Last week, the world was shocked at the announcement of Dolly Parton’s death at 80. Now the country music icon’s estate has announced an official celebration in her honour.
Dollyfest is set to take place in Nashville, Tennessee and London, England, across two consecutive weekends next year. The event was originally planned as a multi-artist show in January this year in Nashville, with Parton due to perform and host. But it has now morphed “into a global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime.”
Danny Nozell, Founder/CEO of CTK Enterprises shared: “What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life. 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!).”
The estate shared: “While the Estate acknowledges the anticipated events, shows, and programs this fall that will honor Parton, DOLLYFEST will be the party of a lifetime she wanted to share with the world.”
Nozell continued: “We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose. 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.”
More information on tickets and 2027 dates are TBC, but fans can sign up for DOLLYFEST updates here.
