California, Nashville Declare Sept. 25 Dolly Parton Day — SkimNews
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 931 on Sunday, officially recognizing Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day statewide, with the date 9/25 chosen as a nod to Parton's hit '9 to 5.'
- State Sen. Shannon Grove (R), who co-authored the bipartisan bill with State Sen. John Laird (D), said the day honors Parton's literacy legacy through the Imagination Library, which she credited with putting 'millions of books in the hands of our youngest readers.'
- Nashville — which previously renamed its airport after Parton — designated Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day under Mayor Freddie O'Connell, with citywide events culminating in a fireworks show.
- San Francisco will host a free 'Dolly Day' celebration on Sept. 25 featuring music, rhinestones, and remembrance.
- Portland, Oregon declared 9/25 Dolly Parton Day, with city council president Jamie Dunphy urging residents to 'do it the Dolly way, with kindness, grace and a lot of joy.'
- Montgomery and Hayes counties in Texas also approved resolutions declaring Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day.
Why it matters: The geographic spread — deep-blue San Francisco and Portland, Republican-leaning Texas counties, and a California bill co-authored by an R and a D lawmaker — shows Parton's Imagination Library literacy legacy crossing the partisan lines that divide nearly every other cultural fight. For families with young children, the annual Sept. 25 recognition turns her book-gifting program into a recurring civic touchpoint rather than a one-off tribute.
Ask SkimNews
