Dolly Parton, with her bright smile and big curly hair, is present this fall at corn farms across the United States and Canada.
Corn Mazes in Honor of Dolly Parton
Twenty large farms in these countries have designed corn mazes to honor this famous country music artist, actress, and philanthropist. The purpose of these mazes is to raise funds for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which is dedicated to providing free books to children.
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Parton passed away on August 25 due to cancer in Nashville at the age of 80, and this event sparked a wave of tributes. Among these tributes was the effort to rename the capital of country music's airport in her name and an increase in online streams of her popular songs.
Details of the Mazes and Activities
These mazes are located in about twelve states and two provinces from Alabama to California and Ohio to Texas, and most of them include themed games and photo opportunities. Bert Hurst, the founder of The Maize Inc., the consulting company that designed these mazes, described Dolly Parton as a "true American treasure."
Hurst said, "Dolly's impact on the world and her love for agriculture is immeasurable, and our corn mazes have now taken on a new and significant meaning." The company announced that the design of the mazes had been in progress months before Parton's passing and is part of their annual campaign to honor the shining stars of country music. Artists who have been honored in past years include Reba McEntire in 2023, Luke Bryan in 2024, and Lainey Wilson in 2025.
Parton, known for her impoverished childhood in rural Tennessee, thanked the organizers for supporting her charity before her death. In a statement provided by The Maize Inc., she encouraged people to "get lost in the corn maze of country music this year for a little fun, laughter, and a real reason to get lost."
One of the mazes is located at a vast corn farm next to Twins BBQ in Brookfield, Connecticut, which is about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northeast of New York. Parton's likeness gazes up at the sky and is surrounded by the phrases "Dolly" and "an American treasure" along with a series of stars.
Daniel Gallop, one of the owners of this business, admitted that he had little knowledge about her before attending last year's corn maze conference at Dollywood, Parton's theme park. But he was impressed. Gallop said, "They told us everything about her integrity and how she ran her businesses and how smart, generous, kind, ethical, and humble she was."
He added that Parton's passing "has greatly intensified the meaning of this tribute." Gallop said, "She was a true icon."
Stephanie Chen and her young son, William, were among those walking through Parton's maze on Sunday. They said the easiest part was passing through the section where the word "Dolly" is written in large letters. Chen joked, "Because there’s only one way to get through."
Gallop said the more challenging part is Parton's hair. He said, "She has a lot of hair, and it comes to little tips. You don’t know where the next opening will be. I got lost a few times."
The most memorable part of this maze has been seeing visitors dressed for the occasion. Gallop said, "We had people wearing cowboy boots and cowboy hats and Dolly Parton t-shirts. Seeing all this love expressed for her is really wonderful."
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Source: abcnews.com
