The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, a long running festival based on food, fun and community will be returning to Festival Park and the downtown area from April 25- 27, 2025. 

New leadership with the nonprofit organization gathered together vendors, members of the media and supporters of the event on Saturday, Feb. 22 to give them the inside scoop on all the new and returning things happening at this year’s festival.

This free community event will start on Friday, April 25 from 5 p.m. -11 p.m. Festivities will continue Saturday, April 26 from 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. and will conclude Sunday, April 27, with final day fun lasting from  12 p.m. - 6 p.m. This will be the 43rd year for the festival which will be continuing to provide food, music and a fun time to the community. 

“The dogwood festival isn't just an event, it's a tradition, a staple here in the heart of our city and a true reflection of our community. And this year, community is exactly what we're going for, and that is the unofficial theme for this year's festival,” shared Executive Director Kaylynn Suarez. 

Returning events include Cork and Fork taking place on Thursday, April 24. This food and wine event hosted in Festival Park is held exclusively for sponsors and ticket holders and gives guests the opportunity to sample local chef small bites and sip on beer, wine or, this year’s signature drink, Sangria.

This year the wine is being donated by Cypress Bend Vineyards out of Wagram, NC. Cocktails will be available to purchase courtesy of Veteran-owned businesses Sip Happens Mobile Bar and Wana Navu Kava Bar in Fayetteville. 

“I am working with local restaurants and various owners to provide tapa style dishes for you guys to pick up and walk and go through with, so that way you're not stuck to one plate. I want you to try a little something from everybody,” shared Suarez. “One of the fun things we'll be adding to Cork and Fork this year is Anstead's [Tobacco Company], one of our sponsors has been fantastic, and they're donating a free cigar rolling class. So if that is something that tickles your fancy, 10 out of 10 recommend showing up so you can participate in that.” 

This year the Dogwood Festival is partnering with local nonprofit Off- Road Outreach, a service organization which looks to provide aid, peer support, suicide prevention services and address food insecurity for homeless Veterans. 

“Thank you to all you guys for supporting us. Make sure you buy those tickets, because those go directly back into the programs that serve our Veterans. As you know, we have a huge Veteran population here in Fayetteville. We're the largest neighbor to the largest military base in the country. So we got to support our Vets,” shared Off-Road Outreach Founder and Executive Director Stacey Buckner. 

Tickets for the Cork and Fork are expected to go on sale in the coming weeks. 

Along with plenty of vendors, food trucks and entertainment taking place on Hay Street, the Dogwood Festival will include a free kid zone, DJs at the Park and carnival rides. 

Dogwood Festival organizers also announced their mainstage acts who will be performing on stage at Festival Park. On Friday, April 25, local bands The Simpletones, FEAR STATE and headliner ECHOSTONE will be playing from 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. 

On Saturday, April 26, headliners Josh Ross and Drew Baldridge, featuring The Guy Unger Band and Nicholas Vernon, are scheduled to perform from 2 p.m. - 11 p.m. 

Tickets and more information on this year’s Dogwood Festival will be available online on the Dogwood Festival’s website here. 

You can also be on the look out for the return of the fall Dogwood Festival on their Facebook page here.