Dixie Stampede

Beginning Friday, February 24th, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede opens its 18th season, taking the rivalry up a notch, high into the treetops, with the new "Rumble In The Treetops" lumberjack competition! The new feature showcases the strength and agility of skilled lumberjack teams as they climb, chop, saw and log roll their way through a four-event relay.

Logging is a key part of Branson's history. Over a century ago, logs were cut and floated down the White River to Branson, where they were taken off and processed into ties for the Transcontinental Railroad as well as for wagon spokes and pencils.

"The new Rumble In The Treetops lumberjack competition at my Dixie Stampede is a really fun way to showcase a bit of history," added Dolly. "And to see those log-rolling lumberjacks toss one another in the water is the best part of all!"

The first leg, the tree climb, is a race to the top of a tall pine. Next is the two-man crosscut, with teams battling to saw through a giant log. In the third leg, the lumberjacks rely on accuracy and sheer muscle as they split a log in the underhand chopping competition, the first to sever the log wins. In the final leg, the burly lumberjacks square off in an old-fashioned log roll. The first to lose his balance and land in the water loses.

The winning lumberjack team collects medals for each leg of the relay. Rumble In The Treetops is part of the friendly rivalry between the North and the South, upon which the dinner attraction is based, and includes trick riding, barrel race, Roman riding and more.

Dixie Stampede Website: branson.dixiestampede.com