Dolly Day is 9/25 (9-to-5!) Here’s How Nashville Is Celebrating
Grab your rhinestones and get ready to celebrate Dolly Parton with live music, pink cocktails, special events, and more around Nashville. Image: RCA Records via Wikimedia Commons
September 25 (9-to-5!) has officially been dubbed Dolly Day in Nashville, and Music City is celebrating one of Tennessee’s most beloved icons with all the sparkle fit for our queen! Raise a glass with a pink cocktail, sing along to your favorite Dolly songs, give back, and revisit some of the places that helped shape the Nashville story of Tennessee’s favorite daughter. Ready to celebrate? Here are a few ways to make the most of Dolly Day around town!
Raise a Glass to Dolly
Dolly Day calls for a drink with pizazz, and Nashville bars and restaurants are joining the fun with specialty cocktails, Dolly-inspired bites, and plenty of opportunities to give back.
Commons Club at Virgin Hotels Nashville
Kick off Dolly Day at Commons Club on September 25 with Dolly classics spun by a DJ, specialty cocktails topped with Dolly-approved garnishes, and a Dolly-fied hat-making experience with Sutton & Suede. The celebration runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with cocktail specials available through October 2. Plus, $1 from every specialty cocktail and Montucky Cold Snack sold during the week benefits Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For additional details and to make a Commons Club reservation, visit opentable.com.
Tennessee Brew Works
Get your rhinestones ready for a no-cover Dolly Day celebration featuring live music, Dolly-inspired food and drinks, a $9.25 potato-and-beer pairing, and a round of Bingo hosted by local personality Polly Darton. Wear pink and bring a donation for Friends of Metro Animal Care and Control, which will be on-site to share ways to support local pet adoption. tnbrew.com
Friends in Low Places
Friends in Low Places turns the entire day over to Dolly by donating every dollar brought in on September 25 to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Nashville Public Library. Guests are also encouraged to bring children’s books for donation. eventbrite.com
Boqueria
Spend Dolly Day at Boqueria with a DJ spinning Dolly songs, Dolly Day Bingo, and specialty pink cocktails, including a Shimmery Lychee Martini and pink mimosas. visitmusiccity.com
Hear Dolly’s Songs Come to Life
On October 10, spend the day at Rudy’s Jazz Room, where local Nashville musicians will perform songs from Dolly’s extraordinary catalog. The evening features Crystal Miller, Sarah Jane Nelson, Wendy Burns, and more — plus Dolly-inspired drink specials and Dolly Bingo. Rudy’s will donate $5 from every ticket sold to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Fun fact: Rudy’s has a special connection to Dolly, as she and Reba McEntire filmed their 2021 “Does He Love You” music video at the beloved venue. tunehatch.com
Walk in Dolly’s Footsteps
Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
Stand where Dolly stood at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. On September 25, all guests can step onto the iconic balcony (usually reserved for VIP tours) where the country queen filmed her television show “Dolly” in 1977.
Explore other filming locations around the property, including the Entry Hall’s spiral staircase and Family Cemetery, and see the Old Hickory Gibson guitar on special display. Plus, all sandwiches, sides, and drinks at Andrew & Rachel’s Café are $9.25 in honor of Dolly. thehermitage.com
Country Music Hall of Fame
Celebrate Dolly Day at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with a full afternoon of Dolly-inspired activities. Catch footage from the Museum’s Frist Library and Archive at 6 p.m., snap a photo at a 9 to 5-themed setup, and settle in for a free 7 p.m. screening of 9 to 5 at CMA Theater.
The Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker exhibition, which explores pivotal moments throughout Dolly’s six-decade career, is also open until 7 p.m. Museum admission includes the exhibit, but reservations are encouraged.
Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum
Head to the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum on September 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The celebration includes Dolly-themed activities, live acoustic music, and local vendors. In keeping with Dolly’s generous spirit, $9.25 from every regularly priced museum ticket sold that day benefits Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. visitmusiccity.com
Noelle’s Ryman Vinyl Suite
Get a glimpse into Dolly’s Nashville history at Noelle’s Ryman Vinyl Suite, which pays tribute to the legendary Ryman Auditorium and the artists who helped make it famous. Among the suite’s archival memorabilia is a 1974 photograph of Dolly in The Ryman’s dressing room.
Downstairs, Keep Shop also celebrates the day with its “Nashville Loves Dolly” collection of Dolly-inspired pieces, giving fans another way to connect with her Music City legacy.
More Ways to Celebrate!
Jeni’s Ice Cream
The iconic creamery will be paying tribute to Dolly with a special fundraiser to honor her legacy. On September 25 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Jeni’s will be donating 25% of all in-shop sales to the Imagination Library. We couldn’t think of a sweeter way to give back!
Nashville Zoo
Spend Dolly Day with the animals at Nashville Zoo, where special admission is $19.25 for adults and $15.25 for youth. The celebration includes Dolly-inspired eats and drinks, including a Dolly Cocktail Bucket, strawberry matcha, banana pudding semifreddo, and Dolly’s famous chicken and dumplings.
Be sure to look for Dolly-themed animal enrichment, pink displays at Zawadi Market, and Dolly-themed face painting throughout the day. Zoo members can join the fun at no additional cost, and guests are encouraged to show up in their best pink and sparkles. nashvillezoo.org
Paddywax
Get crafty for Dolly Day at Paddywax with a Dolly-inspired candle workshop running from September 25–27. Create your own candle with pink wax, glitter, and butterfly-shaped details, with $10 from each $44 workshop seat donated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The workshop is offered at both The Gulch and Berry Hill locations. For additional details, click HERE.
Give a Little Love, Dolly-Style
Middle Tennessee makes it easy to support local nonprofits working in areas close to Dolly’s heart — from helping children succeed and neighbors in need to supporting healing, creativity, and a lifelong love of reading. The nonprofits benefiting through each giving pillar, along with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee, are slated to be revealed soon. As Dolly often said, “If you can read, you can do anything, dream anything, and be anything.” giving9to5.com
Now, go celebrate in Dolly-style!
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To explore more Nashville events, visit our Happenings calendar.
Brianna Goebel
Brianna is StyleBlueprint’s Associate Editor and Sponsored Content Manager. She is an avid fan of iced coffee and spends her free time reading romance novels.
