SEVIERVILLE — Multiple U.S. cities including San Francisco, New Orleans, Nashville, and New York City held public celebrations on September 25 to honor Dolly Parton following her death. The commemorations featured official proclamations, parades, and musical tributes across the country.

Sevier County, Tennessee, officially established Parton Day with an annual proclamation signed at the Sevier County Courthouse, marking the first formalized celebration of the day in the singer's hometown. Sevier County Mayor Bryan McCarter participated in the ceremony alongside representatives from Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Pittman Center. These four municipalities jointly signed the document to establish the observance as an annual event.

In New York City, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigel proclaimed September 25 as Parton Appreciation Day at The Refectory at Vanderbilt University – NYC. Ellen Cassedy, Co-Founder of the 9-to-5 National Association of Working Women, attended the proclamation. New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels read from Parton's book 'Coat of Many Colors' to kindergarteners at P.S. 11 during the day's events.

Hundreds gathered in Union Square Park in San Francisco for a Dolly Day celebration featuring musical tributes and drag performances. The event lineup included Mae Powell, Vicki Randle, Liz Lewis, Robbie Fitzsimmons, Sunny the Banjo Witch, drag queens Holatta Tymes and Miss Shugana, and tribute band Thee Old Country. Matt "Haze" Kaftor of Gold Digger Records helped spearhead the celebration.

San Francisco artists Mike Ritch and George Nelson created an acrylic mural of Parton that fans painted on canvas during the gathering. Lisa Daffino of Concord won a look-alike contest at the event.

The Krewe of Dolly led a parade through the French Quarter in New Orleans to honor Parton. The organization enrolled 4,000 children in Parton's Imagination Library, linking the city's celebrations to local literacy efforts. In Nashville, officials honored the singer with pink lights, posters, stickers, buttons, and bookmarks.

A portrait of Parton was installed outside RCA Studio A in the city on September 23. Southwest Airlines held a Parton-inspired karaoke event for travelers and employees. Tennessee state and local officials are in the process of renaming the state airport after her.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee proclaimed September 25 as Parton 9 to 5 Day, citing her 'extraordinary legacy' and celebrating the release of her 1980 hit '9 to 5'. His proclamation emphasized her role in advancing literacy and workers' rights. The Dollywood Foundation's annual 'Give Like Dolly Day' initiative encourages global participation in supporting Parton's Imagination Library.

Parton wrote approximately 3,000 songs and sold over 100 million records during her career. She donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for COVID-19 vaccine research.

Why It Matters

Parton's Imagination Library has distributed over 300 million books to children in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. The program operates in five countries. Launched in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, the library was inspired by her father Robert Lee Parton's illiteracy. Parton died of cancer on August 25 at age 80.

Parton reflected on her legacy, saying she hoped a lot of her songs would last that long and that she would be remembered as somebody who tried to do some good in the world and left a few good things. On January 19, the State of Tennessee declared Parton's 80th birthday as Parton Day across the state. Previous recognitions include a 1970 declaration by Sevierville and a 2011 resolution by the South Carolina General Assembly designating June 3 as Parton Day.

Timeline

In 1970, Sevierville, Tennessee, declared a Parton Day. In 2011, the South Carolina General Assembly declared June 3 as Parton Day. Parton stated that she hoped a lot of her songs would last that long and that she would be remembered as somebody who tried to do some good in the world and left a few good things.

A portrait of Parton was installed outside RCA Studio A in Nashville on September 23. Sevier County and four Tennessee cities (Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Pittman Center) jointly signed a proclamation at the Sevier County Courthouse on September 25 to establish Parton Day as an annual event. On September 25, a statement noted that Parton's impact on Nashville would be felt for generations, through the music she had given, the people she had helped and the example she continued to set, and that she had shown that caring for a community meant showing up for one another.

What's New

Later reporting confirmed that the Krewe of Dolly in New Orleans enrolled 4,000 children in Parton's Imagination Library, directly linking the city's Parton Day celebrations to local literacy efforts.

Additional details indicate that Parton's Imagination Library operates in five countries, including the U.S. Canada, the U.K. Australia, and the Republic of Ireland, reflecting the global reach of her literacy initiatives. Parton's Imagination Library, launched in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, was inspired by her father Robert Lee Parton's illiteracy and has since distributed over 300 million books globally. Brad Hoylman-Sigel asked whether there could be a more grand place to celebrate Parton than in that beautiful hall, noting what she did for advancing literacy, not to mention her role in popular culture and workers' rights. The Dollywood Foundation's annual 'Give Like Dolly Day' initiative encourages global participation in supporting Parton's Imagination Library, which has distributed over 300 million books worldwide since its 1995 inception.

How Sources Differ

Reporting on New Orleans presents different details regarding the Krewe of Dolly.