Why is Dolly Parton not attending 80th 'big ol' birthday' celebration, what is Dolly Parton Day?

Dolly Parton is turning 80 on January 19 and on January 17, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville are holding a celebration to mark the occasion. Unfortunately, Dolly Parton was not able to attend and she revealed the news on Grand Ole Opry’s Instagram.

Grand Ole Opry had written that “The Queen of Country is turning 80, and @laineywilson, @vincegillofficial, @rhondavincent, @trannieanderson, and more are coming together to celebrate @dollyparton's iconic ’80s era on January 17 at the Opry House 🦋

“Grab your tickets to Opry Goes Dolly and get ready to throw it back to when the hair was bigger, the clothes were brighter, and “9 to 5” hit the silver screen! 🎟️ Ticket link in bio.

“Plus, start the party early with our new 80 Years of Song retail collection in collaboration with Dolly herself! Pre-order now at the link in our bio.”

In a video Dolly Parton thanked her fans and said: "I just wanted to say how much it means to me that you’re all coming together again this year to celebrate my big ol’ birthday," and also said: "I wish I could be there in person, but I’ll be sending you all my love for sure."

In September 2025, Dolly Parton was expected to attend the announcement of Dollywood’s new Flight Expedition ride and explained why she couldn’t attend. She said: “Hello Dollywood! It’s me” and went on to say “I know- and I’m here and you’re there. And you're wondering why that is? Well I had a little problem.”

Dolly Parton went on to say that “I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems, turned out it’d given me an infection, and the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be traveling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better.”

She continued: “So, he suggested I not go to Dollywood today, but I’m there with you in spirit.”

At the end of September 2025, Dolly Parton, shared a statement on social media that she would be postponing her Las Vegas shows to 2026. She wrote: “I want the fans and public to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will need to postpone my upcoming Las Vegas concerts. As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures.

“As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon! In all seriousness, given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see.

“You pay good money to see me perform, and I want to be at my best for you. While I’ll still be able to work on all of my projects from here in Nashville. I just need a little time to get show ready, as they say. And don’t worry about me quittin the business because God hasn’t said anything about stopping yet.

“But, I believe he’s telling me to slow down right now so I can be ready for more big adventures with all of you. I love you and thank you for understanding.”

In October 2025, Dolly Parton broke her silence after her sister Freida Parton took to Facebook and wrote: “Last night, I was up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.

“Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me. She’s strong, she’s loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”

Dolly Parton then posted a video to allay her fans fears and said: “I know lately, everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here.

“Anyway, I wanted to put everybody’s mind at ease. Those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate, and I appreciate your prayers, because I’m a person of faith.

“I can always use the prayers for anything and everything, but I want you to know that I’m okay. I’ve got some problems, as I mentioned back when my husband Carl was very sick. That was for a long time, and then when he passed, I didn’t take care of myself.

“So I let a lot of things go that I should have taken care of. So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, ‘We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that’.”

“Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt, you know, where I’m kind of having a few treatments here and there, but I wanted you to know that I’m not dying.”

Dolly Parton went on to say that “But anyway, there are just a lot of rumours flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was OK. So anyhow, that’s what I wanted to say, and I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring and keep praying for me.”

What is Dolly Parton Day?

Governor Bill Lee signed a proclamation designating January 19, 2026 as Dolly Parton Day in Tennessee in honour of her 80th birthday. Governor Bill Lee said: “Dolly Parton’s life and career is woven into Tennessee’s music, culture, and rich history.”

He added that “Her talent and generosity have made a lasting impact on the world, and it is fitting that we honor her 80th birthday by celebrating her remarkable legacy and dedication to the Volunteer State.”