Dollywood may be famous for its cinnamon bread, but fall brings plenty of other reasons to arrive at the Pigeon Forge theme park hungry.

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival is underway through Oct. 31, filling the park with the sights, sounds and flavors of autumn in the Smoky Mountains. And while the rides and seasonal entertainment may get you through the gates, this time of year it’s worth paying attention to what’s cooking around the park.

The festival menu goes well beyond the usual theme park fare, with hearty comfort foods, fall-inspired desserts and spiced drinks designed for a cool autumn day in East Tennessee.

Start With Something Savory

There’s no shortage of choices for guests looking to make lunch or dinner part of their Harvest Festival experience.

Among the more intriguing options is Hot Honey Chicken Pizza, combining a little sweetness with some heat. There’s also Smoked Pork Flatbread, Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, Harvest Chicken Nachos and a Sausage & Cabbage Sandwich.

For a dish that sounds particularly suited to a crisp fall afternoon, there’s a Sweet Potato Cornbread Stack. Other choices include Roasted Squash Soup, Stuffed Acorn Squash, Harvest Vegetables and a Mushroom Mac & Cheese Potato.

Bacon Corn Strips, Spiced Corn Dip and Toasted Garlic Knots provide a few more possibilities for guests who would rather snack their way around the park than sit down for one big meal.

Save Room for Dessert

This is Dollywood, so skipping dessert probably isn’t part of the plan.

Fall sweets range from familiar favorites to creations made for anyone with a serious sweet tooth.

Apple Pie Overload certainly lives up to its name, while the Harvest Cinnamon Roll offers another way to get a cinnamon fix without heading straight for the park’s famous cinnamon bread.

There’s also a Pecan Pie Brownie, Apple Cobbler Cupcake, Carrot Cake Cupcake and Pumpkin Cookies.

And because Halloween is part of the season, candy corn makes a couple of appearances with both a Candy Corn Cupcake and Candy Corn Sundae.

Guests looking for something they can sip while exploring the park can add a Caramel Apple Milkshake to the list.

One Pass, Five Festival Foods

With so many choices, deciding what to try might be the hardest part.

Dollywood offers a Harvest Festival Tasting Pass that allows guests to sample up to five festival foods for one price. For visitors planning to spend a full day at the park, it offers an opportunity to turn the festival menu into part of the experience rather than settling on just one dish.

It can also make sharing a good strategy. Pick several different items, split them among your group and try more of what Dollywood is serving for fall.

Come for the Smokies, Stay for the Flavors

Fall has long been one of the most popular times to visit the Smoky Mountains, when changing leaves and cooler temperatures transform the region surrounding Pigeon Forge.

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival adds another layer to that experience.

You can ride a roller coaster, take in the autumn atmosphere and then spend the rest of the day working your way from hot honey chicken pizza to apple pie and a caramel apple milkshake.

And yes, you can still get the cinnamon bread.

Just don’t fill up on it first.

Dollywood’s Harvest Festival continues through Oct. 31.

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(Photo courtesy Dollywood Parks & Resorts)