J. Cole's Dreamville 2023: What to know if you're going

Fayetteville’s favorite son, J. Cole, will be hosting the third annual Dreamville Festival at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh on Saturday and Sunday. If you have never been before, here are a few tips to ensure you have the greatest weekend ever:

• Get an Uber or carpool. Parking is available, but traffic is ridiculous. Like, 5 miles in 20 minutes ridiculous.

• Bring a change of clothes … just in case. Life happens.

• Pack a poncho or umbrella. The weather is supposed to be good, but this is still North Carolina.

• Get your merch early. It is guaranteed to sell out. Don’t get caught in those long lines onsite.

• Bring your walking shoes. The Big Field in Dorothea Dix Park is about 35 acres. Ladies, leave your heels at home. Men, don’t wear your “good” shoes.

More: J. Cole's Dreamville Festival is this weekend. Here are the top hits from this year's lineup

• Pace yourself. Drink water and eat. You will be outside for about 12 hours.

• Bring a portable charger. There will be charging stations. But don’t miss your favorite artist because your phone is dead or you are stuck waiting for your phone to power back on. Phones will be used like walkie-talkies because there will be sooooo many people.

• Make sure you meet the person next to you. You never know who you are singing along with. The world is going to be in Raleigh. Celebrities are fans, too.

• Bring a blanket to sit on. All that walking is going to wear your legs out. You don't want to miss your favorite set because your feet hurt.

• If you can get to Raleigh early, attend Dreamville curated events. Follow @dreamvillefest on IG for the complete list of events.

More: Missed out on Dreamville tickets? There are plenty of related events in Raleigh this week

• Bring a jacket or hoodie. Though the day feels good, it gets cold at night. Too cold to be cool.

• Pack a bag for emergency needs. Needs may vary from person to person.

• Get to the Cole set early or you might as well watch it from the parking lot.

• Doors open at 12:30 p.m.. Pull up. Have fun. Show love. If you see me, say what’s up for a chance to be featured in The Fayetteville Observer.

One time for all the Dreamvillians coming from all over and every activist getting active. Peace.

Rakeem “Keem” Jones is a community advocate and father of three from the Shaw Road/Bonnie Doone area of Fayetteville. He can be reached at keemj45@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Dreamville Festival: What you need to know if you're going to Raleigh