After 32 Years, Cal Ripken Jr. to Replace Dolly Parton as Grand Marshal in Pigeon Forge Parade

TA

After 32 Years, Cal Ripken Jr. to Replace Dolly Parton as Grand Marshal in Pigeon Forge Parade

After 32 years as grand marshal of Pigeon Forge’s annual Homecoming Parade, Country Music Hall of Fame member Dolly Parton is stepping aside for another Hall of Fame member, baseball’s Cal Ripken Jr.

This year’s parade, which will be re-branded as the Music in the Mountains Spring Parade, will take place on May 4. Cal will serve as the grand marshal.

“For 32 years, it’s been my honor and privilege to serve as the grand marshal,” said Dolly in a release. “In that time, Pigeon Forge has grown so much and so many new businesses and attractions have come to town, everyone agrees that this is the perfect time for me to step aside and share the spotlight with some other folks. Dollywood has hogged the spotlight long enough.”

Cal opened the Ripken Experience Pigeon Forge in 2016,  a $22.5 million youth baseball facility.

“We want to thank Dolly for all that she has done, and we are so very grateful for the kindness and generosity she has shown to both our visitors and our residents,” said Pigeon Forge city manager Earlene Teaster in the release. “Given Pigeon Forge’s progress and unprecedented growth during the last three decades, both Dollywood and Pigeon Forge city officials recognized that we have so much to celebrate with our parade.”

Cal may be the “Iron Man” of baseball, but we doubt he can go 32 years.

Take a look at our photo gallery of Dolly as grand marshal over the years, courtesy of Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com.

Blogs

Miranda Lambert Performs “Kerosene” During ‘American Idol’ To Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary

On Sunday (May 4), Miranda Lambert took to the American Idol stage to deliver a fiery rendition of her breakout hit single, "Kerosene.” The performance was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the song as well as Lambert’s 2005 debut album of the same name, which featured four Top 40 hits on the Billboard…

Miranda Lambert Performs “Kerosene” During ‘American Idol’ To Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary

On Sunday (May 4), Miranda Lambert took to the American Idol stage to deliver a fiery rendition of her breakout hit single, “Kerosene.” The performance was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the song as well as Lambert’s 2005 debut album of the same name, which featured four Top 40 hits on the Billboard…

Eric Church Reveals That Morgan Wallen Called Him After Chair-Throwing Incident At His Nashville Bar

In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Eric Church disclosed that Morgan Wallen reached out to him after the infamous chair-throwing incident at Church's Nashville bar in April 2024. Church described the arrest as a turning point for Wallen, and expressed pride in the young country superstar’s response to the situation while noting…

Eric Church Reveals That Morgan Wallen Called Him After Chair-Throwing Incident At His Nashville Bar

In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, Eric Church disclosed that Morgan Wallen reached out to him after the infamous chair-throwing incident at Church’s Nashville bar in April 2024. Church described the arrest as a turning point for Wallen, and expressed pride in the young country superstar’s response to the situation while noting…

Reba McEntire Reflects On Her 50th Anniversary In Country Music Ahead Of ACM Awards Hosting Gig

In a new interview with People, Reba McEntire reflects on her 'mind-boggling' 50th anniversary in the music industry, expressing gratitude and humility regarding the historic milestone. "Very grateful, very thankful," McEntire says while looking back on her storied career. "And I never thought at the 20th anniversary that I'd be hitting this one. But I…

Reba McEntire Reflects On Her 50th Anniversary In Country Music Ahead Of ACM Awards Hosting Gig

In a new interview with People, Reba McEntire reflects on her ‘mind-boggling’ 50th anniversary in the music industry, expressing gratitude and humility regarding the historic milestone. “Very grateful, very thankful,” McEntire says while looking back on her storied career. “And I never thought at the 20th anniversary that I’d be hitting this one. But I…

Keith Urban Will Be Honored With ACM Triple Crown Award At 60th ACM Awards

Keith Urban will be honored with the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, becoming the first artist to receive this distinction live on the ACM stage since Carrie Underwood in 2010. The ACM Triple Crown Award is only given out to artists who have clinched three of the…

Keith Urban Will Be Honored With ACM Triple Crown Award At 60th ACM Awards

Keith Urban will be honored with the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, becoming the first artist to receive this distinction live on the ACM stage since Carrie Underwood in 2010. The ACM Triple Crown Award is only given out to artists who have clinched three of the…

Eric Church Shares Insight Into His Inventive New Album, ‘Evangeline Vs. The Machine’

Eric Church released his eighth studio album, Evangeline vs. the Machine, on Friday (May 2), and the eight tracks on the record showcase the country superstar’s imaginative approach to his music with an unconventional blend of strings, horns, and a choir on each song. In a new interview with Variety ahead of the album’s release,…

Eric Church Shares Insight Into His Inventive New Album, ‘Evangeline Vs. The Machine’

Eric Church released his eighth studio album, Evangeline vs. the Machine, on Friday (May 2), and the eight tracks on the record showcase the country superstar’s imaginative approach to his music with an unconventional blend of strings, horns, and a choir on each song. In a new interview with Variety ahead of the album’s release,…