DollyFest Music Festival in Honor of Dolly Parton Announced

Dolly Parton’s legacy will be celebrated on two continents in 2027, with her estate announcing plans for a pair of large-scale Dollyfest events in Nashville and London.

The celebrations, described as the “party of a lifetime,” will take place across two consecutive weekends in 2027. The events are being produced by Team Dolly and were originally envisioned as a celebration for Parton’s 80th birthday in Nashville.

Parton died at 80 last week after privately battling cancer. She had previously expressed a desire for the festival to become a major gathering centered on music and celebration rather than a traditional memorial.

“What Dolly started, we will ensure is brought to life,” Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said in a statement.

Nozell explained that plans for the original event had already been well underway before Parton stepped back following health concerns in August 2025.

“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,” he said. “We had the venue booked and we had the announcement ready to go.”

The updated festival will now expand beyond Nashville, with London joining the celebration as a second host city.

The estate acknowledged that other tributes and events honoring Parton are expected to take place, but said Dollyfest will reflect the type of celebration she wanted.

“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.”

Instead, the organizers plan to give fans and artists time to grieve before bringing the festival concept to life.

“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,” Nozell said.

The announcement came three days after Parton was laid to rest during a private memorial service in Nashville on Aug. 28, according to a social media post from her niece Lainey Mae Parton.

Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, previously said she had requested a private funeral following her death. Her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died in March 2025.

Dollyfest will give fans another opportunity to celebrate Parton through the music, community and larger-than-life spirit that defined her career.