Sept. 25 now belongs to Dolly Parton. Communities around the world are dedicating Friday to the country music icon, a date chosen as a deliberate wink at her hit song “9 to 5,” according to the Associated Press.
Parton died of cancer last month at age 80, leaving behind a career that stretched across songwriting, acting, philanthropy and business. The tributes planned for Friday reflect that range — from city proclamations and neighborhood parades to book donations and pink lights glowing over Nashville.
States and cities make it official
A growing list of state and local leaders have moved to establish Sept. 25 as an annual Dolly Parton Day, with declarations stretching from California to the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Those proclamations highlight both her career achievements and her lifelong commitment to literacy, a cause that became as central to her public identity as her songbook.
Nashville, where Parton lived from the time she was 18, has a full slate planned. The city will mark the day with pink lights and posters, and will hand out stickers, buttons and bookmarks. Southwest Airlines announced it would host a Parton-inspired karaoke session Friday for travelers and employees. Tennessee state and local officials are also in the process of renaming the city’s airport after her.
“Dolly Parton’s impact on Nashville will be felt for generations, through the music she has given us, the people she has helped and the example she continues to set,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a statement. “She has shown us that caring for a community means showing up for one another.”
Parades in New Orleans, a celebration in San Francisco
New Orleans will get a parade through the French Quarter, led by the marching group Krewe of Dolly. In San Francisco, organizers are planning a public event in the heart of the city called “Dolly Day,” framed as a celebration of life that will include, in their words, “singing loud, dressing up, and being a little kinder than usual in her honor.”
The observances aren’t confined to the United States. The Associated Press reported that communities worldwide are joining in on the day’s activities.
Imagination Library at the center
For anyone stuck at an actual 9 to 5 on Friday, the day’s organizers are pointing to Parton’s giving spirit as the easiest way to participate. Her Imagination Library book giveaway program, which she made her signature philanthropic mission, has expanded to send more than a million books each month to children in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.
The program is encouraging people to donate directly to their local Imagination Library partner on Dolly Parton Day, or to help establish a new program in their own community. The Dollywood Foundation is directing would-be donors to ImaginationLibrary.com, where a ZIP code search can locate nearby programs.
“For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart,” said Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, in a statement. “She believed deeply in helping people, especially children, and she always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help.”
Sequins, big hair and butterflies
The Queen of Country was known for an over-the-top style — sequins, big hair, plenty of fringe, all anchored by her signature color pink. Butterflies held a particular place in her imagery; she sang that “love is like a butterfly, as soft and gentle as a sigh.”
Fans looking to dress the part can dig through their closets for something flashy, shiny or sparkly. For the more adventurous, some tattoo artists are offering Dolly-inspired tattoos on Friday. A butterfly clip, of course, works just as well.
And there is no simpler way to mark the occasion than by playing her music throughout the day. Between “9 to 5,” “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” her catalog runs deep enough that even longtime listeners have room to discover something new.
Parton’s own wish, as the AP noted, was that her songs would have a lasting impact — and that she would be remembered for trying to make the world a better place.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/25/its-officially-dolly-parton-day-with-parades-pink-lights-and-book-drives/