Little Debbie is synonymous with childhood. The brand of snack cakes has been brightening lunchboxes since its initial launch in 1960, bringing a touch of sweetness to many a meal, snack, or afternoon nosh (you can even use them as a shortcut to making some pretty impressive impromptu cakes). The brand has a wide array of sweet snacking options, from its line of ice cream products to the colorful Cosmic Brownie, Swiss Rolls, and the beloved — but sadly seasonal — Christmas Tree Cakes. It’s easy to see why these treats are so beloved. Not only are they tasty, but many of these cakes have fun, colorful, and delightfully kitschy designs (think of the super-striped Zebra Cakes). This sense of playfulness doesn’t just extend to the products’ packaging, either.
In 2023, the brand brought its line of snack foods to a larger-than-life scale when it unveiled “Little Debbie Park,” a public park located in Collegedale, Tennessee, that features fiberglass sculptures of iconic Little Debbie snack cakes. Many of the snack cake structures are interactive; you can, for example, climb the Cosmic Brownie, or test your coordination by balancing on a Nutty Buddy. If you’re feeling less active, you can sit on a swinging bench shaded by a lovely shelter and take in the beauty that this unique public park has to offer. A bronze statue of Debbie herself, created by artist Alex Paul Loza, is also a prominent presence in the park. The bronze Debbie is depicted holding out a plate of Swiss Rolls and wearing her iconic wide-brimmed hat.
A sweet spot to play
Little Debbie Park is located in Collegedale, a suburb to the delightfully quirky Chattanooga, Tennessee. If you’ve never been, Chattanooga is a bustling city located on the Southeastern region of the mountainous state. It’s known for its beautiful views and various tourist attractions, from its aquarium to Ruby Falls (home of a beautiful subterranean waterfall), Lookout Mountain, and a thriving bar and restaurant scene. The city is a popular tourist destination for people from around the South, and its central location (just two hours from Atlanta), makes it a popular stop for road trippers or those in search of a fantastically fun day trip.
Little Debbie Park fits right in to the city’s reputation as a center for kitschy tourist hot spots. But the snack cake-themed park’s presence in Chattanooga’s metro area doesn’t come down to its fittingly quirky aesthetics. The park is a living memorial to the brand’s deep-rooted Tennessee ties. The Little Debbie brand is owned by McKee Foods, a baked goods brand that was founded in Chattanooga in 1934. The brand has since moved to Collegedale and remains a local staple. This new park is also in line with the goals and ethos of the brand’s Outdoor Happiness Movement, which aims to create more opportunities for outdoor activities. This goes far beyond climbable brownies; the initiative has helped fund walking trails, schoolyards, and public parks…