On Friday, Sept. 25, Nashville will mark “Dolly Day,” a special celebration honoring Dolly’s legacy of kindness, generosity, and music.
The citywide celebration will encourage residents and visitors to wear pink and spread kindness, while a lineup of Dolly-inspired activities will take place throughout Nashville. The festivities will include a 5 p.m. showing of 9 to 5, Dolly-inspired specials, pink lights, and Dolly posters displayed across the city.
Free buttons, stickers, and bookmarks will be available while supplies last at the visitor information centers at Bridgestone Arena and Fifth + Broadway. Fireworks are scheduled for 9:25 p.m. downtown.
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are also participating in the “Dolly Day” celebration, pledging to donate all Sept. 25 proceeds from their Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk to the Nashville Public Library and to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Sevierville to unveil self-guided Dolly Parton tour
In Dolly Parton’s hometown of Sevierville, Tenn., visitors and locals alike soon will have a new way to explore the places, people, and experiences that helped shape the late country music icon’s early years.
In October, the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce will unveil “In Dolly’s Footsteps,” a free, self-guided walking tour through downtown Sevierville that connects nine locations to important moments from Dolly’s childhood and early career.
The tour will invite visitors to follow in Dolly’s footsteps through the streets of the east Tennessee community, where her journey began before taking her to stages around the world. Stops will include the former theater where she played her first paying gig; the location of Red’s Café, where visitors can hear Dolly recall her first visit through video; and the Dolly statue in downtown Sevierville.
At each stop, a granite-and-bronze marker will share another piece of the story. Guests can pick up a complimentary tour brochure near the Dolly statue, while QR codes along the route will provide access to additional photos, videos, and stories through mobile devices.
The planned stops include Red’s Café, Easy Way Five and Dime, and the Dolly statue.
The Sevierville Chamber of Commerce began developing the project in 2023 with the help of Sevier County Historian Carroll McMahan.
The chamber also worked closely with Dollywood to confirm the locations and ensure Dolly approved the project.
“We are honored to share Dolly’s hometown story with the world,” says Amanda Marr, director of marketing and communications for Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. “Not everything looks just as it did all those years ago, but our hope is to share what downtown Sevierville was like for Dolly as faithfully as possible by highlighting the locations with stories, videos, and images to bring those memories to life.”
The tour is designed to give visitors more than a collection of historical markers. By combining physical locations with archival imagery, video, and firsthand memories, “In Dolly’s Footsteps” will connect Dolly’s international career to the hometown experiences that preceded it.
