The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival was founded in 1982 by Bill Hurley, John Malzone, and other city leaders who had a vision to improve the image of Fayetteville and create a uniting force for various events in our community. Hurley, Fayetteville’s mayor, began the Dogwood Festival after proclaiming Fayetteville “The City of Dogwoods.†What began as a two week long festival on Hay Street is now a fun-filled three day weekend in Festival Park and downtown Fayetteville. Over time, the festival developed into one of the top events in the southeast and provides an outlet for both local and national musicians, artists, arts and crafts vendors and serves as an educational resource for children.
The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival features entertainment of all genres, arts and craft vendors, street performances, and delicious food and beer. The 2017 spring Dogwood Festival blossomed into an even larger event with three stages of entertainment, more vendors, and more anchored attractions all past the Market House. Friday night kicked off the festival, with live entertainment, carnival rides, and a Boom and Bloom fireworks show. Saturday unveiled a day full of arts and crafts, live entertainment, food, and anchored attractions to include a combat pirate show, a jump rope performance by the world’s best rope jumper, and a performance by a professional juggler and bubbleologist. The fun continued through Sunday as the festival wraps up with the Duck Derby and a classic car show. The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival organization is a volunteer-based nonprofit committed to giving back to other nonprofit partners who help produce their events, while providing free events for the community year-round. They also produce the Fall Dogwood Festival, complete with craft beer and food trucks, Fayetteville After 5 summer concert series, and Cumberland County’s largest pageant.
For more information visit their website at Faydogwoodfestival.com
