Over 1,000 Dolly Parton clones gather in Ireland to vie for world record

Heaviest train pulled with a beard, world’s tallest cow ever, fastest marathon dressed as an elf – when it comes to world records, there is no shortage of the strange and obscure.

Hopefuls in Ireland tried for a unique, never-before-set world record this past weekend when more than 1,100 people gathered dressed as none other than country icon Dolly Parton.

Hosted in the town of Listowel, County Kerry, the record attempt for “largest gathering of people dressed as Dolly Parton” required participants to be “instantly recognizable” as Parton and featured a dress code of outfits that she has worn in public.

21-year-old breaks Rubik's Cube record: Seeking therapy, they found a Rubik's Cube community instead. It saved their son's life.

Instagram posts made on the official event account, @dollydayky, explained the rules and offered inspiration for aspiring Dolly look-a-likes, featuring pictures of recognizable looks worn by the music legend through the decades. Checkered flannels and plenty of denim were the stars of the look books, though photos from the event show off the true piece pièce de résistance – a sea of voluminous, curled, bleach blonde wigs.

Organizers had one suggestion for those in doubt when putting together their outfits: “Am I serving Dolly Parton?”

While there is no existing record to out-do, Listowel is no stranger to conceiving of, facilitating and achieving new titles, having previously set the record for the largest gathering of people dressed as nuns.

Footage from Saturday shows a force of “Dollys” made up of all kinds, from grandpas to groups of dancing women, some of whom can be seen riding horses through town. Though organizers now have to wait eight to 12 weeks for Guinness World Record officials to review and certify the attempt as an official record, the Dolly Day festivities have already proven fruitful for the local community, as proceeds went to the Kerry Hospice Foundation and Comfort for Chemo Kerry.

Spreading the Dolly love

Dolly Parton has been a beloved cultural icon since her debut album release in 1967, producing a long discography of hit and award-winning songs.

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, Parton is known not only for her musical prowess but her stand-out sense of style, some of the most recognizable components of which include her big, bleach blonde hair, large chest and larger-than life clothes that favor glitz and glam. In a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, the singer was famously quoted as saying: “I don't like to be like everybody else. I've often made the statement that I'd never stoop so low as to be fashionable.”

Warren Buffet donates billions: Buffett, world's sixth-richest man, just donated billions more in Berkshire Hathaway stock

A renewed love for Parton has taken ahold of younger generations, thanks largely to her philanthropy. As popular as ever at the age of 77, Parton’s long history of giving back has elevated her to legendary celebrity status, coining phrases like “In Dolly we trust” and “What would Dolly do?”

Some of her most famous charitable contributions include The Imagination Library, a non-profit that has provided over 200 million free books to children; her $1 million donation to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; and the multiple initiatives to improve the lives of employees at her theme park, Dollywood. In 2020, Parton was credited with funding a large part of the research that developed the COVID vaccine after donating $1 million to the cause.

Though Parton has fans from all over the world, it’s hard to beat a show of dedication bigger than that of over 1,000 impersonators in one place. Eat your heart out, Dolly devotees.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dolly Parton look-alikes in Listowel, Ireland attempt world record