Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Dolly Day in Birmingham: 5 ways to celebrate + give back on Sept. 25
Reading time: 6 minutes
Birmingham-area businesses and organizations are celebrating Give Like Dolly Day on Friday, Sept. 25. You can shop local, try a Dolly-themed treat or donate books for local kids. Bham Now is presenting one of the events, the Magic City Pop-Up Plaza at Railroad Park.
What is Give Like Dolly Day?
The Dollywood Foundation, home of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, announced Give Like Dolly Day as a global day of support for local Imagination Library programs. It will be celebrated every year on Sept. 25 — a callback to her hit song “9 to 5.”
Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who could not read or write. It now mails a free book each month to children from birth to age 5. Local partners raise the funds to cover the cost of the books and mailing in their communities.
Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, said the day is meant to support those partners and other nonprofits that help kids.
“For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart. She believed deeply in helping people, especially children, and she always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help.”
Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation
Shop local at Magic City Pop-Up Plaza at Railroad Park
Bham Now presents Magic City Pop-Up Plaza on the 17th Street Plaza at Railroad Park, and this edition is Dolly-themed. A Dolly playlist will run all evening.
Food and drink vendors include Orbit City Street Food, Subs N Grub, Nettie B’s Grill, Michael’s Restaurant at The Boxcar, Annie’s Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Snowie Yummyice, Drury Lane Bakery and The Big Baby Cakes. Makers and vendors include AfroLit Alcove, Brianna’s Natural Infusions, Southern Bloom Bar, Leaf Home, Renewal by Andersen and Partyology. Birmingham Knockerball, Birmingham Public Library, Catalyst by Southern Research and Ebike Oasis will also be on-site.
- What: Free Dolly-themed pop-up market with food, vendors and games
- When: Friday, Sept. 25, 4-7PM
- Where: 17th Street Plaza, Railroad Park, Birmingham
- More info
Dress like Dolly at The Burrow Bookstore in Leeds
The Burrow Bookstore is celebrating Dolly Day with a full day focused on books and literacy. Shoppers who come dressed in pink, rhinestones, fringe, boots or big hair get a discount, and wearing one of the shop’s limited-edition Dolly Day T-shirts counts too. Silly Geese Social will organize crafts, with details still to come, and Dolly-themed Blind Dates with a Book are available all week.
The shop is also collecting new and gently used children’s books. Imagination Library books that kids have outgrown will help keep The Burrow’s free Imagination Library shelf stocked, and all other donations will go to a local organization that gets books to kids.
Other Leeds businesses are joining in. Overstock Mattress & Beds has a photo op with Dolly, Neon Moon is serving a pink shooter and Sweet Caroline’s is offering discounts. Remnant Coffee has a special Dolly menu, and Rails and Ales is giving a free raffle ticket for a prize basket to anyone dressed like Dolly.
- What: Dolly Day with costume discounts, T-shirts, crafts and a children’s book drive
- When: Friday, Sept. 25, 10AM-8PM
- Where: 8139 Parkway Drive, Leeds, AL 35094
- More info
- The Burrow Bookstore: Facebook
Paint a rhinestone and glitter guitar in Trussville
Paint All The Things Trussville Studio, formerly Sips n Strokes, is hosting a Dolly Day painting class called “What Would Dolly Do?” Guests will add glitter and rhinestones to a rhinestone and glitter guitar, and a portion of the night’s sales will go to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Reservations are required, and guests should sign up by 4PM on the day of the class. Guests can bring their own paint pens and embellishments or use the studio’s supplies. The studio is BYOB, and adult classes are for ages 12 and up.
- What: Dolly Day painting class with glitter and rhinestones, $50 per person (pay at the studio)
- When: Friday, Sept. 25, 7PM (doors open at 6:30PM)
- Where: Paint All The Things Trussville Studio, 5870 Trussville Crossings Parkway, Suite 118, Trussville, AL 35235
- Reserve a spot
- Paint All The Things: 205-655-3958 | Website | Instagram
Donate children’s books at Rojo
Rojo Birmingham is collecting new or gently used books for children ages 0-5 through Oct. 31. The books will go to Better Basics, the local Imagination Library partner for Jefferson and Walker counties.
- What: Children’s book drive benefiting Better Basics
- When: Through Oct. 31
- Where: Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave., Birmingham, AL 35205
- Rojo Birmingham: 205-328-4733 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Grab a Dolly cookie at Savage’s Bakery in Homewood
Savage’s Bakery is selling Dolly cookies through September, and 10% of proceeds from the cookies will go to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The bakery describes them as a tribute to the queen of sparkles, big hair and country charm. Cookies can also be special ordered any time.
- What: Dolly-themed cookies, with 10% of proceeds benefiting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- When: Through Sept. 30; special orders available any time
- Where: Savage’s Bakery, 2916 18th St. S., Homewood, AL 35209
- Savage’s Bakery: 205-871-4901 | Website | Facebook
How to give to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the Birmingham area
Give Like Dolly Day encourages people to give directly to their local Imagination Library partner. Those partners raise the money that covers the cost of the books and mailing, so every child under 5 in their community can get a free book each month.
To find the program that serves your address, go to ImaginationLibrary.com, select “Check Availability” and enter your ZIP code. Here are the partners for Jefferson, Walker, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount and Cullman counties. The Dollywood Foundation also encourages people to help start a program in communities that don’t have one and to share how they give using #GiveLikeDolly.
- Better Basics (Jefferson and Walker counties)
- Children’s Policy Council of Shelby County
- St. Clair Children’s Policy Council Inc.
- 205-812-3351 | Website
- United Way of Etowah County (Blount County)
- United Way of Cullman County
