A New Jersey farm planned its Dolly Parton-themed corn maze back in February — Now it's especially meaningful

---

Updated: 7:12 PM CDT Aug 27, 2026

---

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Rachel Hardage Barrett

Editor-in-Chief

By

Navigating a corn maze is a fall rite of passage, but at Happy Day Farm in Manalapan, New Jersey, visitors will find extra significance behind the stalks.

That’s because this year’s theme honors none other than Dolly Parton, who died on Aug. 25.

“We decided on this theme back in February,” says Trinity Stockel, who says the farm, owned by her father Tim, works with an agritourism network known as The Maize to partner with various artists and organizations on thematic mazes. (Past themes have had ties to Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Snoopy from Peanuts, and the U.S. Army.)

“When we found out our group partnered with Dolly Parton and her team, we knew right away this was the perfect theme for 2026, since she’s such an icon in the music industry. Our whole farm team is full of fans who truly admire her,” says Trinity.

Corn maze design featuring a portrait of a woman with the text "Dolly" and "American Treasure" alongside the year 2026.

Tropical Storm Dolly has formed. It's not connected to Dolly Parton's death

So did they ever imagine it would be quite so poignant? “Not at all,” she says. “When we found out Tuesday that she had passed away, our farm team was completely devastated. It really shifted everything for us, and we immediately saw this as a special opportunity to use our corn maze to honor her memory and celebrate her legacy.”

They’re already feeling the love since Dolly’s passing. “We’ve really felt a lot of connection around it already,” says Trinity. “We hope other people feel the same way we do, and we’re wishing everyone can come out to celebrate her life, enjoy the farm, and learn fun Dolly Parton facts while going through the maze.”

Meet Dolly: Newborn hippo calf named after late Queen of Country

The 8-acre maze has two sides, with one path that typically takes between 30 and 45 minutes and another that will get you in and out in roughly 15 to 20 minutes.

When asked which song from Dolly’s extensive discography pairs best with a crisp autumn day at the farm, Trinity says: “It’s so hard to choose just one with a
catalog like hers, but we love ‘9 to 5’ since we are working hard the next few weeks to get our fall festival ready.”

The maze opens on Sept. 19, and no doubt Dolly’s devotees will come out in droves.

“We sure hope she’s looking down from Heaven with that big, bright smile of hers, happy to see a whole field full of people celebrating her life and learning about everything she accomplished.”

Dolly Parton has a secret song locked away in Dollywood

More than music: A look at Dolly Parton's philanthropy efforts over the years