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Could there be a more perfect date than 9/25 to celebrate Dolly Parton?
September 25th saw the first Give Like Dolly Day, with fans, businesses and some of country music’s biggest names coming together to continue the spirit of generosity that became almost as entwined with Dolly as her music. The date was a fitting nod to ‘9 to 5’, one of her most beloved songs.
Launched internationally by The Dollywood Foundation, the new annual tradition encourages people to support their local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programme and give back in their own communities.
As Dolly put it, “If you can read, you can do anything, dream anything and be anything.”
Unsurprisingly, Nashville embraced the occasion in a big way. Mayor Freddie O’Connell officially proclaimed September 25th as Dolly Day, with more than 150 businesses across Music City taking part in events, fundraisers and tributes.
At 5pm, live bands on Broadway launched into ‘9 to 5’ together. The city turned pink and, at 9:25pm, fireworks filled the sky over downtown, bringing the official festivities to a close.
Nashville is no stranger to celebrating the artists who have called the city home. Back in 2023, Taylor Swift’s return with the Eras Tour was marked with a homecoming weekend and a bench dedicated to her in Centennial Park. Dolly Day brought its own unmistakable sense of occasion, turning much of the city into one huge tribute.
It’s hard to think of many artists whose legacy could inspire a celebration on this scale. In Tennessee, though, there is another obvious comparison: Elvis Week, which still draws fans from around the world to Memphis and Graceland every year.
We previously described Dolly as “the female Elvis”, and seeing Nashville come together in her honour made that comparison feel all the more fitting. The songs give people a reason to gather; the affection behind them is what makes a tradition last.
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were among those leading the way, pledging all proceeds from their Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk on September 25th to the Nashville Public Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
“Whatever the cash register says at the end of the day is going to Dolly’s passion,” Yearwood explained. “This is 100% about Dolly and her love for children’s literacy.”
Brooks added, “Dolly may be the perfect example of if you spend your whole life loving, you WILL live forever.”
The wider Give Like Dolly – Middle Tennessee campaign carried that generosity through the weekend, supporting local charities alongside the region’s Imagination Library programme.
And Dolly’s legacy was reaching further beyond Nashville, too. Just days before Give Like Dolly Day, an expansion of her Imagination Library programme was celebrated at the British Library in London.
Backed by £5 million raised by Postcode Lottery players, the programme now covers ten areas of the capital, including the City of London. Around 157,000 children are eligible to receive a free book every month from birth until their fifth birthday.
As Dollywood Foundation President Jeff Conyers put it, “This expansion means her extraordinary work does not simply continue, it grows.”
That feels like the most fitting measure of Give Like Dolly Day. The fireworks last a few minutes, but the books keep arriving, the stories keep being shared and the kindness keeps finding its way into somebody else’s life.
If Elvis Week is anything to go by, there is every reason to hope Nashville will still be singing ‘9 to 5’ on September 25th for years to come. Dolly has given the city a song to sing, and a reason to keep giving.
