There is something quietly emotional about the first official Dolly Parton Day arriving so soon after the country icon’s death. Across Southern California, the tribute is not being marked with a single memorial or ceremony. Instead, her legacy is appearing in songs, children’s books, movie screenings, crafts and community events — each reflecting a different part of the woman fans knew.
September 25 now carries a special meaning for Parton’s supporters. The date has been deliberately tied to one of her most recognisable songs, while California communities are using the occasion to revisit the music, generosity and creativity that made Parton a cultural icon.
Why September 25 Became Dolly Parton Day in California
The new observance was officially established in California after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 931 on September 20, making September 25 an annual Dolly Parton Day.
The choice of date is anything but random.
Written as 9-2-5, September 25 is a direct nod to Parton’s beloved song “9 to 5” and the 1980 film of the same name. The song and movie became important parts of Parton’s crossover from country music into Hollywood, making the date a fitting connection between two major chapters of her career.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced by state Senators Shannon Grove and John Laird. It recognises both Parton’s entertainment career and her humanitarian work.
Newsom explained the spirit behind the new observance by saying:
“We could all afford to live a little more like Dolly.”
He also connected Parton’s legacy with values including kindness, humility and generosity.
Senator Grove placed particular emphasis on another part of Parton’s extraordinary public 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.”
That literacy work is a major reason the first Dolly Parton Day reaches far beyond music.
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Dolly Parton Day Events Across Southern California
Southern California’s celebrations bring together several sides of Parton’s legacy, from live entertainment to childhood literacy.
Here is a look at the featured events included in the first observance:
| Location | Event | Time | Highlights |
| Grand Performances, Downtown Los Angeles | Dolly Parton Day tribute | Noon–1 p.m. | Live music, giveaways and Imagination Library representatives |
| Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena | Dolly Parton Day | 11 a.m. | Music, storytelling, crafts and books |
| La Cañada Flintridge Library | Dolly Day: Smarty Pants Storytime | 10:30–11 a.m. | Books, songs, rhymes, movement and school-readiness activities |
| Woodcrest Library | Dolly Day Play & Explore | 10:30–11:30 a.m. | Toys, art and early-learning activities for ages 2–5 |
| Lancaster Library | Dolly Day: Baby Storytime | — | Nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs and books |
| Lomita Library | Dolly Day | 3:30–4:30 p.m. | Music, crafts and lessons about Parton’s career and philanthropy |
| Compton Library | Dolly Day: Coats to Many Colors | — | Paper-coat crafts inspired by Coat of Many Colors |
| Rooftop Cinema Club, Downtown Los Angeles | 9 to 5 screening | Doors 6:30 p.m.; film 7:30 p.m. | Screening of Parton’s 1980 film |
Grand Performances Brings Dolly’s Music Downtown
At Grand Performances in downtown Los Angeles, the Grand Performances and DTLA Alliance tribute runs from noon to 1 p.m. at 350 S. Grand Ave.
The lunchtime celebration features live music from Leslie Stevens and Andy Keathley, as well as giveaways. Attendees can also meet representatives connected to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Los Angeles and learn more about the literacy initiative.
There is a fitting connection between the event and the date itself. Organisers have framed the lunchtime gathering around the spirit of Parton’s 9 to 5 legacy, transforming an ordinary workday break into a celebration of her music and charitable work.
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Vroman’s Bookstore Celebrates Dolly Parton Through Books and Storytelling
In Pasadena, Vroman’s Bookstore is taking a more intimate route with its Dolly Parton Day celebration beginning at 11 a.m.
Professional musician and bookseller Sophia is scheduled to perform songs in Parton’s memory. Resident storyteller Mr. Steve will read Coat of Many Colors alongside other titles connected to the Imagination Library.
The bookstore is also offering limited-edition pins and bookmarks while supplies last. Visitors are encouraged to wear pink or arrive in their own Dolly-inspired style.
The event reflects something particularly important about Parton’s legacy: books were never simply an extension of her entertainment career. Through the Imagination Library, literacy became one of the defining causes attached to her name.
The programme provides books free of charge to young children through participating communities, with the initiative operating across several countries.
LA County Libraries Put Children at the Heart of Dolly Day
The Los Angeles County Library system is also marking the occasion through multiple programmes designed particularly for children and families.
At La Cañada Flintridge Library, Dolly Day: Smarty Pants Storytime runs from 10:30 to 11 a.m. It combines books, songs, rhymes and movement with school-readiness activities.
At Woodcrest Library, Dolly Day Play & Explore takes place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Children ages 2 to 5, accompanied by a parent or caregiver, can explore toys, art supplies and other activities intended to encourage curiosity, creativity and early learning.
Lancaster Library is focusing on its youngest audience with Dolly Day: Baby Storytime. The programme is designed for babies and caregivers and includes nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs and age-appropriate books.
Meanwhile, Lomita Library is hosting its Dolly Day programme from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Children ages 5 to 12 can learn about Parton’s music, business career, literacy work and philanthropy while taking part in songs, crafts and other activities.
At Compton Library, Dolly Day: Coats to Many Colors draws inspiration from Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. Children can create paper coats while writing about their emotions or aspirations.
Together, these programmes put one of Parton’s most enduring beliefs directly into the centre of the celebration: that books and reading can open doors for children.
