Dolly Parton's megawatt smile and big wavy locks are gracing fields across the U.S. and Canada this fall.
Nineteen farms have carved out large corn mazes to honor the late country music icon, actor and philanthropist and raise money for her Imagination Library, which provides free books to children. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales at participating locations directly supports local chapters of her free children's book initiative.
The "Jolene" crooner's death due to cancer on Aug. 25 in Nashville at age 80 brought an outpouring of tributes. They ranged from a drive to rename the country music capital's airport in Parton's honor to a surge in online streams of "9 to 5," "Islands in the Stream" and her many other hit songs.
Now she is being immortalized in corn, with the mazes located in about a dozen states and two provinces, from Alabama to California and Ohio to Texas. Most also feature a Parton-themed trivia game, photo ops and other offerings.
Brett Herbst, founder of The Maize Inc., the Utah-based consulting company that designed the mazes, called Parton a "true American treasure."
"Dolly's impact on the world and her love for farming is immeasurable, and our corn maze tributes now take on new meaning and significance," Herbst said.
The company said the mazes were in the works months before Parton died and are part of its annual campaign honoring country music's brightest stars. Previous honorees included Reba McEntire in 2023, Luke Bryan in 2024 and Lainey Wilson in 2025.
Parton, who famously grew up poor in rural Tennessee, thanked organizers for supporting her charity before her death. In a statement provided by The Maize Inc., she encouraged people to "get lost in this year's country music corn maze for a little fun, laughter and a real good reason to get lost."
Dolly-themed corn mazes are found in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah, as well as in Alberta and Ontario in Canada.
One of the mazes about 55 miles northeast of New York City in Brookfield, Connecticut, occupies a vast cornfield adjacent to Twins BBQ. Viewed from above, Parton's image shines brightly, surrounded by stars and the words "Dolly" and "An American Treasure."
Danielle Gallop, who operates the business alongside her husband, admitted to The Associated Press that her knowledge of Parton was limited until she attended a corn maze convention at Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park Parton co-owned, the previous year. However, the experience left a lasting impression on her.
"They shared details about her integrity, her approach to business, and how remarkably intelligent, generous, kind, ethical, and humble she was," Gallop said, noting that these are "qualities we strive to emulate as business owners."
Gallop added that Parton's passing "gave this year's tribute an even deeper significance," calling her "such an icon."
Stephanie Chen and her young son, William, were among those who wound through the maze in Connecticut. They found it easy to get through the part where "Dolly" is spelled out, "because there's only one way through," Chen joked with The AP.
The hair was a different story. Parton's intricate hairstyle contained lots of twists, turns and dead ends.
Gallop noted that the best part has been seeing fans arrive in cowboy boots, hats and Dolly shirts.
"It's been really great to see all the love pouring out for her," she told The AP.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Across America Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.