Photo Credit: Getty Image
Dolly Parton's legacy will be celebrated through a major festival planned for London and Nashville in 2027, replacing the traditional public memorial following the singer's death.
Parton's estate announced Monday that DollyFest will be staged across two consecutive weekends in the two cities. Organisers said the specific dates would be announced later, describing the event as a star studded celebration designed to reflect the late entertainer's own vision.
The festival carries a particularly personal significance because Parton had previously imagined hosting a similar event herself. An earlier version had been planned for January 2026 but was abandoned before being publicly announced because of her health struggles.
According to the estate, DollyFest represents the kind of celebration Parton wanted to share with audiences around the world.
Parton died at the age of 80 on August 25 following a brief battle with cancer. She was buried at a private family funeral in Nashville on Friday, alongside her late husband Carl Dean at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
Rather than organising a conventional public memorial, the estate believes a festival better reflects Parton's personality and relationship with her fans.
DollyFest organiser Danny Nozell, founder and chief executive of CTK Enterprises, said the family was not discouraging people from honouring Parton in their own way. However, he argued that the festival would provide a more authentic tribute to the artist.
He said the estate wanted to allow time for immediate tributes and mourning before bringing Parton's original festival concept to life.Parton's connection to music stretched across seven decades. Born in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, she became one of country music's most recognisable figures while also building successful careers as a songwriter, actress, philanthropist and businesswoman.
Her catalogue includes enduring songs such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You." She won 10 Grammy Awards, sold more than 100 million records globally and wrote thousands of songs throughout her career.
For Parton, songwriting was more than a profession. She once described it as her preferred means of expression and a form of therapy.
Her death has prompted tributes from celebrities, political figures and millions of admirers.
Nozell said DollyFest captures the spirit of what Parton herself would have wanted, jokingly transforming the familiar phrase "What Would Dolly Do?" into "What Dolly Would Do?"
The festival is therefore expected to become more than a memorial. It will be an opportunity for fans and performers to celebrate an artist whose influence extended far beyond country music.
