Saying that a traditional memorial is not what the late icon would have wanted, the Dolly Parton estate has instead announced a star-studded celebration of Parton’s life, music, and artistry called Dollyfest. Taking place in 2027 across two consecutive weekends—with one event in Nashville, Tennessee, and another in London, England—Dollyfest will be a festival-style party for both performers and fans to celebrate all things Dolly. A festival hosted by Parton had already been in the works for January 2026, and will instead be transformed into Dollyfest.
“What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life,” said Danny Nozell, founder/CEO of global talent management company CTK Enterprises, in a prepared statement. “Many people behind the scenes know that Dollyfest is a dream of Dolly’s that was intended to take place on her 80th birthday in Nashville. 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!).”
More information on performers, dates, and tickets will be released soon. While there will be many tributes to Parton in the coming months and year ahead, Dollyfest is intended to supplement those celebrations with something special. It’s the party that Dolly would have wanted.
“We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose,” continued Nozell. “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. 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.”
For more about Dolly or to sign up for updates on Dollyfest, visit dollyparton.com.
Main Image: Dolly Parton statue, Sevierville, Tennessee; Credit: Adobe/Joseph Hendrickson
