Dolly Parton performs on stage at The Dominion Theatre on March 29th, 1983 in London, United Kingdom. Pete Still/Redferns/Getty Images Dolly Parton‘s estate announced a two-day, two-country music festival called “Dollyfest” on Monday, set to honor the late country legend sometime in 2027.
Parton’s estate said Monday that Dollyfest was originally slated to take place in January of 2026, around when Parton turned 80, with the singer-songwriter planning on performing and hosting. With Parton now gone, the event will “now morph into a global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime,” her estate said, with one date in Nashville and a second in London.
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“What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life,” Danny Nozell, Founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises and Parton’s longtime manager, said in a statement. “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!).”
Parton’s estate announced Dollyfest about a week after Parton died on August 25 after a battle with cancer. One of the most beloved celebrities of all time, her passing inspired a tidal wave of tributes from around the world, with Parton remembered not just for her music but for her acting career, decades of philanthropy and advocacy.
“We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose,” Nozell said. “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.”
The estate said information on tickets and the shows’ dates is forthcoming.
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