A new festival is in the works for the city of Raleigh. Dreamville and Raleigh officials have announced plans to create a new brand that would continue to do a music festival in Raleigh at Dix Park under the Dreamville label. While the festival will no longer carry the Dreamville name, J. Cole will still be involved.
“We’re going to be here for years to come,” said Sascha Stone Guttfreund, Dreamville Festival and Live National Entertainment promoter.
Though under the Dreamville label, an official name of new multi-year deal has not been announced yet. The new deal would last four years.
Officials said they are excited to work on something that builds off of the work they have done for the last few years.
“We’re going to continue on the same path that’s been successful for us,” said City Manager Marshall Adams-Davis. “Our consumers have told us what they like, and we’re going to try to provide that to them for the next 4 years.”
Festival co-founders describe it as a homecoming event for people worldwide.
“We call it our family reunion,” said Ibrahim Hamad, Dreamville co-founder and partner.
Hamad, who is also J. Cole’s manager and president of Dreamville Records, said he is not from North Carolina, but because of the festival and community considers it his second home.
Local resident’s agree, saying the festival is great for the city as well as businesses and restaurants in the area.
“It’s just the energy and the vibes,” said Devin Farmer, who has attended the last two Dreamville Festivals. “Everything there, it just — it feels different. It brings a lot of energy to the city.”
Officials also spoke about safety ahead of the festival. City Manager Marshall Adams-David said that getting people home safely is the goal.
“Safety is always paramount,” Adams-David said.
She said that because of the steps taken to ensure safety, people feel like they can have a great time while partying, listening to music and create that experience with friends and people they meet the day of the festival. “There’s nothing like it,” she added.
