It's officially Dolly Parton Day, with parades, pink lights and book drives

Pour yourself a cup of ambition. It’s Dolly Parton Day.

Across the world, communities are dedicating Friday to honoring the beloved country singer. The day is falling on Sept. 25, a wink at Parton’s hit song “9 to 5.”

Parton, who died of cancer last month at age 80, built an impressive legacy over the decades as a singer-songwriter, actor, philanthropist and entrepreneur — leaving big and small ways to honor the icon.

So whether it’s dusting off your rhinestones, donating a book or throwing back a pink-themed cocktail, here’s how you can celebrate Dolly Parton Day.

In the U.S., a growing number of state and local leaders are establishing Sept. 25 as an annual Dolly Parton Day from California to the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The proclamations highlight Parton’s successful career and stress her lifelong commitment to promoting literacy.

In Nashville — where Parton had lived since she was 18 — the city will honor the singer with pink lights and posters and give away stickers, buttons and bookmarks. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines announced that it would hold a Parton-inspired karaoke Friday for travelers and employees. Tennessee state and local officials are currently in the process of renaming the airport after Parton.

“Dolly Parton’s impact on Nashville will be felt for generations, through the music she has given us, the people she has helped and the example she continues to set,” said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell in a statement. “She has shown us that caring for a community means showing up for one another.”

Over in New Orleans, the marching group Krewe of Dolly will lead a parade through the city’s French Quarter to honor Parton.

And in San Francisco, organizers are planning a public event in the heart of the city, called “Dolly Day,” designed to be a celebration of life that will include “singing loud, dressing up, and being a little kinder than usual in her honor.”

For those chained to their actual 9 to 5 job on Friday, sneaking away for an event may be challenging. Instead, you can channel Parton’s giving spirit.

Parton made it her mission to improve literacy through her Imagination Library book giveaway program. The program has quickly expanded, resulting in more than a million books sent out each month to children in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

The Imagination Library is encouraging the public to give directly to their local Imagination Library Partner on Dolly Parton Day, or help establish a new program in their community.

Don’t know where to start? The Dollywood Foundation is directing people to ImaginationLibrary.com, where a ZIP code search can find nearby programs.

“For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart,” said Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, in a statement. “She believed deeply in helping people, especially children, and she always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help.”

The Queen of Country was known for her over-the-top style, proudly wearing sequins with big hair and plenty of fringe in her signature color pink.

Parton especially adored butterflies, singing that “love is like a butterfly, as soft and gentle as a sigh.”

Dig into your closet and throw on something extra flashy, shiny or sparkly. Feeling adventurous? Some tattoo artists are offering Dolly-inspired tattoos on Friday, but a butterfly clip will also work.

Of course, there's no easier way to celebrate Parton than by playing one of her many, many albums throughout the day.

Known for her hits “9 to 5,” “Jolene,” and “I Will Always Love You,” Parton's catalog runs deep, and there's room to discover new favorites.

It was Parton’s wish that her songs would have a lasting impact, and that in turn, she would be remembered for trying to make the world a better place.

“I hope that a lot of my songs may last that long. And I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things,” she told The Associated Press in 2024.

Stickers are seen during a Dolly Parton Day event to honor the late country music artist, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Christy Oakes, left, and Beth Sloan, right, of Kentucky pose with a mural of Dolly Parton Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. during Dolly Parton Day honoring the late country music artist. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

People make their way across a pink crosswalk during Dolly Parton Day honoring the late country music artist Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Wendy Delehanty, left, and Nancy Beaty of Jew Jersey pose with a sign during Dolly Parton Day honoring the late country music artist, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey ’s Democratic lieutenant governor has resigned after the governor demanded he step down over sexual harassment allegations and ethical lapses involving his relationships with women.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill had given Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell an ultimatum that he resign by Friday, though she lacked the power to remove him if he said no.

Sherrill announced the resignation at a news conference Friday afternoon.

“His decision will allow us to move forward with important work serving the people of our state,” she said.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey’s Democratic governor worked Friday to sever ties with her own lieutenant governor after he was accused of inappropriate behavior with women, giving him an ultimatum to resign by the end of the day and quickly end a scandal that threatened to be a drag on her fledgling administration.

The showdown between Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell comes weeks ahead of midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress. State Republicans have hammered Sherrill for weeks on the investigation into Caldwell, who oversees elections as New Jersey's secretary of state and also serves as acting governor in her absence.

Sherrill scheduled a news conference Friday afternoon at the State House in Trenton to address the situation. She had called for Caldwell to resign on Thursday after a law firm she hired concluded he behaved inappropriately around women.

The Democrat, who had hand-picked Caldwell for the role as her second-in-command, said his “serious, repeated violations of state policy” continued even after multiple warnings and trainings.

But Caldwell has disputed the allegations and has shown no signs he might leave office willingly. In New Jersey, a governor can’t simply fire the lieutenant governor, as the post is independently elected.

Lieutenant governors can be impeached and removed from office by the Legislature, and the governor can strip a lieutenant governor of certain duties and responsibilities, effectively sidelining them from the administration.

A Methodist pastor, Caldwell served as president of Centenary University in Hackettstown before Sherrill tapped him as her running mate last year, making him first in line to lead the state should she die, be removed from office or become incapacitated.

Republican state Sen. Kristin Corrado questioned Sherrill’s judgment over allowing Caldwell to fill in for the governor when she's away, even as his conduct was being investigated.

“New Jersey residents deserve leadership, transparency, and answers from their government,” she said Friday. “So far, we have gotten none.”

Messages left with leaders of the Democrat-led Legislature went unanswered Friday morning.

In a report dated Wednesday but released Thursday, the lawyers said Caldwell had committed several violations of state policy. It said Caldwell, 66, had made an advance toward a staff member’s friend and when he was rebuffed told the staffer, “you young women are looking for young sperm.”

The report also said Caldwell had tried to get a promotion for a state employee he was dating and brought personal guests to the opera and other ticketed events without paying for them, as required by ethics rules.

Caldwell denied any misconduct, and said in a letter included in the law firm’s report that he suspected his relationships with women were being subjected to extra scrutiny because he was a single Black man.

Caldwell’s lawyer, Thomas Calcagni, said his client “categorically denies” making the sperm statement but acknowledged that Caldwell had recommended the woman for a promotion, though he denied ordering anyone to promote her. Caldwell denied other claims, including that he gives out his business cards to women for inappropriate reasons.

Caldwell, who is Black and served for decades on the New Brunswick Board of Education, has suggested race played a role in the allegations.

In neighboring New York, a similar impasse has played out over the past year between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who launched a caustic primary challenge to unseat her only to withdraw from the race as the election neared.

Hochul is now running for reelection in November with Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, as her replacement lieutenant governor nominee.

Marcelo reported from New York.

FILE - New Jersey Democratic Gov. elect Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov. elect Dale Caldwell celebrate during an election night party in East Brunswick, N.J., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - New Jersey Democratic Lt. Governor elect Dale Caldwell speaks during an election night party in East Brunswick, N.J., Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)