Severe flooding has affected Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park, forcing visitors to wade through rising waters and the closure of surrounding roads.
Dollywood is an amusement park owned by the country music icon. It is among the most popular paid attractions in Tennessee, and from mid-March through the festive season, it brings in almost 3 million visitors. The park is situated close to the Great Smoky Mountains' entrance at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the Knoxville metropolitan region.
On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Sevier County that lasted from 5:39 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Visitors at Dollywood during that time were almost trapped, photos and videos shared online showed, with a car park and a gift shop flooding.
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Late in the evening, Dollywood management released a statement about the flash flood: "This afternoon, Sunday, July 28, a strong thunderstorm caused flash flooding at Dollywood. With the assistance of Pigeon Forge Police and Fire Departments, park personnel directed guests to safety during the storm. At this time, one minor injury has been reported.
"Dollywood is supporting guests whose vehicles were affected by this weather event, and cleanup crews have been deployed. The park currently is scheduled to open at noon on Monday, July 29. Park officials will continue to assess conditions and updates will be posted to our social media pages as additional information becomes available."
Newsweek has contacted a Dollywood spokesperson for comment via email outside normal working hours.
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Dollywood visitors who were at the amusement park on Sunday have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share an account of the events that transpired.
"I still love Dollywood... but we barely escaped today. The first pic is one my daughter took of water coming down from the Splash Country lot as we were leaving... others from social media. Hope everyone gets out alright," one person wrote alongside photos of the flooded car park and visitors wading through the rising water.
"Well...I was at Dollywood today. And yes, it was like the Old Testament. This video was only the start. Props to the Dollywood FD for leading us to our cars like The Batman," another X user wrote, sharing a video of the flooding at the theme park.
"Didn't have being stranded in the @Dollywood parking lot due to major flooding on my 2024 bingo card," another added.
On X, the Knoxville Police told people to be careful because of the weather expected.
"Periods of heavy rain are expected in our area for the next hour or more. Use caution on the roads, watch out for standing water, and be aware of the potential for flash flooding. And remember, as always, to never drive through flooded roads. Turn around, don't drown," the department wrote.
Country music and Dollywood aren't Parton's only ventures. On June 30, she posted a photo of herself and her sister Rachel Parton George on Instagram to promote their upcoming cookbook.
"The best part of creating this cookbook is getting to spend quality time with my sister Rachel," Parton wrote in the post. "We can't wait to share our recipes with you all, pre-order now at the link in my bio!"
The cookbook, titled Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals and set for release in September, promises a year's worth of the Parton family's favorite recipes. Featuring dishes for festive gatherings and simple meals, the book seeks to bring a piece of the Parton family kitchen to fans around the world.
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