Dollywood Mountain Getaway
Harvest Festival
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Friday October 30 - Sunday November 1, 2026
We’re workin’ 9 to 5 to bring you this amazing mountain getaway!
Take us home, country roads! We hope you will join us this fall for a Blue Skies weekend mountain getaway at Dollywood’s DreamMore resort! Cool mountain air, mountainside bonfires, beautiful autumn colors, the laughter of children, genuine bonds between family and friends with beautiful blue skies all around are what is in store for you on our fall camp!
Camp will take place in Pigeon Forge, TN at the DreamMore Resort. The resort is nestled right in the Smokies with beautiful plush outdoor gathering areas including a hot tub, playground, and firepits. The resort also has an indoor pool, a Starbucks, an ice cream shop, and a trolly to take us to Dollywood. You can read all about DreamMore here!
DREAMMORE RESORT
Just like at summer camp, we will be spending time in the beautiful Smoky Mountains! Our lodging will be in the stunning DreamMore Resort, surrounded by the changing fall leaves and mountain views! We will laugh, play, worship, and grow closer to one another just like at traditional summer camp!
HARVEST FESTIVAL
We will visit Dollywood during the Harvest Festival, voted America’s #1 Fall Family Event by USA Today Readers. Delicious fall treats as well as a beautiful display of illuminated carved pumpkins at night - you do not want to miss this! From worship and sharing hearts to family fun at Dollywood, it is sure to be the best weekend ever!
WHAT TO KNOW
where
Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort
Address: 2525 DreamMore Wy, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE
Volunteer arrival time: 2pm-3pm EST
Volunteer departure time: 10:30am EST
COST
Price Per Room: $1800 minimum donation. Dollywood tickets are available for $60/person. Most rooms have bedding for up to 4 people. There are no rollaways available at this hotel. If you have more than 4 people serving in your family, please reach out to julie.h@whereskiesareblue.org about pricing.
Application Fee: $50 (non-refundable; covers background check)
Why is there a cost?
Every Blue Skies camp costs between $50,000 and $75,000 to make happen. Volunteer support typically funds about 25-50% of what it actually costs to host a retreat. If you know of a church, company, or individual who would be willing to help sponsor part of camp to bring hope, that would help immensely! We want families walking through pediatric cancer to experience camp completely free of charge—a place where they can rest, laugh, and reconnect. Your contribution helps make that possible. We work hard to keep volunteer costs as low as we can, and if you need help, we have a limited number of scholarships available. Just ask! If you are coming by yourself and need help finding a roommate to share the cost, let us know!
Fundraising Made Simple
We’ll send you an email with a link to your personal fundraising page and easy instructions to get started. Many volunteers share their page on social media or through email and letters as these are great ways to invite friends and family to join you in making a difference. Plus, it spreads the word about Blue Skies and the hope we bring to families.
Payment Details
Support is due one week before camp. (Check out our cancellation policy for details.)
The Impact of Your Volunteering
When you volunteer, you’re not just helping with meals or activities, you’re giving families a break from cancer. You’re creating space for laughter, rest, and joy during one of the hardest seasons of their lives. Parents get to breathe. Kids get to play. Families get to feel hope again.
Even if you can’t attend, you can still make an impact by sponsoring a volunteer or donating to send a family to camp. Every gift matters. Every act of service changes lives.
Local Volunteers
If you’re a local and live in the community where we host camp, we’d love your help too! You can join us for the week or help out at some of our activities. You’ll need to fill out an application with background check and references. And, we would sure appreciate your support in helping the children with cancer and their families attend at no cost. We can create a fundraising page for you! We ask that everyone who serves for the full camp raise or give $300/individual or $500/family.
schedule
your role
Get ready for a weekend packed with fun! We’ll spend time connecting with our team and the families we are serving (this is your primary focus) to share with one another the hope and joy Jesus brings. We will have worship, teachings, and enjoy the great outdoors!
housing
We will be staying at the beautiful DreamMore Resort. Each family will have their own room at the resort. Most rooms have a king bed and a set of bunks.
travel
The nearest airport to Dollywood is Knoxville (TYS) Airport which is 25.7 miles away. Other nearby airports include Asheville (AVL) (61.7 miles).
guidelines
Please review our guidelines for volunteering at camp by clicking HERE. We ask all volunteers to abide by these guidelines to ensure we all have an incredible week together!
podcast
Click here to hear Melinda’s heart behind the ministry and the hope Blue Skies brought to the Dryden family as they join Christy Nockels on her podcast!
volunteer manual
Click here to view our volunteer manual with lots of helpful information!
Guest family welcome letter
Click here to read a welcome from Melinda to our guest families to learn more about Blue Skies!
Cancellation Policy
If for some reason you are unable to attend once your application has been accepted, you are required to raise/give the full amount of volunteer support due to find another volunteer/volunteer family (approved) to take your spot.