Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/123631
by STEPHANIE CRIDER, ERINN CRIDER AND JANICE BURTON In addition to great entertainment and three days packed full of Each year, Fayetteville residents shake off their winter blues with a huge downtown fun, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival sanctions events celebration that we all know as the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. Held throughout the community throughout the month of April and throughout in historic downtown and Festival Park, the three-day festival welcomes more than 200,000 visitors to the city center, all with one thing in mind — the Dogwood Festival weekend. • The Mid-Carolina Senior Games run through April 27. The event having a good time. is part of a network that promotes health and wellness for seniors The festival, which kicks off on Friday, April 26, features live music, statewide. There are 53 local games a street fair, food, friendly competitions in which seniors compete involving and a midway. In years past, the festival more than 25 sporting events and has brought some of the top names in visual and performing arts as well. entertainment to the area and given local Events include: basketball, track performers a chance to share their talent events, billiards, line dancing with visitors to the festival. and more. Drawing, oil painting, On Friday, the festival opens with the essays, short stories, basket Bloom and Boom Kick-off Party featuring weaving, quilting, stained glass and country musician, Joe Diffie. Diffie, best woodcarving are just a few of the known for his songs "Pickup Man" and "John heritage arts included in the senior Deere Green," gained success in the '90s, games. The performing arts segment including 12 number one songs, 20 Top 10 of the event includes comedy, drama, songs and four gold and platinum albums. vocal, dance and instrumental Beyond his own successful recording pieces. There are still a few days left. career, Diffie is a successful songwriter, Visit www.ncseniorgames.org or call having written songs for Holly Dunn, Tim at (919) 851-5456 to find out more. McGraw, Tracy Lawrence, Conway Twitty • The Fayetteville-Cumberland and Jo Dee Messina. Crimestoppers Barbeque is At the conclusion of Diffie's concert, the scheduled for Friday, April 26 at skies over Fayetteville will bloom with one 2800 Raeford Rd. in the Highland of the best fireworks shows of the year. Center near Harris Teeter. It runs On Saturday night, Southern Rock will from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and costs $6 rule in Festival Park, as the Dogwood per plate. Proceeds from this event Festival welcomes not one, but two of benefit Crimestoppers Fayetteville/ America's favorite Southern rock bands — Cumberland County. The Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet. crimestoppers program was brought Blackfoot, known for hits like "Train, Train" to Fayetteville in 1984. Since coming and "Highway Song," is keeping the legacy of to the community the program Southern Rock alive by touring and sharing reports that it has "provided its music with a whole new generation. information resulting in the arrest Blackfoot will hit the stage at 7 p.m. of more than 3,108 felons and Molly Hatchet is best known for its hit recovered more than $6.7 million album Flirtin' With Disaster. Still fronted Joe Diffie, country's original "Pickup Man," will open the Dogwood Festival during in property and narcotics and have by two of its original members, Dave the Bloom and Boom Party in Festival Park. paid out more than $312,000.00 Hlubek and Steve Holland, the band has in rewards." Find out more about toured all over the world and has held fast crimestoppers at www.fay-nccrimestoppers.org. to its hard-rocking ways. The band will hit the stage at 9 p.m. • Guys, break out your seersucker suits and ladies, don those spring On Sunday, the Festival Park stage will be filled from 1-4 p.m. and will dresses. There is a Garden Party at Cross Creek Park on Friday, feature four sets. The opening set will feature 45 RPM, a local all-female April 26. It's the Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County's 4th band. The band will be followed by B. Smyth, a 19-year-old native of Annual Garden Party — an event that is fast becoming a cherished Flordia, who gained national notoriety through YouTube posts of his work. part of the Dogwood celebration. Enjoy wine, beer, heavy appetizers He is an up and coming R&B singer who recently signed with Motown. and dancing. There is a best hat/sharp-dressed man contest, too. Kayla Brianna, another R&B singer, will also grace the stage. An The event runs from 3-7 p.m. and costs $50 per person. It's an Interscope Records performer, Kayla Brianna is the daugher of former adults-only party. Call 484-2639 for more information. UNC and NBA star Kenny Smith. • Fascinate-U Children's Museum will celebrate the Dogwood The final act of the day is Prince NeFew and Da Mill. The group is made Festival on Friday, April 26. The museum will be open from 7-9 up of 11-year-old rapper Prince NeFew, his 9-year-old brother T-man, and p.m. Admission is free that night and visitors are invited to make a their sisters Moda and Libby and cousin, Lulu. Their debut EP, Bookbags dogwood flower to take home with them. Admission will be half price to Briefcases features the song "Bully" which is gaining national attention. 12 UCW APRIL 24-30, 2013 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM