Dolly Parton Day is being marked across the U.S. on Friday, with cities, counties, businesses and fans celebrating the life and legacy of the late country music icon. The date has a distinctly Dolly connection: September 25 is written as 9/25, a reference to Parton's signature hit "9 to 5." Parton died at age 80 on August 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, surrounded by loved ones. The commemorations taking place September 25 range from major public gatherings and parades to city proclamations, pink-lit buildings, musical performances and fundraisers supporting children's literacy.
Parton died following a brief battle with cancer. Her publicist initially announced that she had "died peacefully" in Nashville. A subsequent statement said she died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after "bravely facing a brief battle with cancer." Her family said a small private service would be held for immediate family.
Parton had previously acknowledged that she had been experiencing health challenges. In September 2025, she said doctors had told her she needed to undergo several procedures, although she did not publicly specify the nature of the health issues at the time. Her death prompted tributes across the music industry and from communities that had been connected to her philanthropic work, particularly through her Imagination Library.
September 25 became an obvious date for Dolly Parton Day because, written numerically as 9/25, it is a reference to Dolly's 1980 hit "9 to 5." The song was written for the 1980 film 9 to 5, in which Parton made her feature-film debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The connection has been embraced by cities and states establishing September 25 as a day of recognition. California has established September 25 as Dolly Parton Day statewide.
State Senator Shannon Grove, one of the lawmakers behind the legislation, described Parton's literacy work as a central part of her legacy. "Dolly Parton sparkled on every stage she ever stood on, but her brightest sparkle was the literacy legacy she built through the Imagination Library," Grove said. State Senator John Laird, the bill's co-sponsor, said Parton's legacy extended beyond her music.
"Dolly brought joy to a lot of people, but her legacy goes well beyond her music," Laird said, pointing to the millions of children reached through the Imagination Library. California Governor Gavin Newsom also marked the occasion, saying: "We could all afford to live a little more like Dolly." He encouraged people to be kind and humble and described the annual commemoration as a reminder of how Parton lived. Other governments and local authorities have issued proclamations or recognitions, including Nashville, the New York City borough of Manhattan, Denver, New Orleans and several counties and communities.
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