Happy birthday, Dolly Parton! 7 ways to celebrate the Queen of Country’s 77th birthday

For more than 60 years, Dolly Parton has entertained fans with music, acting and countless dazzling outfits. She also has endeared herself through her generosity, philanthropy and incredibly bubbly personality. And she’s not done yet.

The Queen of Country is celebrating her 77^th birthday on Jan. 19, which is a cause for all to celebrate. From eating ice cream at Cruze Farm, baking a few Dolly brownies or enjoying the rides at Dollywood, here are seven ways you can honor Dolly Parton on her birthday and throughout the year.

Enjoy Cruze Farm ice cream on Dolly's birthday

Cruze Farm will be celebrating Dolly Parton’s birthday with discounted fresh-churned ice cream from noon-9 p.m. Thursday. A kid’s sweet cream cup or cone will be $1.

The discount will be available at the downtown, East Knoxville and Sevierville locations. Cruze Farm makes the ice cream with milk from its family farm.

Head to a storytime party

Knox County Public Library – in connection with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library – will host five parties Thursday in her honor. Each party will be a children's story time celebration beginning at 10:30 a.m. with activities, crafts and cupcakes. Guests will have the chance to create personal birthday messages for Dolly that will be sent to her.

The parties will be at these five library locations:

• Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road

• Burlington Branch Library, 4614 Asheville Highway

• Cedar Bluff Branch Library, 9045 Cross Park Drive

• Farragut Branch Library, 417 N. Campbell Station Road

• Halls Branch Library, 4518 E. Emory Road

These events are free and open to the public. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book program that has given nearly 200 million books to children worldwide since its launch in 1995. It serves 19,000 children in Knox County each month. Sign up at imaginationlibrary.com.

Get tickets to the 'I Will Always Love You' 50^th anniversary

One of Dolly Parton's biggest songs also is hitting a milestone this year. Dollywood is hosting an event March 11-April 8 celebrating 50 years of “I Will Always Love You” and Dolly's iconic songwriting. The event will highlight the songwriting process and the stories behind them with performances throughout the park by notable and rising artists.

The “I Will Always Love You” celebration at the amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, also will have special food options and feature new decorations.

Get baking with Dolly

Dolly Parton has stated she prefers pie on her birthday rather than cake. But this year she might be adding birthday brownies to the mix. She’s expanding her baking line with Duncan Hines and releasing four new mixes connected to her Southern roots to be whipped up in the kitchen, including two brownie treats:

• Fabulously Fudgy Brownie Mix

• Caramel Turtle Brownie Mix

• Dolly Parton's Buttermilk Biscuit Mix

• Sweet Cornbread & Muffin Mix

The four new mixes will be available in grocery stores this month, USA TODAY reported. They are featured in a limited-edition Dolly Parton’s Baking Collection that includes a collectible "What Would Dolly Do?" tea towel, spatula and recipe cards.

The line is an expansion of the Dolly's cake mixes that have been in stores since last year.

Order a 'Drive with Dolly' Tennessee license plate

Tennessee drivers can celebrate Dolly’s birthday by helping children read. With each sale of “Drive with Dolly” license plates, $15 will support local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programs. In fact, Knox County has received $40,000 through this partnership since 2018. The plates are available at local county clerks’ offices across the state.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a monthly free book program she started in 1995. It has gifted nearly 200 million books worldwide.

Get excited for what's new at Dollywood in 2023

Later this year two major projects are coming Dollywood: Big Bear Mountain and HeartSong Lodge & Resort.

Big Bear will be the park’s longest roller coaster when it opens this spring. The two-minute ride will journey through hills, turns, tunnels and even waterfalls as it reaches speeds up to 48 miles per hour and a maximum elevation of 66 feet.

HeartSong Lodge was inspired by Parton’s love for the Great Smoky Mountains. Opening in September, the 302-room resort will have half of the rooms outfitted with balconies with views of the mountains.

Listen to the Queen of Country rock out

We all know that Dolly Parton is a rock star. But now it’s official. The country icon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year and closed out the ceremony with a new rock song, fittingly called, “Rockin’.”

Having initially said she was undeserving of the Hall of Fame recognition because of her country music background, Dolly is ready to embrace the honor and is set to release a rock album. She has already recorded songs with Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Brandi Carlile, Steve Perry, Pink, Stevie Knicks and John Fogerty. She’s even working to get Cher on the album, which will include classic rock songs such as “Stairway to Heaven” and “Satisfaction.”

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter for Knox News. He can be reached by email at devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Follow Devarrick on Twitter @dturner1208. Enjoy exclusive content and premium perks while supporting strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: It's Dolly Parton's 77th birthday! Here are 7 ways to honor her