A Festival celebrating the country music star Dolly Parton returns for its third year, and it's bigger than ever. The Ringgold Downtown Partners, with support from the city of Ringgold, will host the Dolly Days event on Saturday, May 11, starting at 8 a.m.
The event, held in Downtown Ringgold, will feature Dolly-themed events for all ages and is expected to draw thousands of attendees.
Dolly Days will kick off at 8 a.m. with the Dolly Dash, a race with 10k, 5k, and 1-mile routes, where runners are encouraged to dress like Dolly Parton as they trek through Ringgold. The Dolly-themed fun will continue throughout the day with shopping, line dancing, a look-alike contest, live music, a kid zone, and more.
Festival goers can eat at one of Ringgold's many restaurants or peruse "Food Truck Alley" for dining options during the event.
The festivities will wrap up at 7 p.m. with a Dolly Parton Tribute at the Ringgold Depot, hosted by the Ringgold Depot Opry.
The Ringgold Downtown Partners created this event to share and celebrate a bit of the city's history with the public, as Dolly Parton was married in Ringgold in 1966, and to show the diverse retail and dining options the town offers. The RDP strives to build community through these events, and they are dedicated to creating a strong and thriving local economy. The City of Ringgold provides its full support to the RDP and to Dolly Days.
Dolly Days is free and open to the public. Visitors should know that Depot Street and part of Nashville Street, the area between Depot Street and Cleveland Street, will be closed from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. the day of the event.
Attendees are also encouraged to join Dolly Dash participants as they pick up their race packets on Friday, May 10, from 4–7 p.m. at the Remco Business Center. There will be music and shopping in Remco, and the RDP invites everyone to come out for a great time, whether competing in the Dolly Dash or not. Those interested can find a complete Dolly Days activity schedule at nothinlikeringgold.com.