Flags across the country are lowered, and tributes continue to roll in. But Dolly Parton also is being honored across Columbus in coffee and cocktails and, befitting her larger-than-life persona, really huge wigs.
Here are some of the special events, starting with her favorite cocktail, that are taking place around central Ohio in celebration of the country music legend and humanitarian who died Aug. 25 in her home state of Tennessee.
Serving Dolly's favorite cocktail
Parton and her sister, Rachel Parton George, published a 2024 cookbook called "Good Lookin' Cookin'" that includes their favorite recipes for family gatherings. Dolly's favorite cocktail, described by Parade magazine as "simple, strong and unapologetically bold (much like Dolly herself)," is a riff on a classic dirty
martini.
The Dirt Road Martini, which includes vodka, unsweetened tea instead of vermouth and giardiniera brine instead of olive juice, is on the menu as of Aug. 28 at Shawnee Station Taproom & Kitchen, 6058 Glick Road in the Delaware County village of Shawnee Hills, just outside Dublin.
Dolly and drag: A longtime combo
In her 2012 memoir and in lots of interviews over the years, Parton claimed she once entered a Los Angeles gay bar's Dolly Parton look-alike contest and finished third. Drag queens, who found a kindred spirit in the performer, were among those mourning her this week.
"How lucky are all of us? We got to live in the time of Dolly. We got to witness her love and her joy, her laughter, her kindness, her talent," wrote Columbus drag artist Andrew Levitt, who performs as Nina West. The two collaborated on a T-shirt in 2020 that bore both their images and the message, "Kindness Is Queen."
Union Cafe's weekly Showtunes Sunday sing-along show, which West used to host, will be dedicated Aug. 30 to the music of Parton and two other entertainers who've died this month: Tim Curry and Hayden Panettiere. It starts at 8 p.m. at 782 N. High St. in the Short North.
The Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant at Easton Town Center has scheduled "a fabulous afternoon of wigs, brunch and rhinestone glam" for Sept. 13. Tickets for the Dolly Party Drag Brunch are $27 to $42 and can be purchased through columbus.funnybone.com.
With added glitter because... Dolly
Owners of Grove City Nutrition, 3999 Broadway in Grove City, have added some edible glitter to a special Dollywood Tea "because Dolly would never do ordinary."
Other edible – and certainly more flavorful – ingredients are strawberry, pomegranate and coconut. It's being sold through Aug. 30.
A Rootin', Tootin' tribute brew
Callin' Your Bluff Coffee, a regular weekend pop-up at Land-Grant Brewing Co. in Franklinton, names most of its espresso and matcha drinks after Western and country icons. So a Dolly Parton tribute is totally expected.
On Aug. 29 and 30, Callin' Your Bluff has added to its menu a brew called Rootin' Tootin'. It's espresso or matcha, milk or soda water, root beer syrup, a vanilla ice cream cloud and a root beer-Cinnamon Toast Crunch topping. Most of its drinks are $7 or $8.
Celebrating Dolly Parton and Tim Curry
The Fishnet Mafia, a group that performs alongside "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" showings at Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse, already had scheduled "The Rocky Horror Dolly Show" for Sept. 5 when Tim Curry's death was announced.
The performance, rechristened as "The Rocky Horror Icon Show," is now a tribute to Parton and Curry, who starred as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 cult classic movie. Tickets are $10 and sold through studio35.com. Studio 35 is at 3055 Indianola Ave. in Clintonville.
9-to-5 happy hour in Westerville
Dolly tunes are playing all day Aug. 28, and happy hour has been extended from "9 to 5" in honor of the 1980 movie starring Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. It's taking place at Smash Park, the year-old complex of food, drinks, pickleball courts, arcades, a rooftop bar, ax throwing and duckpin bowling at 495 Polaris Pkwy. in Westerville.
Follow Dispatch dining reporter Bob Vitale on Instagram at @dispatchdining. You can reach him directly at rvitale@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus venues host tributes to honor Dolly Parton
