.webp)
Emily Ann Roberts Brings East Tennessee Roots and Dolly Inspiration to Dollywood’s Harvest Festival
The Knoxville native’s five-day run continues through Oct. 18 at DP’s Celebrity Theater.
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — For Emily Ann Roberts, this week’s Dollywood performances bring her country music career back to the region where it began.
The Knoxville native is performing at Dolly Parton’s Celebrity Theater Oct. 14–18 as part of Dollywood’s Harvest Festival, giving East Tennessee fans an opportunity to catch her close to home. Her appearances continue Friday through Sunday.
Tennessee Trends was at the park Thursday, Oct. 15, for the second day of Roberts’ five-day series. Roberts spoke about Dolly Parton’s influence on her life and performed several of Parton’s songs during the show.
That connection gives the Dollywood stop a personal thread: an East Tennessee artist returning to a stage associated with another woman whose musical journey began in the Smokies.
What Fans Can Expect
Fans heading to the remaining performances can expect an artist whose sound puts country storytelling and a distinctive twang at the forefront. Roberts also pays tribute to Dolly Parton, herself, as she mentions "Dolly has had a huge influence on me."
Roberts first reached a national audience on Season 9 of NBC’s The Voice, competing on Blake Shelton’s team. Since then, she has toured alongside Shelton and Thomas Rhett and made numerous Grand Ole Opry appearances. Her Dollywood engagement brings that experience back to a hometown audience as her career continues to develop beyond Tennessee.
Roberts is currently nominated for Best New Artist at the CMA Awards happening on Wednesday, November 18.
For longtime supporters, the run offers a chance to reconnect with a familiar local voice. For park visitors discovering Roberts for the first time, it provides an introduction to a singer whose East
Tennessee roots remain part of her musical identity.
Make a Fall Day of It
Roberts’ performances are part of a largely attended Harvest Festival lineup featuring more than 700 individual performances throughout the season. The festival continues through Oct. 31, pairing live music with seasonal food, fall decorations and Great Pumpkin LumiNights.
The festival is included with regular park admission, allowing guests to build a visit around live entertainment and stay for the illuminated pumpkin displays after dark.
Guests should check the Dollywood Instagram and website for daily performance times and plan to arrive ahead of their preferred show.
Comments