Thousands Flock to Dollywood After Dolly Parton Dies at 80
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 27
Thousands Flock to Dollywood After Dolly Parton Dies at 80
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 27
Summary
Thousands of mourners gathered at Dollywood on Wednesday, turning the 160-acre Tennessee theme park into the main public site of grief two days after Dolly Parton’s death at 80.
Flowers, letters, drawings and even false eyelashes piled up at a memorial near the entrance as fans traveled from as far as Texas and Philadelphia to honor a star they said made them feel seen.
Visitors described a solemn atmosphere across the park, saying Parton’s embrace of self-expression, Appalachia and the queer community made Dollywood feel like a uniquely welcoming place.
Dollywood, opened in 1986 near Parton’s hometown, draws more than 4 million visitors a year and employs about 4,000 people in Sevier County.
Park president Eugene Naughton said Dollywood would carry Parton’s legacy forward, underscoring the park’s role as both an economic engine and a living expression of her ties to East Tennessee.