CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 51 By Sara VanderClute In Festival Park this New Year's Eve "You know, I think we are really starting something wonderful with this," says Carrie King, Executive Director of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. She's not talking about the Dogwood Festival – its reputation as a successful regional festival is long-lived and well-documented. She's talking about New Year's Eve! As Fayetteville prepares to welcome 2010, the first year of the second decade in this 21 st century, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Board of Directors (one of the hardest working, most committed boards you'll find in town, according to King) is planning a New Year's Eve party for the entire community. It'll take place in Festival Park – admission is free – on New Year's Eve and will include all you'd expect at such a celebratory gathering – and more. Over the years, other attempts to stage a New Year's Eve party for the community have been made, but they pre-date Festival Park, which is such a spacious venue for a crowd and all that it takes to keep that crowd amused. The Dogwood Festival board members know how to plan a party. King affectionately refers to the 24-member board as her "Top Dogs," because they do such a great job in working together to stage the Dogwood Festival. For New Year's Eve, they know people want food, drink, music, and fun, so that's what they've planned to provide. Will there be champagne? "You'd better believe it!," says King. "We'll have champagne, of course, and beer, too!" Non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. Food is essential, of course, so the event also includes a chili and wings cook-off. Those who want to compete can find the application form on the Festival's website, www.FayDogwoodFestival.com. Prizes will be cash or a free food vendor booth at the Dogwood Festival in April, whichever the winner prefers. Nantucket, the first band to play in the Festival Park venue for the 2007 Dogwood Festival will play at the New Year's Eve party, as will Hot Sauce, a cover band that King says can rouse a crowd into a dancing full-blown party in no time. Attendees at this Fayetteville celebration won't have to forego watching the crystal ball come down in Times Square, either. The Festival Board has thoughtfully arranged for giant TV screens to be available, so folks can watch the New York countdown, even as Fayetteville's drop of a giant dogwood blossom is underway. Fireworks will provide the finale for the Fayetteville New Year's Eve party. Sounds like a great way to start the year – thanks to the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival! CV TIME GOOD A ROCKIN' Top | Nantucket will headline the Fayetteville New Year's Eve party in Festival Park, above lead singer Larry Uzzell. Bottom | Also performing, the band Hot Sauce.

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