NYC Declares Sept. 25 Dolly Parton Day in Perfect ‘9 to 5’ Tribute

New York City doesn’t agree on much. Pizza toppings, the best subway line, whether Times Square counts as a real place — all up for debate. But this week, all 1.6 million Manhattanites found something to unite behind: Dolly Parton deserves her own day. And not just any day. September 25. Say it as a date — 9/25 — and you’ll hear it.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal made it official, proclaiming Friday, September 25, 2026, Dolly Parton Appreciation Day across the borough. He announced it back on September 2 with a Threads post that wrote itself: “I am officially declaring 9/25 (‘9 to 5’) as Dolly Parton Appreciation Day in the Borough of Manhattan.” When the tribute lines up that neatly, you don’t overthink it.

A tribute that goes beyond the music

The proclamation isn’t just about the rhinestones and the record sales, though there’s plenty of both to celebrate. It specifically honors Parton’s decades of work for children, literacy, and education — the stuff she cared about as much as any chart-topper.

“Dolly Parton’s compassion, resilience, humor and dedication to giving back have made her an enduring symbol of hope and generosity, touching countless lives far beyond the stage and screen,” Hoylman-Sigal said. The proclamation traces her path from a tiny cabin in Tennessee to becoming, in his words, “one of the defining American icons of our lifetime.”

Parton died on August 25 at age 80, and it was only afterward that the public learned she had been privately battling cancer. The news landed hard precisely because she’d kept it to herself — classic Dolly, never wanting to be a burden.

Ohio got there first

Manhattan isn’t the only place marking the date. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel signed their own proclamation on September 14, making September 25 Dolly Parton Day across the state — exactly one month after her passing.

“Dolly Parton rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most beloved entertainers in the world and dedicated herself to literacy and children through her philanthropic work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” DeWine’s office said in a statement. The day is meant to “celebrate her life, legacy, and generosity.”

The city turned pink

New York has been saying goodbye in its own loud way for weeks. The Empire State Building glowed pink — her signature color — in the days after her death. The IFC Center changed its marquee to read “IFC Will Always Love You.” Fans left flowers, sang along to car radios with the windows down, and generally did what New Yorkers do when they lose someone who mattered: made a scene, lovingly.

And the song at the center of it all, “9 to 5,” remains one of the great American anthems. Released in 1980 as the theme to the film of the same name — which starred Parton alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin — it earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and never really left the culture.

So today, if you’re in Manhattan, take the hint from the calendar. Pour one out, tip your hat, or just hum the chorus at your desk. It’s what Dolly would’ve wanted — probably with a laugh and a one-liner.

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Source: People