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Grab your glitteriest outfit and your tallest blonde wig. Dollyfest is set to go ahead in 2027 without its titular star, with the festival now transformed into a celebration of Dolly Parton’s life.
The cross-continental music festival, originally planned to coincide with Parton’s 80th birthday in January and feature her as main performer alongside a lineup of other musical acts, was postponed last September amid health issues.
But Parton’s estate has announced that the “star-studded” music festival will still be coming to fans in Nashville and London across two consecutive weekends next year.
The “Queen of Country” died last week at the age of 80, leaving behind scores of grieving fans. The singer was known for writing hits such as, Jolene, I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5 — and for bringing a little more brightness into the world through her wit, rhinestones and years of philanthropy.
The estate said Dollyfest “will be the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world.”
Apart from the promise of a celebration worthy of Parton’s effervescent charm, not much is known about the festival. The specific dates haven’t been announced yet, and the musical acts are still a mystery.
“What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life,” Dollyfest organizer Danny Nozell said in a statement announcing the festival.
“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.”
The singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist Dolly Parton died Tuesday after experiencing a series of health problems. Her career spanned nearly six decades, during which the country music superstar left a lasting mark on American music with songs including Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You.
The two cities at the centre of the festival are important to Parton: she lived in Nashville prior to her death, and visited London many times over her career, performing at Wembley Arena during her first ever trip abroad.
Dollywood honours namesake
Dollyfest isn’t the only unique memorial planned to honour the late singer.
Since Parton’s death, tributes have been pouring in from every corner, ranging from the music world to the schools and libraries that received free books for kids through her groundbreaking Imagination Library initiative.
Dollywood, the theme park in the Great Smoky Mountains that Parton took over in 1986 and built to a massive attraction, announced on Wednesday a number of additions to the park to honour their “Dreamer in Chief.”
Coming in 2017, guests will be able to record their memories of Parton and thoughts on how she inspired them in special guest kiosks in the Wildwood Grove of the park. If they choose to share them publicly, the park may use this testimony throughout the exhibit, president and CEO Eugene Naughton said at a press conference.
Other changes that Parton was able to have input on prior to her death, Naughton said, include a waterfall outside of the Robert F. Thomas Chapel and a new attraction and park character inspired by the Imagination Library.
As for the memorial wall set up outside of the entrance of Dollywood last week? Naughton said there’s no timeline for removing the flowers and tributes.
“We want to give plenty of time to let people do that in a real special way,” he said.
Parton’s hometown of Sevierville, Tenn. is also launching “In Dolly’s Footsteps,” in collaboration with Dollywood, a city-wide project that’ll include physical walking-tour markers outside of key venues or sites in Parton’s story such as The Pines Theatre, where she played her first gig at just 10 years old.
