Dolly Parton may have left us, but her extraordinary spirit of music, kindness, laughter and love is set to live on as London prepares to welcome a spectacular two-day DollyFest in 2027.

For millions of people around the world, Dolly Parton was far more than a country music superstar.

She was a storyteller, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist and one of those rare people who seemed to make everyone feel that they mattered.

Now, fans in London will have the chance to celebrate her incredible life and legacy at DollyFest, a two-day festival planned for 2027.

And in true Dolly fashion, this will not be a sombre traditional memorial.

It will be a celebration.

DollyFest was originally Dolly’s own idea. It had been planned around her 80th birthday and was intended to be a huge celebration with Dolly herself hosting and performing.

Her health meant that the original event could not go ahead.

Following her death on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80, her estate has decided to continue with her vision and transform it into a celebration of the life and legacy she leaves behind.

The festival will take place over two consecutive weekends in 2027, with one celebration in Dolly’s beloved Nashville and another in London.

The exact dates, venue and performers have not yet been announced, but the promise is already enough to get Dolly fans reaching for their cowboy boots, big hair and plenty of sparkle.

And perhaps that is exactly what Dolly would have wanted.

Her organisers have made it clear that the festival is not intended to replace the private funeral she wanted. Instead, it gives her millions of fans around the world the opportunity to come together, celebrate her music and remember the remarkable woman behind the rhinestones.

Dolly’s longtime organiser Danny Nozell has described the festival as something that was genuinely dreamed up by Dolly herself.

There is something incredibly fitting about that.

Because Dolly Parton spent her entire life bringing people together.

She could write a heartbreaking song one minute and have an entire audience laughing the next.

She could walk onto a stage covered in rhinestones and somehow make people forget that they were watching one of the biggest stars on the planet.

And behind all the glamour was a woman whose generosity became just as important to her legacy as her music.

Through her Imagination Library, Dolly helped put hundreds of millions of books into the hands of children around the world, encouraging young people to discover the joy of reading.

Her message was often beautifully simple.

Dream.

Work hard.

Be kind.

And never be afraid to be yourself.

That is why the announcement of DollyFest feels like something rather special.

London will not simply be hosting a music festival.

It will be hosting a celebration of a woman who crossed generations, cultures and continents.

There will undoubtedly be songs that everyone knows.

There will be memories.

There will be laughter.

There will probably be a lot of sequins.

And there will certainly be plenty of people singing along to the songs that have become part of the soundtrack to their lives.

From Jolene to 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You, Dolly’s music has travelled far beyond the country music world.

Her songs have been sung by generations of artists and fans, while her unmistakable voice and personality have made her one of the most recognisable entertainers in the world.

But perhaps the greatest part of Dolly’s legacy is that she never seemed to believe that success should make you forget where you came from.

She remained proudly connected to her roots and famously championed the idea that kindness, humour and hard work could take you a very long way.

Now London gets its own chance to say thank you.

DollyFest will be a celebration of the woman who believed life should be lived with a little more colour, a little more laughter and a lot more love.

The dates and full line-up are expected to be announced in the coming months.

So, London, get ready.

Find the cowboy boots.

Dig out the glitter.

Prepare the big hair.

And get ready to celebrate Dolly.

Because while Dolly Parton may no longer be here to take to the stage herself, the party she dreamed of is going on.

And somehow, that feels very Dolly indeed.

The much loved Dolly Parton.

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