Dollywood's Light The Way 5k
Dollywood's Light The Way 5k is a running race on November 13–14, 2026 in Pigeon Forge, TN, with an entry fee of $55.
- Date
- November 13–14, 2026 (113 days to go)
- Price
- $55
- Sport
- Running
From the Organizer
There is nothing quite like Dollywood at Christmas. Experience a nighttime run in the nation’s most beautiful holiday park during the Smoky Mountain Christmas festival by registering for the 13th annual Light the Way 5K! This year’s event will take place on Friday, November 13 beginning at 11 p.m. We are excited to announce that this year’s race is being facilitated by the Knoxville Track Club (ktc.org). KTC will chip-time the event and work with the event team to provide runners with the best experience possible.
In 2024, the event course was re-certified to provide the best race experience. It will start in a different location for a more streamlined course route that will eliminate runners having to make a second loop on park. More than half of the course for this year's race will be off-park, first utilizing Dollywood's tram road and then concluding the race through Dollywood's 6 million Christmas lights. The course will be cleared of all participants at 12:30 am. If you are not sure that you can complete the 5K in 90 minutes without stopping , we highly recommend that you register for the 1-mile Fun Walk.
Light the Way 5K aims to provide runners with an unforgettable race. The 2026 race course will take participants throughout Dollywood and their over 6 million Christmas lights! NO STROLLERS ALLOWED!!!
Each participant in the 2026 Light the Way 5K will receive a commemorative medal at the finish line. Awards will be presented to the top three overall finishers as well as the top three finishers for men and women respectively. Awards will not be mailed. You must be present to receive your award.
Participation in the Light the Way 5K is limited to 2,000 runners and online registration is encouraged. The registration fee is $50 until June 1 and $55 beginning June 2 until November 13.
Events
Weather
Typical Conditions
It's too far out for a forecast, so here's what weather on this date is normally like in the area. A race day forecast will replace this as race week approaches.
Typical High
59°
Typical Low
34°
Chance of Rain
39%
Based on US Climate Normals data from Gatlinburg 2 Sw, 7 mi from the venue.
Host City
About Pigeon Forge, TN
Population
18,105
as of 2023
City Elevation
986 ft
Nearest Airport
TYS
McGhee Tyson Airport · 24 mi
Time Zone
Eastern Time
From Endurance Grid
A mid-size host city. Enough lodging and amenities to keep race weekend easy, without big-city sprawl.
Race Location
Your Next Start Line
What Are You
Waiting For?
Every finish line starts with a single decision. Claim your spot at Dollywood's Light The Way 5k, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
113
Days to train
- Race
- Dollywood's Light The Way 5k
- Date
- November 13–14, 2026
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From Endurance Grid
About This Sport
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it’s the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer’s event page.
With running, there's a distance for every fitness level, a community at every start line, and nothing beats the feeling of crossing a finish line you trained for.
Running is an endurance sport that rewards consistency, and showing up every week compounds in ways that will surprise you.
Running
From 5K to marathon, running races are an accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
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Plan your trip
Make it a Racecation
Coming from out of town? There's more to Pigeon Forge than race day. We'll help you line up nearby lodging, flights, a rental car, and things to do so you can make the most of your racecation.
Plan your trip to Pigeon ForgeFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Dollywood's Light The Way 5k
Nov 13, 2026