Aw shucks: Dolly Parton corn mazes crop up in fields nationwide

BROOKFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Dolly Parton ’s megawatt smile and big wavy locks are gracing fields across the U.S. and Canada this fall.

Twenty 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.

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.

Mazes were planned months before her death

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 to 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.”

Cornfield tributes now take on greater meaning

One of the mazes is in an expansive cornfield next to Twins BBQ in Brookfield, Connecticut, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) northeast of New York. The likeness of Parton beams skyward, ringed by the words “Dolly” and “An American Treasure” and a series of stars.

Danielle Gallop, who co-owns the business with her husband, admits to not knowing much about Parton before attending last year’s corn maze convention at Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park Parton co-owned. But she came away impressed.

“They told us all about her integrity and how she ran all of her businesses and how smart and generous and kind and just really ethical and humble” Parton was, Gallop said, “which is all the things that we aspire to be as business owners.”

Parton’s passing “made it exponentially more meaningful” to be honoring her this year, Gallop added. “She was such an icon.”

The labyrinths can be tricky

Stephanie Chen and her young son, William, were among those winding through the Parton maze Sunday.

They said the easiest part was navigating the part where the “Dolly” is written out in capital letters.

“Because there’s only one way through,” Chen joked.

Gallop says the trickiest part is Parton’s hair. “She has a lot of it, and it comes to little tips,” the owner said. “You don’t know where the next little opening is going to be. I got lost several times.”

The most memorable part of the experience has been seeing visitors dressing up for the occasion.

“We’ve had people in cowboy boots and cowboy hats and Dolly Parton shirts,” Gallop said. “It’s been really great to see all the love pouring out for her.”

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Marcelo reported from New York.