TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Brook Redding, MPA, PMP, Senior Assistant to the City Manager
Brian Christoper, Special Event Coordinator, Parks and Recreation
DATE: September 8, 2025
RE:Title
Receive Administrative Report on Special Event Security at Festival ParkTitle
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
ALL
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal One: Safe and Secure Community
Executive Summary:
Council is requested to receive this report, allowing staff to implement the adjusted Festival Park Security Protocol .
Council directed staff to strengthen security at Festival Park through a standardized protocol. Staff developed a four-tier matrix that scales security requirements based on attendance, alcohol service, time of day, and event activity, with venue overlays for Festival Park alone and Festival Park plus the Promenade. The protocol establishes consistent standards for screening and staffing, while maintaining flexibility for Police, Fire, and EMS to adjust as needed. Implementation will begin immediately. For FY26, the City will cover incremental security costs for City-sponsored events and partnered events, including the International Folk Festival and Dogwood Fall Festival. Beginning in FY27, only City-sponsored events will be funded by the City, while other organizers will assume their own costs.
Background:
At the May 5, 2025, City Council Public Safety special meeting, Council directed staff to increase security at Festival Park, including a mask and bag policy. A cross departmental team from Police, the City Manager's Office, Parks and Recreation, and City Security revised the security protocol and built a tiered matrix with venue overlays that depict the required posture for Festival Park and for Festival Park plus the Promenade. Staff met with major external stakeholders to review the approach, gather feedback, and address operational concerns related to fencing, gates, access, communications, and costs. The protocol and matrix are complete and ready for implementation.
Issues/Analysis:
The completed protocol provides a clear, scalable framework for securing Festival Park events. It sets consistent standards that apply to all organizers while allowing Police, Fire, EMS, and City staff the flexibility to escalate if conditions require.
Core elements of the protocol
* Tiered matrix - assigns each event to one of four tiers based on objective factors: expected attendance, alcohol service, time of day, and type of activity.
o Tier 1: Minimal requirements for small, low-risk daytime events such as runs, markets, educational, or religious gatherings. Controlled access is optional, with wands and light bag checks as needed.
o Tier 2: Moderate requirements for events up to 2,000 attendees, often mixed-use with limited alcohol. Requires controlled access, wands, and bag checks, with the option to pre-plan Ray Avenue closure.
o Tier 3: Elevated posture for festivals and concerts up to 5,000 people with alcohol sales or higher energy activity. Requires two controlled access points with magnetometers, wands, and bag checks. Ray Avenue closure is mandatory if the Promenade is included.
o Tier 4: Highest posture for events over 5,000 people such as large festivals or concerts with alcohol sales. Requires multiple magnetometers at access points, wands, bag checks, and mandatory Ray Avenue closure when the Promenade is used.
* Venue Overlays - two standard site templates provide clarity for event layout:
o Festival Park only - defines gates, ADA Access, EMS Staging, and Unified Command.
o Festival Park plus Promenade - requires Ray Avenue closure to secure the perimeter and preserve emergency access.
* Unified Command - establishes coordinated roles across Police, Fire, EMS, Parks, Event Security, and Event organizers.
* Mask and Bag policy - enforced through standardized screening, signage, and public messaging.
How it will Function
* Organizers continue submitting event details through the current application process. Staff applies the matrix to determine the appropriate tier and requirements.
* Attendance estimates are validated against past data and comparable events, with planning defaulting to the higher number to ensure coverage.
* Live headcounts and gate wait times allow staff to escalate screening or open additional lanes if thresholds are crossed.
* After Action reviews will be conducted following larger events to evaluate staffing, screening performance, and lessons learned.
Near-term Application
* The protocol and matrix will be applied immediately to new applications.
* For the remainder of this fiscal year, the City will pay incremental security costs for City-sponsored events, and partnered events including the International Folk Festival and the Dogwood Fall Festival.
* All other events will proceed under the protocol, with final staffing and equipment confirmed during pre-event coordination.
Impacts to Local and Smaller Events at Festival Park
Festival Park hosts an average of 25 special events annually. Under the new protocol, the majority of these events (approximately 20 per year) fall into the lower tiers of security. Fort these Tier 1 and Tier 2 events, cost impacts will be nominal and similar to historical levels, with organizers typically providing light screening and limited contracted security. The protocol ensures consistency by directing specified minimums for event security staff and Fayetteville Police Department Officers, while keeping requirements for smaller community events manageable and predictable.
Outcome
This approach delivers safer and more predictable events, ensures fairness by applying the same standards to all organizers, and improves coordination across departments and with organizers. It also preserves operational discretion to adapt security on the ground as conditions warrant.
Budget Impact:
No new appropriation is requested with this administrative report. Planning, coordination, and oversight of the new security protocol will be managed within existing departmental resources.
For FY26, the City will assume responsibility for incremental security costs for City-sponsored events at Festival Park. These costs are driven by the tiered protocol, which requires additional personnel, equipment, and perimeter control at larger events.
Covered Events and Estimated Costs (FY26):
* Dogwood Spring Festival (3 days, Tier 4) - $33,064
* Juneteenth (Tier 4) - $7,072
* International Folk Festival (Tier 4) - $11,197
* Dogwood Fall Festival (2 days, Tier 3) - $12,265
* New Year's Eve Event (Tier 4) - $6,638
Total Estimated FY26 Costs: $70,236
For Fiscal Year 2027 and beyond, staff will program recurring budget support only for City-sponsored events. These include the Dogwood Spring Festival, Juneteenth, July 4th Celebration, and the New Year's Eve event. Non-City-sponsored events, such as the International Folk Festival and Dogwood Fall Festival, will be responsible for their own costs beginning in FY27.
Estimated Recurring FY27 Requirement (City-Sponsored Events): $54,344
Options:
1. Receive the report: accept the administrative update and allow staff to proceed with implementation of the Festival Park Security Protocol and associated cost coverage for FY26 as outlined.
2. Pull the report for further discussion: place the item for an upcoming Work Session agenda to allow for additional Council review and direction before or during implementation.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
Council is requested to receive this report, allowing staff to implement the Festival Park Security Protocol and apply the cost approach outlined for FY26 and FY27.
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Attachments:
None at this time.