The legacy of the late icon lives on, as “DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime” will take place in Nashville and London on successive weekends in 2027. The life and music of Dolly Parton will be honored at the two-day festivals.
The event was originally planned as a multi-artist show in Nashville for January 2026, intended to feature Parton as a performer and host. However, it will now morph into a “global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime”. Danny Nozell, her longtime manager, confirmed that the festival was a dream of Dolly’s. “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,” Nozell said.
Nozell explained that a traditional public memorial was not something the singer wanted. “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”. Further details on dates and tickets are forthcoming.
