TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Dr. Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Ms. Kaylynn Suarez, Dogwood Festival
DATE: April 6, 2026
RE:Title
Dogwood Festival: Production Support RequestTitle
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal IV: The City of Fayetteville will be a desirable place to live, work, and recreate
Objective 4.2: To enhance diverse recreation, leisure, and cultural opportunities
Executive Summary:
Each year, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival welcomes an estimated 80,000 to more than 200,000 attendees to downtown Fayetteville during the Spring Festival alone. This level of attendance reflects not only the festival’s cultural significance but also its measurable impact on downtown commerce, tourism, and community engagement.
Background:
As economic pressures continue to affect organizations across our community, the Dogwood Festival is not immune to those challenges. At this time, additional financial assistance is essential to ensure the continued success and longevity of this longstanding tradition.
Issues/Analysis:
The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival has been a signature event bringing positive brand recognition to our City for more than 40 years with the last economic impact estimated in 2018 of more than $8.1 million for our City.
The City has historically provided financial support for the Festival since 2017 in the following amounts:
• November 2023$7,000 for the completion of a feasibility study and planning process
• June 2022 $15,000
• May 2021 $15,000
• March 2019 $12,000
• March 2018 $12,000
• April 2017 $12,000
In addition, each year the City supports the Festival through a variety of in-kind event support services including Solid Waste, planning, Parks and Recreation support, security, marketing, and volunteers.
Budget Impact:
The Dogwood Festival has provided multiple proposal options to allow flexibility. Those include:
• Legacy Founding sponsorship
o $100,000.00
o Annually with 3-5-year commitment
• Financial Aid for Production of 2026 Core Infrastructure
o In-Kind support of:
§ Three 20x20 tents
§ Ten 10x10 tents
§ One Scissor Lift
§ Six outdoor light generators
§ Two hundred and fifty folding chairs
§ One mobile stage
§ Large outdoor bleachers
§ One golf cart
o For the 2026 & 2027 Festivals
• Financial Aid and Support for New Micro Series Event
o $30,000.00, plus in-kind support for Police coverage and coordination and equipment to include stage, generator, and tent.
• 2026 Festival Production from Deep South Entertainment
o $54,800.00
Options:
Approve and provide further direction to staff.
Provide further direction to staff.
Do not approve.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
Provide further direction to staff.
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Attachments:
Email from Kaylynn Suarez, Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Executive Director
Proposal for Legacy Founding Sponsorship
Financial Aide for Production of 2026 Core Infrastructure
Support & Financial Aide for New Micro Series Event
Proposal for Fayetteville Dogwood Festival 2026 - Production