Tennessee
Storms bring flood to Dollywood amusement park in Tennessee
Strong thunderstorms bring flash floods to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in east Tennessee, USA, on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Park officials said workers and the Pigeon Forge police and fire departments directed guests to safety on Sunday and one minor injury was reported.
PIGEON FORGE, Tennessee — Strong thunderstorms brought flash floods to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in east Tennessee.
Park workers and the Pigeon Forge police and fire departments directed guests to safety on Sunday afternoon, and one minor injury was reported, park officials said in a statement. The amusement park said it was supporting guests whose vehicles were affected and cleanup crews were deployed. The park was opening at noon Monday and the park’s Splash Country, which wasn’t affected, opened at its regular time.
A road collapse closed McCarter Hollow Road at the entrance to Dollywood on Sunday night, according to the Pigeon Forge Police Department.
JeMiale McKinney of Knoxville and his wife and two daughters are season pass holders and headed to the park Sunday. Sometimes, when there is a threat of bad weather, that is the best time to go because many people will leave and once the weather clears, you get shorter ride times, McKinney said.
READ: European-themed park in Germany named best amusement park in the world
Strong thunderstorms bring flash floods to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in east Tennessee, USA, on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Park officials said workers and the Pigeon Forge police and fire departments directed guests to safety on Sunday and one minor injury was reported.
However, it was pouring buckets and within 10 minutes the entrance was blocked. People could see that it wouldn’t be worth it to drive through the water that was thigh-deep in some places, McKinney said.
“We got trapped in the parking lot faster than we thought,” he said. They were stuck there for two hours until a crew broke down a fence so people could get out.
“I was surprised about how calm people were,” he said.
READ: Dolly Parton receives $100 million award from Jeff Bezos
Nearly 5 inches of rain fell in the area in about an hour, Dollywood spokesperson Wes Ramey said in an email.
“While the volume of rain was difficult for both the park’s and the city’s infrastructure to manage, the fact we have only one minor injury illustrates how well our hosts handled the situation and how well our guests followed their directions,” Ramey said.
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The park will evaluate the response to determine whether any changes are needed, he said.
The History of Earth Day
A comprehensive look at the evolution of Earth Day from its 1970 origins to a global environmental movement.
Earth Day, the annual event which promotes environmental protection and awareness, is this week.
Celebrating its 56th year, this year’s Earth Day theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” which stresses the importance of communities, educators, workers and families working together toward environmental progress.
“‘Our Power, Our Planet’ is not a political statement. It is a commitment to stewardship, resilience, and shared accountability — a call for every individual, community, and sector to exercise their power in service of the planet we all depend on,” reads the 2026 manifesto.
To celebrate Earth Day 2026, the Tennessee State Parks system will be offering educational, recreational and volunteer events across the state.
Here’s what to know.
When is Earth Day 2026?
Earth Day is April 22.
According to Earthday.org, the movement’s founders — inspired by the student anti‑war protests of the 1960s and 1970s — chose a weekday falling between Spring Break and final exams to maximize the greatest student participation.
Why is Earth Day celebrated?
The history of Earth Day dates back to 1962 with Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestselling book, “Silent Spring” which raised awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the links between pollution and public health.
U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Democrat from Wisconsin, was concerned about worsening environmental conditions and galvanized by the massive 1969 oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara. He launched the idea that would become Earth Day.
Nelson partnered with Republican U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey and activist Denis Hayes to organize nationwide teach‑ins on April 22, expanding the effort beyond college campuses and rebranding it as Earth Day, an event that quickly gained national media attention and widespread public participation.
Tennessee State Parks system celebrates Earth Day 2026
Here’s a look at events planned by region, happening on and around April 22.
West Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
East Tennessee:
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Big hearts, small hands! Tennessee kids are stepping up to make a big difference this summer.
First Lady Maria Lee on Tuesday announced the eighth annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge, encouraging young students to dedicate part of their summer to helping others.
The program, part of the Tennessee Serves initiative, runs from June 1 through Aug. 1 and is open to rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders across the state.
Participants must complete at least two hours of service across two of eight designated categories to finish the challenge, with top participants earning an invitation to a September carnival at the Tennessee Residence.
Since its launch in 2019, more than 3,500 children have contributed over 15,000 hours of service through activities ranging from park cleanups to assisting nursing homes and raising funds for disaster relief.
Registration opened Tuesday, with parents and guardians able to sign up participants and access additional details through the First Lady’s official website.
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