In a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away recently at age 80 due to cancer, plans for Dollyfest have been announced. This two-day festival will take place in Nashville and London over two weekends in 2027.
According to a press release on Monday, the festival was initially planned for January 2026 to coincide with her 80th birthday, with Parton set to feature as both a performer and host. Now, it will celebrate her enduring legacy.
“We had the venue booked and we had the announcement ready to go. And then, in August 2025, Dolly had to take a step back after her initial health challenges. A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, Dollyfest is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!),” said Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, in a statement.
Nozell continued, “We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose. However, as far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted. So, instead, 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.”
Dollywood, the theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, also reflects Parton’s creative touch and enduring influence.
The Associated Press confirmed that a private service was held on Friday for Parton, attended by immediate family, with no public ceremony to follow, respecting her wishes.
Dolly Parton’s great-niece, Lainey Parton, shared a personal tribute on Instagram. She expressed her emotions, sharing, “This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words. From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”
Ticket information and dates for Dollyfest will be announced soon.
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