Before her death, Dolly Parton planned the celebration of a lifetime. Now her estate will follow through with her wishes.
On Monday, Parton’s estate announced plans for Dollyfest, a two-day celebration in Nashville and London next year across two consecutive weekends to honor her legacy.
Long before the 80-year-old country star was laid to rest last week in a private service, she had drafted plans for a large-scale, multi-artist festival in Nashville where she would perform and host. The festival was originally set for January 2026 — around her 80th birthday — but the star paused plans after health challenges in August 2025, according to her estate’s press release.
Parton faced a brief battle with cancer before her death on Aug. 25, The Times previously reported.
“What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life,” Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager, said in the public statement. “A lot of people always say, ‘WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and well, at this moment, Dollyfest is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!)”
According to Nozell, the singer — who rose from humble beginnings in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains into an internationally beloved rhinestones-studded star, evocative storyteller and thoughtful philanthropist — would not have wanted a traditional memorial.
“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,” Nozell said. “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.”
No specific dates or venue details for Dollyfest have been announced yet.
In a previous statement published Aug. 26, Nozell said the “9 to 5” singer and actor worked until the day she died. Now her team will “ensure the many dreams she had yet to fulfill are brought to life.”
Among the projects underway is Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel, a music-inspired lodging that will open Sept. 29. The hotel will also feature Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum, where fans can get an intimate look at the singer’s life and career.
Dolly’s Cup of Ambition will also launch online on Sept. 29 after making its debut at Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, which opened in June in Cornersville, Tenn.,to treat travelers with “a little sparkle of Dolly Parton magic.”
Fans will also get a glimpse of the Dolly spirit on Broadway next year, when “Dolly: A True Original Musical” makes its official debut on the icon’s birthday, Jan. 19. Other projects slated for next year include a jewelry collection with Kendra Scott, Dolly’s Dog Treats, and Dolly Bedding & Home Decor.
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