Dixie Stampede is Dolly Parton's dinner and show theater. Dolly herself does not appear. Rather, the stars of the show are a group of talented horseback riders. As our visit to Branson occurred in November, Dixie Stampede performed their Christmas program.
We entered into a huge Carriage Room where a juggler presented his act on a center stage. Bright red and pink fruity drinks in a souvenir glass could be purchased during this pre-show, but no other drink options were available. As most of the hundreds of people waiting for the next show crammed into the carriage room, a cool drink would have been nice while we waited for the theater doors to open.
The theater reminded me of a rodeo with center dirt floor. Floods of people split into two as the people with tickets A, B, or C went to the north side and people with tickets E, F, or G headed to the south side. Our tickets also had a number which indicated the row, so all 50 people with G2 sat behind this long, thin dinner table. Erica, our server for the evening, had her own personal aisle that ran the distance in front of the dinner table. She literally ran up and down this aisle serving our dinners.
The meal consisted of either tea, coffee or Pepsi to drink. The drinking glass (a Mason jar) was filled as she dashed down her aisle with pitchers of beverages. She ran back again, carrying a tray of biscuits, plopping one on each plate. She filled a soup bowl of vegetable soup, which had a handle so we could drink the soup. She set a small baked chicken on our plate, running back the other way to add a tiny corn-on-the-cob. Her next trip brought pork slices and potato wedges. No service-ware. All finger food. She set a warm wipe for each person so we could clean our hands before eating the pastry dessert.
The theme of the show was a competition between the North Pole and the South Pole. While eating dinner we watched fabulous horseback riding, trick riding, barrel racing, sleigh racing, ostrich racing (yes, ostriches!), pig races and chicken races. Lots of live animals! In addition to all the animal performers, a couple ice skated on a rink that had been lowered into the stadium. People sang and danced to Christmas music. The Master of Ceremony joked around with other characters in the program with Branson hillbilly humor.
My favorite was the live Nativity scene. Mary and Joseph were lowered into the stadium. Shepherds brought out live flocks of sheep and goats (not just one or two animals, but flocks). The three kings came out on three camels during one Christmas carol. Angels hung from the ceiling as the group all sang together.
Overall, the show was a bit too corny for my taste. The competition went on too long. I had plenty of food, but would rather eat with a fork and spoon.