Dixie Stampede

Whoa! At 7:15 p.m., we saddled up and headed for the Dixie Stampede show. We got there early enough to see the horses in their outdoors stalls. The horses were beautiful. We waited for the previous show to conclude before we were allowed to enter the building.

There was a pre-show with a country band playing and singing. When it was time, we were escorted to our seats. Our seats happened to be right outside the entertainment ring. The audience was divided into the North and the South and during the performance there would be challenges to win battles and eventually the South would win the war. Our side just happened to be located in the South.

The lights were lowered and out came the entertainment…a women on two horses would jump through a ring of fire. Then there were more horses and riders acts. After that, the theme of the show seemed to be the beginning of the West. The entertainers, dressed as Indians made their appearance. This would be my favorite part, where one person was dressed as an eagle, coming out of the ceiling and swinging and swooping around the ring. It was so cool and professionally done that it really looked like an Eagle flying about the arena.

Throughout the show, we were served our dinner without cutlery. The food started with soup served in individual ramequins, half a chicken, a slice of pork loin, a half of a potato, an ear of corn, and dessert.

The story line continued with the pioneers traveling West, women and men on horses doing a dance and then a group of Southern Belles dressed in beautiful ball gowns, singing. When their dresses lit up, my little granddaughter was in awe of the ‘princesses.’ and having their clothes light up. The end of the show was a patriotic ending of we are all Americans united together, with a tape of Dolly Parton singing “Color Me American,” recorded specifically for the Dixie Stampede.

By the time the show ended, everyone was satisfied and tired, but not too tired to pose with one of the cowboys and cowgirls. All in all this was definitely an entertaining show. I would recommend it to visitors to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.