Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images, Dollyparton.com
On Monday, the Dolly Parton estate announced a two-day music festival, Dollyfest, to honor the legacy of the late superstar and philanthropist. Parton passed away on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. The event will stand in for a traditional memorial, which her longtime business partner Danny Nozell said in a press release was “not something Dolly wanted.” He continued, “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 … the world can participate in, while also giving everyone time to grieve, and giving everyone time to plan.”
Parton had originally conceived of Dollyfest as an 80th-birthday celebration featuring multiple artists, with her hosting and performing. It was supposed to take place this past January, but health issues forced her to step back. The new Dollyfest will take place next year in Nashville and London across two consecutive weekends in 2027; the specific date and lineup has not yet been shared. It will be the first of many public programs celebrating her memory. “A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, DOLLYFEST is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!),” Nozell said.
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