J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival may return to Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, N.C., on April 3-4, 2027, according to an XXL Mag report on a special event permit filed by Live Nation and the Dreamville Foundation.
Organizers Filed Permit for Music Festival with 55,000 Attendees
- Organizers filed a special event permit in October listed as “Dreamville Presents,” a multi-stage music festival planned for April 3-4, 2027, according to XXL Mag.
- The permit remains under review and the event has not yet been confirmed, with proposed plans to accommodate up to 55,000 attendees.
- Event proposals include on-site food service with booths, food trucks, and push carts, along with provisions for over 500 usable toilets.
Permit Status at Dorothea Dix Park
Organizers of the Dreamville Festival filed a special event permit to hold a festival at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, N.C., in 2027, XXL Mag reported on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The permit was filed in October by members of Live Nation and the Dreamville Foundation.
Because the filing remains under review, the music festival has not yet been confirmed. XXL Mag reached out to J. Cole’s Dreamville team, as well as representatives for Live Nation and Dix Park, for comment.
Prior Iterations and Economic Impact
J. Cole performed his last Dreamville Festival in April of 2025. During a press conference, festival organizers insisted that Dreamville Fest would return, but under a different iteration, and no Dreamville Fest was held in 2026.
Cole launched his Dreamville Festival in September of 2018. The music festival’s inaugural performance lineup included Young Thug, Big Sean, SZA, Nelly, Rich The Kid, Ari Lennox, and Rapsody, alongside Dreamville artists Bas, J.I.D, Cozz, and EarthGang.
| Festival Milestone | Date | Details & Economic Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Inaugural Event | September 2018 | Featured Young Thug, Big Sean, SZA, and Dreamville artists. |
| Second Festival | April 2022 | Generated $6.7 million for Raleigh, N.C.’s local economy, according to data from the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. |
| Most Recent Event | April 2025 | Marked J. Cole’s last Dreamville Festival before a hiatus in 2026. |
| Proposed Return | April 3-4, 2027 | Pending permit review for a multi-stage event accommodating up to 55,000 attendees. |
“My team and I continue to be awed by the overwhelming support we’ve received since closing out the second Dreamville Festival [in April 2022]. But to now fully realize the festival’s positive impact on the local economy and tourism, it truly is unbelievable,” said Adam Roy at the time.
