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More than 160 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed so far among people who attended the Watershed Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in central Washington.
More than 20,000 fans packed the Gorge, in George, Wash., for the three-day outdoor country music festival in late July, The Seattle Times reported.
The Grant County Health District said Friday (Aug. 13) the cases are tied to residents in counties including King, Grant, Pierce, Skagit, Kittitas, Okanogan, Whatcom, Kitsap, San Juan, Lincoln and Stevens. There’s also one case tied to an Oregon resident.
Officials expect more cases associated with the festival to be confirmed in the coming days and investigators are working with those who have tested positive to identify other cases.
Public Health officials urge people who attended the festival to self-quarantine and get tested for the virus. On average, symptoms of the virus develop five to six days after exposure, but the incubation period can be as long as 14 days, officials said.
In eastern Oregon, Umatilla County Public Health officials have tied at least 66 COVID-19 cases to the outdoor Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest on July 10. Sixty-one of the people who tested positive were unvaccinated, officials said.
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Dolly Parton has contributed a major financial gift described as “transformational” to a children’s hospital.
Earlier this year, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital was officially renamed the Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital after the country music icon made a significant donation to the institution.
The hospital’s president and CEO Matt Schaefer has now spoken publicly about the impact of her contribution. Speaking with Chief Healthcare Executive, he explained: “What I can tell you is that she has made a generational and transformational commitment to Children’s and its mission.”
“That commitment is something that goes beyond our wildest expectations, that is beyond generous, and will be a lifeline for this mission for now and for years to come,” he continued. “And we’re excited about and humbled by her willingness to do so.”
Although Schaefer did not reveal the exact figure of Parton’s gift, he explained that her support places both the hospital and the surrounding community in a very strong and promising position.
The donation is expected to support several key areas, helping both young patients receiving care and the medical professionals responsible for their treatment.
In related news, Parton stepped back into the public spotlight last month for the first time in 2026 and gave fans an update on her wellbeing. This followed speculation about her health that began after comments from her sister last October.
After those concerns surfaced, Parton addressed the situation herself, explaining that she had experienced several “health challenges” that ultimately led her to cancel her planned Las Vegas residency.
“I just kind of got worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on,” she shared, referring to the passing of her husband Carl Dean, whom she was married to for 58 years before he died last March.
“I just got myself kind of where I needed to build myself back up spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But, all is good. It didn’t slow me down.”
Following Dean’s death, the country legend previously shared that she had paused work on new music while processing her loss, although she has since returned to creative work.
She added: “I’ve just been doing a lot of writing, a lot of thinking, a lot of praying and a lot of getting ready for a lot of new stuff coming up for the rest of this whole year. So, be ready for me. I ain’t done, I ain’t near done.”
In the period after his passing, Parton also said she was “doing better than I thought I would” and later released the emotional song “If You Hadn’t Been There” as a tribute to him. She explained that the track reflects how important he was in her life and how he helped shape who she became.
She also celebrated her 80th birthday by releasing a refreshed version of her 1977 song “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning” in January. The new recording featured Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and her goddaughter Miley Cyrus as part of a celebration marking 50 years of the song.
U2 singer Bono also arranged a special surprise by sending a bagpiper to perform for her birthday. More recently, Parton also appeared in a pre recorded video tribute celebrating Ozzy Osbourne receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at last month’s BRIT Awards.
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