Rock the Smokies is back at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Enjoy over 50 rides and attractions in the Great Smoky Mountains and see your favorite Christian artists live in concert. The festival features Skillet, Zach Williams, Alexander Pappas, Micah Christopher, Jamie MacDonald, Ivey Asher, Sansone, and emcee Dr. Joy Greene. Your Rock the Smokies ticket includes admission to Dollywood and all of the concerts.
Skillet
After nearly three decades, eleven albums, and thousands of shows worldwide, Skillet play louder, fight harder, and sound more rebellious than ever. As of 2024, the band have received two-time GRAMMY® Award nominations, picked up a Billboard Music Award, and landed three albums in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200. Selling over 22 million units worldwide, they have notched multiplatinum, platinum, or gold RIAA certifications for a total of 12 singles and four full-length albums. Not to mention, they have regularly attracted 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, boasting “one of the most-streamed rock songs of all-time” with the 5x-platinum “Monster.” Their presence has impressively surged throughout popular culture with syncs by WWE, Marvel, ESPN, and NFL in addition to coverage from USA Today, The New York Times, and more. As a live force of nature, they have touched down on four continents and in 26 countries, packing arenas everywhere from the Middle East to Russia. Not to mention, Skillet expanded their world with the graphic novel series EDEN. The first installment stood out as Z2 Comics’ best-selling book of all-time. Now, the global hard rock quartet—John Cooper [lead vocals, bass], Korey Cooper [guitar, keys], Jen Ledger [drums, vocals], and Seth Morrison [lead guitar]—deliver an insurgent, infectious, and inimitable body of work with their twelfth full-length offering and first-ever independent album, Revolution, led by the single “Unpopular.”
Zach Williams
Zach Williams’ powerful and poignant journey spans how a boy with a storybook childhood filled with wonderfully nurturing parents, a strong and supportive grounding in the church, and a warm and loving local community was seduced away by the illusion of rock stardom, and the drug and alcohol excesses that can so often accompany that lifestyle. Reflecting on his new album, and the blessings Christ has given him, he says: “When I gave my life to the Lord, I realized He never left me, even in the dark times. For this new album, the title fits because every song in it has a rescue story. When you’re at your end of the rope, that’s when your rescue story begins. In my case, Jesus has been my rescue story."
Alexander Pappas
Alexander Pappas is a world-renowned Worship Leader and Songwriter, having served as part of Young & Free, and Hillsong Worship for over a decade, and penning songs like “Alive”, “Wake”, “Real Love” and “Echo” which have served the global Church.
Micah Christopher
Originally from Missouri, Micah Christopher served in local church ministry for over a decade before feeling the call of the Lord to move to Nashville to pursue being an artist and song-writer. With a passion for using music to inspire worship, Micah's songs are written to help others connect with Jesus and what He’s done for us. In addition to his music career, Micah is a devoted husband and father of four. He believes that his family is his greatest inspiration and support system, and he strives to use his platform to encourage and uplift others.
Ivey Asher
Jesus over everything.
Sansone
Sansone is an artist who continues to push the envelope, reimagining what it means to be a Christian in today’s industry. Sansone was born into a reality that would force him to see things he never thought he would and make decisions he never thought he would need to make. Instead of resorting to anger, despair, or the substances he was surrounded by, he turned to music. He fell in love with hip hop after noticing the vulnerability artists were able to display in their storytelling, and soon after began to write his own. Fast forward to where we are now, Sansone knows his faith and love for Jesus is the only reason he finds himself in the place he is in today. Believing his purpose is rooted in something more than talent, he sees his music as the resource to reach and relate to others. While writing for his next project and further developing his sound, Sansone is building the next phase of his career and excited to see where God wants to take him next.
Dr. Joy Greene - Emcee
Joytime Ministries was founded by Dr. Joy Greene, an author, professor, speaker and radio personality. Dr. Joy is passionate about encouraging women to know God’s Word and to walk closely with Jesus.
The mission of Joytime Ministries is to encourage women in their walk with Jesus through the teaching of God’s Word!
Jamie MacDonald
Jamie MacDonald is living her dream as a signed artist with Capitol Christian Music Group, creating music that inspires and uplifts. With a soulful voice and raw, heartfelt lyrics, songs like “A Million Chances” and “Desperate” tell stories of redemption and hope, drawn from her own journey. That journey hasn’t been easy. Raised in Michigan in a chaotic home, Jamie faced loss, addiction, and heartbreak. A church camp as a pre-teen offered her a glimpse of hope, but she struggled for years, falling into addiction and losing her way. It wasn’t until she cried out to God in her darkest moment that her life began to turn around. Since then, Jamie has poured her faith and story into her music. Along the way, she worked in prison ministry, and found her authentic sound in Gospel-inspired melodies. Now back in Nashville—the city where she was born—Jamie’s music is a beacon of hope for anyone searching for their own second chance.