Happy birthday Dolly Parton! Five Nashville ways to celebrate the queen of country
One of the most momentous weekends in January has come again: it's time to celebrate Dolly Parton's birthday.
The singer-songwriter and actress, born on Jan. 19, 1946, will be turning 78 years old this year. This past year has been a big one for Smoky Mountain Songbird, who released her album "Rockstar" in November alongside a theatrical premiere.
And now, fans all around the globe are celebrate another year of Dolly this weekend. People are celebrating as far away as Michigan where residents at retirement facility Waltonwood Main were greeted by a miniature pony outfitted as Dolly herself.
In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a public library will be celebrating Parton's impact on literacy through her Imagination Library Program. Since becoming an affiliate of the program in 2018, the library has distributed more than 360,000 books to almost 12,000 children—and now, they're throwing a birthday party for Parton and meeting the children who've benefitted from the program.
Just like the rest of the world, Nashville, too, will have a wide variety of events and concerts in Parton's honor all around the musical city.
Here are five ways to wish Tennessee's own country music queen a happy birthday in Music City this year.
1. The Opry Goes Dolly
The Grand Ole Opry will be celebrate Opry member Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium with a night of performances dedicated to the Tennessee country music icon. The event will take place on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. CST.
Though Parton will not appear in person, the show will celebrate the icon with performances from Lauren Alaina, Terri Clark, Elle King, Tigirlily Gold, Ashley Monroe, Dailey and Vincent and more.
The guests will perform Parton's hits alongside an evening of Dolly-themed celebration and photo-ops. $5 from each ticket will go to to the Opry Trust Fund in Parton's honor, a fund that has assisted members of the music community in need for over 50 years.
The Ryman will also celebrate Parton’s birthday with special Dolly-themed cupcakes, a giant birthday card for fans to sign and a special dress of Dolly's on display.
Fans can learn more about the musical event at ryman.com.
2. Rock and Roll Playhouse's family friendly celebration
The Rock and Roll Playhouse will throw a family-friendly event celebrating the music of Dolly and Kenny Rogers this weekend. The show will take place on Jan. 20 at 12 p.m. CST.
The Rock and Roll Playhouse is a kid-centered family friendly concert series that celebrates the music of classic rock icons. The band creates opportunities for kids to dance and sing along to some of the most iconic songs in rock n' roll—introducing kids to the classics in an innovative and playful way.
Fans can find more information at brooklynbowl.com.
3. Tennessee Brew Works' Dolly's Birthday Bash
Tennessee Brew Works, located in Pie Town, will present their seventh annual celebration of Dolly Parton's birthday. The event, which has no cover charge, was originally scheduled for Jan. 20. Due to weather, the birthday bash has been rescheduled to Jan. 27.
Brew Works encourages attendees to come clad in pink and rhinestones, ready to sing along to some of Dolly's classic tunes with a Dolly Parton Tribute Band.
The afternoon will feature live performances, starting at 2 p.m. with Jessi Pugh and followed by Jack Settle at 4 p.m. At 6 p.m., Lydia Simonds will take the stage before the final act of the night: Erin Hazelrig & the Dolly Parton Tribute Band, who will go on at 8 p.m.
For more information, readers can check out tnbrew.com/dolly.
4. The Graduate Hotel's Birthday Celebration
The Graduate Hotel will throw an event with pop-up shopping and birthday treats to celebrate Parton's special day. The birthday celebration will take place on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST.
The afternoon will feature a live reading of "Things Lady Likes," a children's book by author Donna Drehmann,at 10 a.m. The reading will be followed by a themed craft and pop-up shops from Moons and Junes Vintage, Mary Kathryn Design and Kendra Scott. There will special birthday treats from Sugar Drop and other attractions.
There is no charge to attend the event, but fans can give an optional $12 donation which will go Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book gifting program. The donation will also cover the cost of one year of books for a child.
Donation tickets will also serve as an entry into their Dolly-themed giveaway, where a winner will take home some Dolly goodies and a night stay at the Graduate Nashville.
Fans can learn more at graduatehotels.com.
5. The Vinyl Lab's 'Happy Birthday Dolly!'
The Vinyl Lab, a state-of-the-art vinyl pressing plant in Downtown Nashville, will also be celebrating Dolly's birthday. The event, which was originally scheduled for Jan. 19, has been rescheduled to Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. due to weather.
The plant will be throwing an all-star Dolly Parton tribute and celebration of her recently released November album "Rock Star."
The evening will feature performances from India Ramey and her band, special guests Lilly Hiatt, Rachel Cole, Van Darien, Sophie Gault, Jon Latham, Andrew Leahey, Chelsea Lovitt, Lauren Morrow, Kristina Murray, Kashena Sampson, Afton Wolfe and more.
The event, presented alongside Heavy Pedal Productions, is supported by The Nashville Scene and Welcome to 1979.
For more information, head to nashvillelife.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dolly Parton's birthday: Celebrate the queen of country in Nashville
