Festival honouring Dolly Parton set for Nashville and London
Dolly Parton's estate says DollyFest will take the place of a traditional public memorial for the artist, just as she wanted.
A festival honoring the life and legacy of Dolly Parton is slated for Nashville and London, her estate announced.
The "star-studded" two-day DollyFest will unfold over two consecutive weekends in both cities in 2027, with specific dates to be revealed later, according to a Monday press release from her estate.
Parton herself had envisioned an earlier iteration of the event, where she would host and perform alongside other artists. However, the original January 2026 event was canceled before its public announcement due to Parton's health struggles, her estate stated.
"DOLLYFEST will be the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world," her estate declared.
DollyFest will serve as an alternative to a traditional public memorial for the artist, who passed away at the age of 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer.
She was laid to rest at a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday, interred beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in the Tennessee city, her great-niece confirmed.
Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises and an organizer of DollyFest, clarified that while the estate isn't discouraging other forms of celebration, Parton did not desire a conventional memorial.
"It feels more appropriate for us to take a beat, let all the tributes that immediately make sense occur naturally, and then, see through this festival-style concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly," Nozell explained. "This is something that is authentic to her, something that feels right to me, and something that artists and fans around the world can participate in, while also giving everyone time to grieve, and giving everyone time to plan."
Originally from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Parton was a country music icon, philanthropist, and businesswoman, renowned for songs such as "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You."
Over a seven-decade career, Parton garnered 10 Grammy awards, sold more than 100 million records globally, and composed thousands of songs.
Parton held her songwriting in high regard, considering herself a songwriter above all else. "It's my way of expressing myself," she once said. "It's my therapy."
Since her passing, social media has been inundated with heartfelt tributes from celebrities, politicians, and countless fans.
"A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!)," Nozell remarked.