Dolly Parton's estate has announced a festival honoring the life and legacy of the late singer, set for London and Nashville. The two-day event, named DollyFest, will take place across two consecutive weekends in both cities in 2027, according to a press release from her estate. Specific dates will be announced later.
Parton had envisioned an earlier version of the event, where she would host and perform alongside other artists. However, the original event planned for January 2026 was canceled due to Parton's health issues, as stated by her estate.
DollyFest will replace a traditional public memorial for Parton, who passed away at the age of 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. She was laid to rest following a private family funeral in Nashville, next to her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum, according to her great-niece.
DollyFest organizer Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, indicated that the estate is not discouraging people from celebrating Parton in various ways, but emphasized that she did not want a traditional memorial. "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.
He added, "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."
Parton, originally from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, was a country music icon, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known for songs such as "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," and "I Will Always Love You." Over her seven-decade career, she won 10 Grammy awards, sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and wrote thousands of songs. Parton regarded herself primarily as a songwriter, stating, "It's my way of expressing myself. It's my therapy."
Since her passing, tributes from celebrities, politicians, and fans have filled social media. Nozell remarked, "A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!)."