9 to 5 Returns to the Big Screen in Los Angeles
Parton’s Hollywood legacy is getting its own moment too.
Rooftop Cinema Club in downtown Los Angeles is screening 9 to 5 as part of Dolly Parton Day. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the film scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the DTLA location on S. Olive Street.
Released in 1980, 9 to 5 starred Parton alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The film became one of the defining projects of Parton’s acting career, while its connection to the song provides the central link to California’s September 25 observance.
That makes the screening more than a simple movie showing. It brings one of Parton’s most recognisable performances back into focus on a day created specifically around her cultural legacy.
Dolly Parton Died Just Weeks Before the First Official Celebration
The timing of the first Dolly Parton Day carries an undeniable emotional weight because Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80.
A message released by her family on Parton’s official YouTube channel said:
“died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee.”
Her family described her as a global icon and humanitarian whose career had inspired multiple generations.
According to reporting at the time, Parton’s death followed a brief battle with cancer. Her family said a small, private service would be held for immediate family and encouraged fans around the world to honour her through her official channels and support the Imagination Library in her memory.
Her death prompted tributes across the entertainment industry and brought renewed attention to the sheer breadth of her career.
She was a singer and songwriter, but also an actress, producer, businesswoman and philanthropist whose work reached far beyond music.
The Imagination Library Remains Central to Her Legacy
Among all the causes associated with Parton, the Imagination Library stands out as one of the clearest examples of her impact outside entertainment.
The literacy initiative was created to encourage childhood literacy by providing books to children from birth through age five in participating communities.
More than 300 million books have been distributed to children worldwide through the programme, including children in California.
California’s Dolly Parton Day legislation specifically recognises the Imagination Library as a central part of Parton’s legacy.
Her philanthropy also extended to other causes, including medical research and disaster relief. The legislation describes her not only through her achievements in music and entertainment, but also as a literacy advocate, humanitarian and philanthropist.
That helps explain the unusual range of events taking place on September 25. The tributes are not limited to concerts. They include storytimes, books, community gatherings, children’s activities and charitable efforts.
Dolly Parton Day Is Spreading Beyond California
California may have officially established September 25 as Dolly Parton Day, but celebrations are also taking place elsewhere.
In Nashville, organisers have created a citywide “Dolly Day” focused on music, kindness, generosity and giving. The city’s organisers also described September 25 as a nod to 9 to 5 and invited residents, businesses, musicians and visitors to participate in their own ways.
In Sevier County, Tennessee, where Parton was born and raised, the first Dolly Parton Day celebration includes a proclamation ceremony and a broader commemoration of her connection to the Smoky Mountains.
San Francisco is hosting a free public “Dolly Day” gathering at Union Square from noon to 3 p.m., with organisers describing it as a celebration of Parton’s music, generosity and creativity.
And in New Orleans, a planned Celebration of Life for Parton has been moved to September 25, with the city planning to recognise the occasion as “Dolly Day.”
The growing number of observances gives the date a meaning that reaches well beyond California.
A Celebration Built Around Dolly Parton’s Own Legacy
Perhaps the most fitting part of the first Dolly Parton Day is the variety.
In Southern California, fans can hear live music downtown. Children can discover her work through books and library programmes. Families can create art inspired by her songs and stories. Moviegoers can return to 9 to 5. And communities can learn more about a literacy programme that has delivered hundreds of millions of books to children.
That range reflects a career that was never confined to one category.
Parton moved between country music, Hollywood, television, publishing and business while maintaining a philanthropic focus that became inseparable from her public legacy.
California’s new September 25 designation now gives those tributes a recurring date — and the 9-2-5 connection means the calendar itself carries a reminder of one of Parton’s most recognisable works.
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Conclusion
The first Dolly Parton Day arrives only weeks after her death, but the celebrations across Southern California show why her legacy cannot be reduced to a single song, film or career achievement.
Music, books, children’s programmes, creativity, philanthropy and community gatherings are all being used to remember her. From 9 to 5 returning to the big screen to Imagination Library-inspired storytimes, September 25 is becoming a day shaped around the things that defined Parton’s public life.
For fans, it is a moment of remembrance. For children discovering her work through books and stories, it is also an introduction to a legacy that reaches far beyond music.
Source/Research Disclaimer: This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided with the original material, including official government announcements, event-organiser information, Parton’s official family statement and relevant reporting available as of September 25, 2026. The article reflects the information contained in those sources and does not imply independent verification beyond what the provided material supports. Event schedules and availability can change, so readers should confirm details with individual organisers before attending.
Sources
- California Governor’s Office — California establishes Dolly Parton Day
- Dolly Parton’s official family statement
- Grand Performances — Dolly Parton Day
- Vroman’s Bookstore — Dolly Parton Day
- LA County Library — Dolly Day programs
- LA County Library — Dolly Day at Lomita Library
- LA County Library — Dolly Day: Smarty Pants Storytime
- LA County Library — Dolly Day: Coats to Many Colors
- LA County Library — Dolly Day: Baby Storytime
- Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp — Dolly Day
- Sevier County — Dolly Parton Day celebration
- Dolly Day San Francisco — official event page
- CBS News Los Angeles — Southern California Dolly Parton Day events
Featured Image Credit: RCA Records / Public domain
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