<\/p>\n
Over the past few years, the first
\nweekend in April has marked a musical celebration \u2014 the Dreamville Festival,
\nwhich attracted top performers and fans from around to world to Raleigh’s Dix
\nPark.<\/p>\n
However, since\u00a0Raleigh\u00a0officials WRAL\u00a0Investigates\u00a0obtained A 2021\u00a0contract requires Live Nation However, a 2025 event agreement show\u00a0the The event agreement\u00a0still sets\u00a0the \u201cSuch options are available It even gives an example: \u201c(for For the 2025 Dreamville Festival,\u00a0tickets<\/a>\u00a0went on sale\u00a0in mid-December\u00a0and\u00a0the \u201cThe traditional date for Dreamville WRAL also reached out to Live \u201cThis would be about the time we Economic Impact<\/b><\/p>\n WRAL talked to Ownbey about the \u201cNo small business wants to Ownbey said she, and other small \u201cI hope that we are able to continue She said she wants to see another music \u201c[Organizers] did their homework. Visit Raleigh and the City of In 2024, Raleigh raked in $145.9 The agreement sets a fixed fee of If the festival does come together The festival would also be allowed
\nand Dreamville organizers\u00a0announced
\na new music festival would be taking over<\/a>, details have been scarce.<\/p>\n
\ndocuments that explain the city\u2019s deal with festival organizers, which includes
\nthe agreement for the multi-year deal.<\/p>\n
\nto book and promote a certain number of events. The
\nDreamville\u00a0Festival\u00a0is not mentioned by name.<\/p>\n
\nfestival agreement is between the\u00a0City of Raleigh\u00a0and ScoreMore
\nHoldings, LLC. Live Nation\u00a0has
\na majority stake in ScoreMore Holdings, LLC<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\ndates for future festivals in April. However, the language does not show an
\nobligation to hold a festival.<\/p>\n
\nregardless of whether a festival is held in a particular year,\u201d the agreement
\nreads. <\/p>\n
\nillustrative purposes only, Event Organizer and Dreamville Festival, LLC shall
\nhave the option described herein for 2029 regardless of whether a festival is
\nheld in 2026, 2027, or 2028).\u201d<\/p>\n
\nlineup<\/a>\u00a0of performers was announced about a month before the
\nfestival. But for spring 2026, neither of those milestones has been reached.<\/p>\n
\nis the first weekend of April, and Easter falls on that weekend this year. We
\nare discussing other possible dates with the organizers, but don\u2019t have a firm
\ndate at this point,\u201d City spokesperson Julia Milstead said.<\/p>\n
\nNation, Dreamville and ScoreMore Holdings, LLC via email. We did not hear back
\nbefore our deadline.<\/p>\n
\nwould be getting excited about Dreamville,\u201d said Kiyomi Ownbey, the owner of
\nvintage shop Father and Son. \u201cI believe adding\u00a0R&B\u00a0and rap to
\nanother festival was amazing. It sort of makes Raleigh a great music hub –
\nwhich we already have been, but it put us on a different platform. It opened us
\nup to a bigger audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nuncertainty of the festival\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
\nencounter any dip in sales,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\nbusinesses, always look forward to major events in the city. She said it brings
\nmore foot traffic and a sense of community.<\/p>\n
\nto have it in whatever form they would like to give us. We will support it, if
\nthey bring it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\nfestival come to Raleigh but understands if organizers need more time \u201cdepending
\non who would be taking over the logistics for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThey put the effort in to understand the demographics of the area, the
\nlogistics of the area,\u201d Ownbey said. \u201cYou want to complement what’s already
\nthere, so you’re adding higher quality to their living. I think that does take
\ntime.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nRaleigh previously said they expected the Raleigh\u2019s \u201creputation as a music
\ndestination\u201d would continue to grow in 2026\u00a0when
\nWRAL previously noted the departure of two major music festivals.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nmillion in economic impact from Dreamville.\u00a0The economic impact from 2025\u2019s
\nfestival has not been released yet. <\/p>\n
\n$125,000 per year for a single festival and $225,000 per year for two
\nconsecutive festivals during the 2026\u20132029 period to the City of Raleigh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nthis year, the contracts\u00a0says that at least one\u00a0of the Dreamville
\n\u201ckey festival decision-makers\u201d need to be a part of the future festival as an
\noperator, producer or lead Live Nation representative.\u00a0The contract does
\nnot name those key festival decision-makers,” but Dreamville originated as
\nthe brainchild of Fayetteville musician J.Cole.<\/p>\n
\nto sell up to 52,500 tickets. An estimated 52,000 people attended each day of
\nDreamville Festival in
\n2024<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n