Dolly Parton estate sets two-day DollyFests for 2027
The Dolly Parton estate sets two-day DollyFest celebrations in Nashville and London for successive weekends in 2027, replacing any traditional public memorial with what it calls parties of a lifetime — the first large public programs honoring the late superstar's music and legacy worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- Two-day DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime events are planned for Nashville and London on back-to-back weekends in 2027.
- The estate says no traditional public memorial will be held, matching Parton's wishes.
- Plans grow from a January 2026 Nashville event and a birthday festival Dolly Parton had already envisioned.
- Business partner Danny Nozell says fans worldwide will get time to grieve before details arrive soon.
The Dolly Parton estate has announced the first large public programs honoring the life and music of the late country superstar. Rather than a solemn memorial service, the estate is staging DollyFest: The Celebration of a Lifetime — two-day festivals in Nashville and London on successive weekends in 2027. Specific dates have not yet been announced.
Why is the estate skipping a public memorial?
This may be the closest Parton fans get to an official public memorial. Danny Nozell, her longtime business partner and founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said in a statement that as far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted.
Nozell suggested the estate will not stand in the way of tributes expected this fall, but that the festivals represent its official commemoration. She would want to be remembered through a celebration rather than a more solemn public occasion, the estate believes.
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.
How did DollyFest grow from earlier plans?
An announcement for the festivals says that what was originally planned as a multi-artist event for January 2026 in Nashville — 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 a DollyFest had already been planned for Nashville in January 2027 with the artist's participation. That event will now go on in her memory, with the addition of a separate London festival.
Nozell said the original plan had been to hold an event on Parton's birthday, Jan. 19. What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life, he said. 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.
What happens next for fans?
In August 2025, Parton stepped back after initial health challenges, delaying those plans. Nozell framed the 2027 festivals as WDWD — What Dolly Would Do — giving artists and fans worldwide time to grieve and plan to participate.
Details about the two festivals will be forthcoming soon, the estate said. For more live-event and entertainment news, follow our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.