The Board of Directors of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival announces Jim Long Jr. as the Dogwood Festival’s Executive Director. 

Calling Fayetteville home, Long is an Army Veteran with extensive knowledge in project management, stakeholder engagement and the entertainment industry. Long most recently has been involved in race series and race track events promotion throughout the Southeast. 

“The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Board of Directors is pleased to announce Jim Long Jr. as our new Executive Director. Mr. Long’s proven business acumen will be an incredible asset to the stability and future of the Festival. Moreover, it is our hope that with the hiring of Mr. Long, alongside the unbelievable success of this year’s Dogwood Festival, that we will be able to build and develop a truly memorable Dogwood Festival experience for the community in 2025.” said Chairman of the Board R. Andrew Porter in a press release.  

Long is excited to hit the ground running stating in a press release: “The Dogwood Festival is a significant part of our community. Not only does the community look forward to the Festival each year, but the region looks forward to visiting Downtown Fayetteville to experience a premier event. I am honored to be selected to serve my community in such a way. I would also like to thank the past directors, board members, volunteers and marketing partners for their dedication and hard work in keeping the Dogwood Festival strong for over 40 years.”

Long’s first day as Executive Director was Oct. 1, 2024 and plans to begin community engagement initiatives immediately.