Country music legend Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday in a private service attended by family and close friends, with her estate announcing Monday that plans are already underway for two major public celebrations of the larger-than-life star’s legacy.
Two events, both titled “DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime,” will take place on successive weekends — one in Nashville and another in London, England — in 2027.
Parton’s estate announced that even before Parton’s death on Tuesday, her team had already been planning on hosting DollyFest in Nashville in 2027. Parton herself had planned to participate, but the estate confirmed on Monday that the event will carry on in her memory instead.
“What was originally planned as a multi-artist event for January 2026 in Nashville and intended to feature Parton as performer and host will now morph into a global double-day, double-weekend, double-continent party of a lifetime,” the estate said.
Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime business partner and founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said Parton did not want a public funeral and said that instead, DollyFest would allow her fans to celebrate her life: “As far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted.”
“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,” Nozell added. “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!).”
“We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose … 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 concluded. “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 passed away on Tuesday after a brief battle with an undisclosed cancer. She was 80.
.png)
.png)
