By: Mikayla Davis
It’s the beginning of spring, and you and a group of friends are confidently wearing outfits you spent weeks meticulously selecting — submerged in a sea of artwork, music, and culture, surrounded by individuals who appreciate the same things. This is the essence of Dreamville Festival, which took place on April 5 and 6 for its final iteration at Dorothea Dix Park.
Created by J. Cole and the Dreamville team, the festival is named after the record label he founded. The first Dreamville Festival was initially set for 2018 but was rescheduled to Spring 2019 due to Hurricane Florence. Since then, it has been held annually at Dorothea Dix Park, Raleigh’s largest city park, which is also known for its stunning sunflower field that blooms for a couple of weeks in July.
In December 2024, J. Cole announced that the 2025 festival would be its last. Over the years, Dreamville has grown into one of North Carolina’s largest annual events, increasing in attendance and revenue while cementing its place as a staple of the local culture.
Dreamville Festival is more than just a music event—it is a celebration of diversity and inclusion. Fans, proudly referred to as “Dreamers,” have embraced the festival’s commitment to uplifting Black culture and supporting local businesses. As stated on the Dreamville website: “As a proud Black-owned music festival, Dreamville continues to emphasize community, diversity, and inclusivity throughout the onsite fan experience each spring.”
Beyond its musical acts, Dreamville Festival has consistently showcased dozens of local independently-owned businesses, artisans, muralists, merchants, and community organizations, giving attendees a chance to engage with Raleigh’s vibrant mix of creativity and entrepreneurship.
Every year, Dreamville Festival offers a fresh and exciting lineup, blending classic and modern headliners with emerging talent. The festival doubles as a yearly homecoming for Dreamville Records, showcasing performances from the label’s roster, including Ari Lennox, Bas, J.I.D, EarthGang, Cozz, and Omen, along with Charlotte native Lute.
Over the past five years, Dreamville Festival has played a pivotal role in Raleigh’s economy, creating numerous job opportunities for the local community. The festival has drawn thousands of visitors from across the country and even internationally. As noted on the Dreamville website: “Dreamville Festival today generates millions of dollars each year for the local and North Carolina economy, while providing a positive and substantial cultural impact on Raleigh and the surrounding areas that lasts long after the festival wraps up each spring.”
While the data from this year’s festival has not yet been released, ABC11 shared a statement from The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau that Dreamville brought in $10.5 million each day last year in economic impact. Dreamville 2023 surpassed $145 million generated for NC, as reported by raleighnc.gov. Most of this revenue came from transportation, food and beverage or hotel stays.
Senior Teshannon Spivey, who attended Dreamville in 2021 and again in 2024, was surprised to hear the news of the festival coming to an end after only five years.
“I feel like the love for J. Cole is kind of dying a little bit,” said Spivey, a communication major. “You’re going to perform the same five songs that I’ve heard a thousand times, I’ve already seen you perform them and, no shade, no tea, but they aren’t even that great in the first place for me to want to see it over and over.”
Spivey also mentioned artists running extremely behind schedule or not showing at all as a source of contention.
“$300 isn’t a lot for what you’re experiencing and what you have the opportunity to go do but it is still a lot of money. If people are paying $300 to see a specific person, they need to be there,” said Spivey.
As the final Dreamville Festival concludes, its legacy will remain woven into the fabric of North Carolina’s music and cultural history, leaving behind a lasting impact that extends beyond the festival grounds. This may not be the final curtain call for the Dreamville Festival, however, as a four-year deal was signed last week to bring a new festival to Dix Park under the Dreamville label.
“I think change is good, it’s inevitable,” said Raleigh local Haley Bass, who has been to all five music festivals held by Dreamville. “I will be sad about not having Dreamville anymore, considering I’ve been every year, but I’m thankful to have been apart and see what is coming.”
“I’m more than likely not buying tickets until a lineup comes out, but I think it’ll still be cool,” she added.
Dreamville 2024. Fans soak in the vibrant energy and diverse sounds at the final Dreamville Festival, celebrating music, culture, and community in Raleigh’s iconic Dorothea Dix Park.
Photo by: M. Davis
The event sold out with over 52,000 people in attendance each day, as reported by Raleigh magazine. Crowds of this magnitude made for long wait times, poor cell phone service, and difficulty getting around the festival grounds, especially on Sunday. Besides these obstacles and a few mic failures, Dreamville 2025 seemed to be a hit.
This year’s event showcased the largest variety of vendors yet with 75, mainly NC-based, food and beverage businesses in participation. Plenty of liquor pop-ups were set up around the festival by Patrón, Hennessy, and Bacardi.
This 2025 lineup included headliners Lil Wayne, 21 Savage, Erykah Badu, and, of course, J. Cole. As well as performances by Wale, Ludacris, Keyshia Cole, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Chief Keef, BigXThaPlug, Ari Lennox, GloRilla, Tems, Coco Jones, and J.I.D.