundation. Going to school with the Parton family was pretty awesome and envious at times. I remember being in class in primary school and one of the Parton cousins was out for 2 weeks. I thought she was sick only to later find out that Dolly had taken the whole family to Disneyland(California) and then flown them on over to Hawaii for vacation.
People tend to make fun of Dolly because the way she talks and her flashy dress. She is most famous for her out of porportion body parts and her duet with Kenny Rogers in the 80′s. I can tell you with 100% certainty that Dolly Parton is as real as the mountain stream that runs by our office. “Dolly Parton” is not an act or a cheesy schtick like a wrestler would adapt to draw fans. Simply put – “Dolly Parton is Dolly Parton” That is all she knows and all she wants to be.
If your taste in music steers you clear of Dolly Parton and you wonder why she is such a phenomenon, just visit East Tennessee and ask a few questions. You will soon find out that money and fame is no match for love and family. Dolly Parton is a hero of epic proportions in Pigeon Forge,Sevierville,Gatlinburg and the Appalachain mountains.
Pigeon Forge Traffic – Alternate Route – If you are traveling into Gatlinburg and want to avoid the traffic – Traveling West to East you will want to pass exit 407 and go on to Exit 435 in Newport. Stay right when exiting and this will put you onto Hwy 321. Travel 321 into Gatlinburg.
Traveling East to West you will need to exit off of I-40 at exit 435. At the end of the exit make a left across the interstate and this will lead you onto Hwy 321 into Gatlinburg. There will be signs leading the way into Gatlinburg.



