Wine lovers and foodies alike, prepare to rejoice. It’s official. Cork & Fork, the beloved kickoff event to the Dogwood Festival, is returning to the lineup for 2025. Marking the official, unofficial beginning of the festival, Cork & Fork is the perfect way to start the weekend. After a short hiatus at the Dogwood Festival, organizers have ensured the event’s return will be nothing short of incredible as a guide through Fayetteville’s thriving wine and food scene with a touch of art. The fun begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 at Festival Park, in the grassy space left of the main stage right after the promenade. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased online at //www.eventeny.com/events/2025-fayetteville-dogwood-festival-16001/.
Guests will be treated to an assortment of tapas (small portions) style dishes from a variety of locally owned restaurants, local wines from two local wineries, live entertainment, and new to the itinerary this year, a cigar rolling class sponsored by local tobacconist and shop, Anstead’s Tobacco Company.
For those who are not wine drinkers, Wana Navu Kava Bar will be providing guests with non-alcohol options. Cork & Fork is not just an event to come and have fun, it’s an event with a cause. There will be a silent auction this year, with proceeds going directly to Off-Road Outreach, a veteran-centered nonprofit dedicated to bringing much-needed resources to military veterans, founded by award-winning, nationally recognized activist, Stacey Buckner.
Newly hired Dogwood Festival Executive Director, Kaylynn Suarez, is excited about partnering with local nonprofits to give back to the community that comes out and enjoys the festival.
“One thing we are doing this year is we’re increasing how much the nonprofit gets back from the ticket sales… all those proceeds that we pull from this silent auction, all those proceeds go straight to them [Off-Road Outreach]. So basically come ready to support and have fun,” Suarez said.
Suarez is doing things a little different regarding the food too. Instead of one big meal, she’s asked local restaurants to set up booths and present tapas-style dishes to guests. The variation in food will also be a unique change for this year, bringing everything from American cuisine, to southern comfort food to ethnic. Cork & Fork will be the perfect sampling of the diversity in our local food scene.
“We are partnering with local restaurants to do tapas style food, so everybody can try a little bit of everything versus gorging on one meal. I want people to try some of everything, so that way, maybe they try something new,” she said.
Artist Dan Nelson is the creator of the featured art for Dogwood Festival 2025. Nelson is a Raleigh native and multi-talented artist and musician rooted in the community. Nelson has an eye and hand for capturing the spirit of places and people, painting everything from wedding ceremonies to historical events. He has not only created magnificent works of art around the world, but his work can be seen locally on the cover and within the pages of Kidsville News!, a locally published newspaper just for kids, highlighting stories, art, and educational resources for parents and teachers. Nelson is also a skilled musician, performing with musical ensembles from street festivals to events.
He sums his career up by saying, “If there is a conventional and well-worn path in the art business . . . you’ll have to look for me somewhere else.” Check out his art and book a commission by visiting his website at https://dannelsonart.com/.
Up and Coming Weekly, Kidsville News!, and Up & Coming Pocket Guide publisher Bill Bowman is hosting this year’s event. Bowman, a long-time champion and advocate of the Dogwood Festival, is elated at the opportunity to host one of his favorite events during the weekend-long festival.
Guests will be serenaded by the smooth- soulful voice of the multi-talented artist and musician Nicholas Vernon, local artist and Carolina Country Music Award winner. Vernon will be performing acoustic versions of his original award-winning songs. A native of Vander, Vernon is the proud son of a third-generation farmer with a sound that pays homage to his childhood, by blending country and gospel to create his style. He has performed on stages all over North Carolina and South Carolina, including the NC State Fair and the House of Blues at Myrtle Beach. His talent shows in the awards he’s managed to rack up in the short amount of time in the industry, including the 2024 Carolina Country Music Awards Male Artist of the Year. For more information and to stream Nicholas Vernon's music visit his website at https://nicholasvernonmusic.com/.
Whether it’s Cork & Fork or the weekend in Festival Park, the Dogwood Festival is gearing up to be bigger and better than years past.
“We have an unspoken theme this year. It’s ‘community.’ We want people to understand that the mission of the Dogwood is to provide a service over self. This isn’t about self-promotion. Your ego is not your amigo. We have to set everything aside and do for the community because [our] heart is in it. We have all these events that we want to put together to make sure that the community feels seen. Everybody has something. Whether it’s the BMX, WWE, the different types of music, the food, the vendors, or just hanging out with family and friends and enjoying the sunshine,” Suarez said.
For more information on the Dogwood Festival, sanctioned events and volunteer information visit the website at https://www.thedogwoodfestival.com/.