Paint Your Pet Night at Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake (Yes, Bring the Photo)

Okay, real talk. How many photos of your pet are on your phone right now? Be honest. Three hundred? A cool thousand? Somewhere in there is one absolutely unhinged close-up where your dog looks like a Renaissance oil painting, and we think it’s time that one got the gallery treatment.

Here’s your excuse. Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake is hosting a Paint Your Pet night, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: you show up, you paint your pet, you leave with a masterpiece and zero cleanup at your house. No talent required. None. If you can hold a brush and vibe for two hours, you’re qualified.

The quick answer

Paint Your Pet night at Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, TN is a guided paint session for $45 per person with all supplies included. It’s themed around painting your pet, so bring a photo of your furry friend for inspiration, but it’s totally painter’s choice, so you can paint anything you want. No pet required. It’s led by UT Live Art and runs from 6 to 8pm on two dates: August 15 and September 26. Sign up and pay online ahead of time to save your spot.

What actually happens

You walk in, you get a canvas, paints, brushes, the whole setup. An artist from UT Live Art walks the whole room through it step by step, so nobody’s left staring at a blank canvas panicking. Two hours later you’ve got a portrait of your pet that is either genuinely gorgeous or lovingly cursed, and honestly both outcomes are a win.

And here’s the part nobody tells you: you do not actually need a pet to come. The night is themed around painting your pet, but it’s fully painter’s choice, so you can paint whatever you want. A lake sunset, your favorite plant, your kid’s soccer team logo, a vibe only you understand, honestly go off. So if you’re petless, between pets, or your pet is a betta fish that’s hard to capture emotionally, you’re still 100% invited. The point is two hours of doing something with your hands that isn’t scrolling.

Here’s the deal, all in one place:

• What: Guided paint night, Paint Your Pet or painter’s choice
• Cost: $45 per person, all supplies provided
• Bring: A photo of your pet for inspo (that’s it)
• When: August 15 and September 26, 6-8pm
• Where: Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake, Loudon, TN
• Hosted by: UT Live Art

Who’s this for?

Basically everyone, but let us paint the picture (sorry).

It’s a low-key perfect date night. Two canvases, a little friendly trash talk about whose painting is better, a core memory unlocked. It’s also elite girls’ night material, the kind of thing the group chat will actually follow through on for once. Bring your sister, bring your mom, bring the friend who’s been saying “we should do something” for four months.

And yeah, it’s a great family night too. If your kid has been feral all summer and you need an activity that keeps hands busy and screens away, two hours of guided painting is a small miracle. They get to paint the dog. Everybody wins.

How to grab your spot

This part matters, so don’t just save the post and forget. Spots are limited and these events fill up, so you’ll want to lock it in ahead of time.

Sign up and pay here: Reserve your seat

You can also RSVP and get updates on the Facebook event. If August 15 sneaks up on you (it will, that’s just how August works), there’s a second night on September 26 with the same setup.

Make a whole night of it, or a whole weekend

Here’s a plot twist: Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake isn’t just where the paint night happens, it’s a full camp-resort right on the water in Loudon, about 40 minutes from Knoxville and a quick hop from Lenoir City and Farragut. So you don’t have to treat this like a drive-in, drive-out thing.

Turn it into a getaway. Paint your pet Friday night, then wake up on the lake with nowhere to be. The park has cozy cabins with real kitchens and full-hookup RV sites if you’re rolling in your rig, plus a dog park, so the actual muse for your painting is welcome too. And since Loudon County is basically built for a lake weekend, you’ll have plenty to do the next day (the folks at Visit Loudon County have the local rundown).

Want to stay over? Check availability and book before your paint date.

FAQ

How much is Paint Your Pet night at Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake? It’s $45 per person, and all supplies are included. You just bring a photo of your pet.

When are the paint nights? Two dates: August 15 and September 26, both from 6 to 8pm.

Do I need any painting experience? Nope. An artist from UT Live Art guides the whole group step by step, so it’s totally beginner-friendly.

What should I bring? A photo of your pet for inspiration. That’s really it. Everything else (canvas, paint, brushes) is provided.

Can I paint something other than my pet? Yes. It’s painter’s choice, so if you’d rather paint a landscape, a plant, or anything else, go for it.

How do I sign up? Reserve and pay online through the Square checkout link ahead of time. You can also find the event on Facebook.

Where is Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake? It’s in Loudon, TN on Watts Bar Lake, about 40 minutes from Knoxville and close to Lenoir City and Farragut.

Can I stay overnight at the park? Yes, Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake is open year-round with cabins and full-hookup RV sites, so you can easily turn paint night into a lake weekend.

Save your seat

Two hours, one canvas, and a painting of your pet that’s going straight on the fridge (or, let’s be real, straight to your story). Grab your spot for Paint Your Pet night at Jellystone Park™ Watts Bar Lake before it fills up.

Reserve online at the signup link, or call the park at (865) 284-9644 with any questions. See you August 15 or September 26, brush in hand.