Photos: Dreamville Festival 2023 comes to Raleigh, NC’s Dix Park
By Scott Sharpe
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023.
Scott Sharpe
ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Raleigh
J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival descended on Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park April 1 and 2 with headliners like Usher, Ari Lennox, Burna Boy, Drake and Cole himself.
Now in its third year, Dreamville organizers expected 100,000 festival-goers over two days.
Cole, who grew up in Fayetteville, started the festival in 2019 to give back to his home state and create a hip-hop and R&B festival for the East Coast. It’s also a way to showcase the artists on Cole’s Dreamville music label.
Here are photos from the North Carolina festival. Check back as this gallery will be updated through the weekend.
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J. Cole headlines the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Tens of thousands of fans gathered at Dix Park in Raleigh, N.C. Sunday, April 2, 2023, for the final day of the Dreamville Music Festival. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J.I.D. works the crowd during his set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J.I.D. performs at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
A fan watches a set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J.I.D. performs at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
J.I.D. launches his set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
After a cloudy start early Saturday, fans at the Dreamville Festival were bathed in sunlight in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Usher headlines the Saturday night session of the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Usher headlines the Saturday night session of the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Usher headlines the Saturday night session of the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
A fan holds up a sign during Ari Lennox’s set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Ari Lennox performs at the Shine Stage at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Ari Lennox takes the stage at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Fans wait for a set to start at the Rise Stage at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Earthgang in concert at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Earthgang performs at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Earthgang performs at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
City Girls play to a packed crowd at the Dreamville Music Festival in Raleigh, Saturday night, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
City Girls take the stage at the Dreamville Music Festival, Saturday night, April 1, 2023 in Raleigh. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
City Girls play a hot set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
City Girls bring the fire at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Jessie Revez performs at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Fans sway to the beat during Jessie Revez’s set at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, April 1, 2023. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
This story was originally published April 1, 2023 at 8:16 PM.
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