Besides the peaceful views of the majesty of the Smoky Mountains, the tranquil rivers, and beautiful, lush forestry, the ever-evolving and always-exciting Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg attractions keep visitors to this portion of the Appalachian area coming back each year while luring new guests to discover the relaxation and fun of a Pigeon Forge cabin with gorgeous mountain views. And this year is no exception! Celebrity chef and Southern native Paula Deen is bringing the return of a beloved Pigeon Forge attraction, but with even more flair and excitement…
Long before the competing athletes of the 2011 Lumberjack Feud and before the revamped 2015-2017 show featuring a more theatrical event with acrobats, song, dance, and special effects – Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure – lumberjacks were some of the original tourists to the Smoky Mountain area. Before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established as a federally protected forest, lumber was a huge industry to the Southern Appalachian region, bringing in hundreds of workers in and out of the area. Lumberjack Feud, from its opening, was a competitive show paying tribute to this arduous career field with an incredible display of ax throwing, log rolling, tree climbing, chainsaw carving, and feats of strength and skill between 2 teams of professional athletes.
Bought out by Dolly Parton in 2015, Lumberjack Feud became Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure, transforming the competition into a theatrical show, and like most things Dolly Parton does, a lot more music and storytelling came to center stage with the lumberjacks as the supporting acts. While the show was still pronounced as one of Pigeon Forge’s must-see 4-course dinner events, Gatlinburg fires of 2016 impacted the area in a monumental way. Among the worst natural disasters in Tennessee history, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg were evacuated as the impacts of the 12-day, almost 18,000-acre fire reverberated through the area for months.
Dolly Parton, a Smoky Mountain native, raised millions of dollars through her charity and movies about her family to funnel back into the region, just one year later. In the inspiration and success of her intimate family stories, Dolly made the decision to take the theatrical show, Lumberjack Adventures, in a new direction more closely related to those films: Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures.
And that brings us to the new beginnings for the lumberjacks of Pigeon Forge: Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud! The show returns to its original competitive nature in an all-new, state-of-the-art venue with even more exciting additions. Located right on the Parkway of Pigeon Forge, the construction has stirred some big excitement and for good reason: the new Lumberjack Feud is built as an amazing lumberjack-themed park! Here are some the exciting highlights of the new lumberjack grandstand:
- A 350-cushioned seat outdoor arena with fans, heaters, and covers to keep the show rolling, no matter the weather
- Aerial Playground just for the little lumberjacks
- “Extreme” Zipline Roller Coaster
- 80-foot Jump Tower
- Multi-level lumberjack-themed Adventure Park
So, what exactly makes this competition a “feud”? Well, that would require a little more familiarity among the competitors, and this show has it. The two Smoky Mountain families, the Dawsons and the McGraws, have been using one another to hone their skills in “end of the season” competitive fun since the years of the booming logging industry in the Smokies.
This time, however, the families are inviting young audience members to try their hands at some trades of the ‘jacks during the show’s intermission! Choose your team and get into the logging spirit as the Daswon and McGraw world-class lumberjacks show off their skills and sheer strengths in the long-held sporting log games and traditions as they cut, throw, chop, saw, and climb.
Scheduled to open in the Summer of 2018, Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud is just another one of Pigeon Forge’s wildly popular attractions drawing visitors to the area again this year. Want to know all about the other awesome things to do, to see, and to explore while staying in your relaxing Pigeon Forge cabin? Peruse our informative blogs and educational web pages on the area’s top annual events, attractions, and more. Here’s a quick glimpse at more fun happenings in the Pigeon Forge area this summer:
- Dollywood’s Great American Summer | June 16-August 5
- Titanic Color 5k Walk/Run for the Tennessee Autism Society | July 21
- Stringtime in the Smokies & 8th Annual Smoky Mountain Cornhole Tournament | August 4
Whitewater rafting season only tends to run until Labor Day; be sure to check out Wildwater Rafting for 2 different levels of rapids on the Pigeon River, along with ziplining and more!
Your perfect Pigeon Forge Cabin awaits, along with Smoky Mountain summer fun. Peruse our budget-friendly cabins to have extra spending money, or split the cost of a large group cabin with another family or all your friends and begin exploring Lumberjack Feud and other exciting Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg attractions.
