Your Guide to the 2026 Fayetteville Dogwood Festival

The 44th Annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival returns April 24–26, 2026 and this year’s theme is the 90's and early 2000's. Free to attend, spread across the full downtown footprint, and built for a full weekend, it’s one of the best reasons to make a trip to Fayetteville in the spring.

Here’s everything you need to plan your weekend, including the lead-up events worth knowing about before you arrive.

The Dogwood Festival Music Lineup

• Friday, April 24: Ying Yang Twins open the weekend on the main stage

• Saturday, April 25: Saved By The 90s brings the full nostalgia experience

• Sunday, April 26: Live entertainment and community acts close out the weekend

All concerts and festival admission are free! Tickets are available for Best Seating.

What’s at the Dogwood Festival

The downtown footprint fills up all three days with midway rides, food vendors, local shopping booths, a car show, a wrestling showcase, and a Kid Zone in partnership with United Way of Cumberland County and Fascinate-U Children’s Museum. Sustainable Sandhills brings an Earth Day Festival into the weekend as well.

It’s a genuinely full weekend — the kind where you find yourself wandering from stage to vendor to car show and suddenly it’s dinnertime.

One practical note: The City of Fayetteville’s clear bag policy is in effect throughout the festival footprint all weekend.

Pre-festival events still coming up

The Dogwood organization puts on events in the weeks leading up to the main festival. Here’s what’s still ahead:

Saturday, April 11 — Dodgeball & Donuts @ DaVille Athletics | 10am–5pm Exactly what it sounds like, and a crowd favorite.

Saturday, April 18 — Miss Dogwood Festival Pageant @ FTCC | Time TBA A community tradition that builds excitement heading into the main weekend.

Thursday, April 23 — Cork & Fork (limited tickets) @ 143 Maxwell | 6:30–8:30pm This is the one to snag tickets for in advance. The night before the festival kicks off, Cork & Fork brings together wine and tapas, live music by 2024 CCMA Male Artist of the Year Nicholas Vernon, an exclusive cigar rolling class by Anstead’s Tobacco Company, a silent auction benefiting Off-Road Outreach NC (a local veteran support nonprofit), and interactive experiences from the Dogwood Festival team.

This is a 21+ event - bring a valid ID. Tickets are $75 (taxes and fees apply). [Get tickets here]

Where to stay

The MacPherson House is Fayetteville’s only bed and breakfast, and we’re on historic Haymount Hill, just a short walk from the downtown festival footprint. Park when you arrive Friday and leave the car all weekend.

A few things that make staying with us different from a chain hotel:

Breakfast is included. Every morning at 8:30am, a gourmet breakfast cookedjust for you is served — the kind guests write home about. Think bacon that melts in your mouth, hot apple-cinnamon French toast, fresh fruit, real coffee. After a Friday night concert, that matters. (Need a slightly later start? Just let us know in advance and we’ll do our best to accommodate.)

Free parking. Leave it and forget it all weekend.

The rooms. Every room in the main house has a king bed, en-suite bathroom, and fireplace. The beds are the thing guests mention most in reviews — you will sleep well after a full festival day. Cookies, coffee, and tea are available all day.

The front porch. There is no better place to decompress after a day downtown than our front porch on a warm April evening.

The Cottage on Hay. Bringing the dog? Our standalone cottage is fully pet-friendly — private entrance, queen bedroom, living room, kitchenette, laundry, and back porch. It’s a full private

house on the property, ideal for families or anyone who wants their own space.

Festival weekend fills fast. If you’re planning to come, don’t wait.

Book your stay →

The MacPherson House is Fayetteville’s only Bed & Breakfast — a beautifully restored 1920's home steps from historic downtown. Featured in Forbes. TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award winner.