Dreamville Organizers Seek April 2027 Return To Dix Park
Originally published by AllHipHop Read the original
J. Cole‘s Dreamville organizers have filed permits for a possible successor festival in Raleigh, with the application proposing April 3-4, 2027, and city approval pending, according to WRAL.
That puts fresh movement behind a question Raleigh has been living with since Dreamville’s farewell. The city and ScoreMore already have an agreement allowing April festivals through 2029, but it doesn’t require organizers to stage one every year. WRAL obtained that agreement earlier this year.
The promise of another festival goes back to April 2025, when Dreamville’s team joined city officials to discuss what would follow the final edition.
Raleigh Parks Director Stephen Bentley described the partnership in the city’s announcement: “It really does take a village. It takes all of us working together to build something that’s unique.”
That last Dreamville weekend left a big stage to fill in North Carolina. As AllHipHop previously reported, Cole brought Erykah Badu out during his closing set to perform “Too Deep for the Intro.”
Lil Wayne’s appearance reunited the Hot Boys and Big Tymers, while the bill also included 21 Savage, Tems, GloRilla, J.I.D. and Ari Lennox.
Cole addressed the workload behind the event during that finale and said the festival’s community spirit would survive a branding change. The city described the original gathering as a collaboration between Dreamville and ScoreMore Shows, a Live Nation subsidiary.
The city said previous editions attracted more than 100,000 total guests, with 2024 drawing visitors from all 50 states and multiple countries.
The empty spring weekend hit local businesses this year. In WRAL’s April coverage, The Big Easy manager Courtney McGlone predicted a substantial sales hit: “I can at least guarantee there’s going to be a 30% deficit.” The station also spoke with local retailers who wanted the crowds back.
The financial stakes go beyond the stage and the festival gates. WRAL reported that the 2024 event generated $145.9 million in economic impact for Raleigh, while the city’s agreement allows a future festival to sell up to 52,500 tickets.
The agreement sets the city’s annual fee at $125,000 for one festival or $225,000 for two consecutive festivals.
