Dolly Parton‘s Dollywood is celebrating its 40th season in business. The Country Music Hall of Fame member was present as the theme park celebrated four decades of being in business, in spite of the celebration coming shortly after Parton lost her husband, Carl Dean.

“I just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you for all of the flowers and the cards,” Parton said at a press conference celebrating Dollywood’s 40th anniversary. “I just wanted you to know that, of course, I will always love him.”

“You know how I loved him, and he would want me to be working today,” she added. “I expect to be working.”

When Parton launched Dollywood, she had no idea that it would become what it is today. With numerous expansions in the last four decades, Dollywood continues to win awards for being one of the best amusement parks in the world. The 79-year-old admits it has far exceeded her biggest dreams for the theme park.

“You’re just hopeful that it’s all that you hope that it will be,” Parton reflected to WHNT. “When people did start coming, I knew somebody would come, even if it was just my family. But I was wondering if other people would be coming, and they did, and they kept coming, and they kept coming, for 40 years now. When we looked out at the traffic this morning, when we were coming in, it was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is amazing.'”

Dollywood is kicking off the anniversary season with the I Wil Always Love You Music Festival, happening now through April 13. It’s a fitting way to pay tribute to one of Parton’s most iconic singles.

“‘I Will Always Love You’ is one of the biggest songs that I’ve ever written, and it also says so much,” Parton explained. “You can use that phrase for so many things. ‘I will always love you for doing this,’ ‘I will always love you because you thought to do this.’ And actually, we just want our fans and our visitors to know that we love them.”

Dollywood is just one of the many, many successful business ventures Parton has launched, along with her historic music career. But the Grand Ole Opry member hints she still has a lot she wants to do.

“I just want to be known as a person that was busy, that had a gift that she thought God gave her, and tried to make the most of every bit of it,” Parton said. “And I just want to be known as a good person, I think, above all … I’m gonna keep dreaming.”

During the press conference, Parton also acknowledged she couldn’t believe it had been four decades of Dollywood. It’s a success she credits to the guests, those who come from all over the world, many making it an annual tradition.

“It’s hard to believe it has been that long, but it never would have lasted if it hadn’t been for you — our guests,” Parton said during the opening celebration. (via Amusement Today). “On opening day in 1986, I was just hoping that people would really want to come visit a theme park with my name on it. And even though I always try to dream big, I’ll admit I was a little bit nervous that first morning. But people did come out to support us that first day, and I’m so proud to see that Dollywood has continued to grow through the years to become a place of fun and togetherness for everyone who has come to visit.

“I’m also very honored that we’re starting off the anniversary season with the I Will Always Love You Music Festival,” she added. “I hope that this festival inspires everyone to share their own special light with the world each day. It doesn’t matter what your dream is—even if it’s opening a theme park with your name on it—follow those dreams and never give up!”

Find more information on Dollywood at Dollywood.com.