Festival honouring Dolly Parton set for Nashville and London
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Festival honouring Dolly Parton set for Nashville and London
Image source: Getty Images
By Grace Eliza Goodwin
Published 2 hours ago
Dolly Parton's estate has announced a festival celebrating the life and legacy of the late singer, to be held in both Nashville and London in 2027.
Dubbed "DollyFest," this star-studded two-day event will occur across consecutive weekends in each city, as revealed in a Monday press release by her estate. The exact dates will be shared later.
Parton herself initially envisioned a similar gathering where she would host and perform alongside other artists; however, the original plan for January 2026 was called off before its public announcement due to health concerns.
DOLLYFEST will be the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world. - Dolly Parton's estate
Serving as a substitute for a traditional public memorial, DollyFest aims to honour the artist who passed away at 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. She was laid to rest at a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday and placed beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in the city.
Organiser Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, explained that while the estate encourages various ways of celebrating Parton, she specifically requested this festival-style concept:
"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-like concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly."
Born in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, Parton was a country music icon, philanthropist, and businesswoman renowned for hits like "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You." Over her seven-decade career, she amassed 10 Grammy awards, sold over 100 million records globally, and penned thousands of songs.
Parton viewed songwriting as her primary form of expression: "It's my way of expressing myself. It's my therapy." Since her passing, an outpouring of emotional tributes from celebrities, politicians, and fans has filled social media.