Fall Dogwood Festival returns to Fayetteville this weekend: What to eat, drink and do

Taylor Shook, Fayetteville Observer
·3 min read

The Dogwood Fall Festival kicks off Friday in Fayetteville, bringing hundreds of people downtown for food, festivities, music and shopping.

The three-day event continues through Sunday evening.

While it won’t include some attractions from years past, like the car and motorcycle show nor spooky walking tours of the historic downtown cemetery, this year's event has dozens of vendors, live entertainment and hayrides.

Here’s a look at what to expect.

When and where is the Dogwood Fall Festival in Fayetteville?

The Dogwood Fall Festival is 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Festival Park, 335 Ray Ave.

What food is at the Dogwood Fall Festival?

The festival hosts food trucks with offerings ranging from gyros and vegan soul food to empanadas and tacos. Here’s a look at the food available on Saturday and Sunday:

Savory

  • Tanks and Franks, a Fayetteville food truck, serves Koegel’s hot dogs with specialty toppings alongside fries and waffle fries.

  • Pita Perfect, based in Southern Pines, serves lamb, chicken, cheesesteak and cheeseburger gyros, fries and Greek salad. 

  • Governor Place Xpress, based in Pembroke, serves barbecue plates and sandwiches, turkey legs and smoked macaroni and cheese.

  • Soul's Kitchen, a Raleigh-based food truck, offers traditional southern flavors with vegan versions of po’boys, barbecue sandwiches, burgers and macaroni and cheese.

  • Same O Dame O’s Shrimp, Fish and Grits, a food truck based in Raleigh, lives up to its name with a menu of shrimp and smothered fish served with cheddar grits.

  • Mike Nice Empanadas, a Latin food truck based in Knightsdale, specializes in empanadas. The fried pastries are filled with a choice of beef, chicken or cheese; or choose from fillings inspired by Birria tacos, buffalo chicken, or Philadelphia cheesesteaks.

  • Hollywood Taco Shop, a Tijuana-style and California-Mexican taqueria based in Cary, serves burritos and shrimp tacos.

  • Flavapalooza, a Fayetteville food truck best known for its Philly cheesesteak, serves subs, salads, wings and sides.

  • Red White and Blue BBQ, a food truck from Fayetteville, serves signature smoked meats and side dishes.

ArRee Bateman, of Red, White & Blue BBQ, dishes up plates for customers at the 2nd annual Black BBQ Cook Off on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at Murchison Marketplace.
ArRee Bateman, of Red, White & Blue BBQ, dishes up plates for customers at the 2nd annual Black BBQ Cook Off on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, at Murchison Marketplace.

Sweets and drinks

  • BeanSweet Coffee Shop, based in Goldsboro, serves hot, iced and frozen coffee drinks, ice cream, milkshakes and Italian ice.

  • BOLT Drinks and Coffee, a shop based in Fuquay-Varina, brings a caffeinated menu of sparkling energy drinks and java.

  • Kookie Krumbs, based in Smithfield, offers chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies.

  • Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, a Pennsylvania-founded chain with about 200 ice cream parlors along the East Coast, will serve ice cream made in-house and other desserts like sorbet and Italian ice. 

  • Cinnabon, the cinnamon roll chain with more than 700 locations worldwide, offers its pastries at the festival.

  • Bobasaur, a boba food truck serving the Triangle, offers milk and fruit teas dotted with tapioca pearls.

  • East Coast Snowie, a snow cone cart with dozens of flavors often seen around Fayetteville, will bring refreshing treats to the festival.

  • Drizzle D's, an artisan doughnut and drink trailer based in Raleigh, serves miniature doughnuts in flavors like apple pie, French toast, peanut butter cup and maple bacon.

Kristen Braswell is twirled by her son Justin Braswell as they dance to live music at the Dogwood Fall Festival in October 2017.
Kristen Braswell is twirled by her son Justin Braswell as they dance to live music at the Dogwood Fall Festival in October 2017.

What music is at the Fall Dogwood Festival?

The Fayetteville-based Throwback Collaboration Band takes the stage Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. to play old-school R&B tunes. On Sunday, a DJ will play music.

What else is there to do at the Fall Dogwood Festival?

A vendor fair brings about 50 booths to the festival, offering candles, jewelry, face-painting and artisanal food on Saturday and Sunday.

Hayrides, which depart on the hour and the half-hour, are available all three days of the festival. Tickets are $7 and can only be purchased in cash at the festival.

Food, dining and culture reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com, on Twitter, or Facebook. Want weekly food news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville's Fall Dogwood Festival returns this weekend