Raleigh’s barbecue-focused foodie fest returns next month.
It’s almost time to pig out, Raleigh. Award-winning pitmasters and chefs from across the country are once again descending at Maywood Hall & Garden for the third annual Gettin’ Piggy With It on May 18—and you’re not gonna wanna miss it.
Last year there was everything from smoked turkey sausage and Korean sticky ribs to pulled pork mac bowls and crispy pork belly served on cheesy hominy, so rest assured there will be plenty to choose from (leaving hungry is not an option!). Not to mention there will also be dessert vendors—think Andia’s Ice Cream and Little Blue Macaron—plus local beer and spirits from Young Hearts Distilling and Tito’s, games, live music, and much more.
And the cherry—er, barbecue sauce—on top? All proceeds benefit the Frankie Lemmon School and Developmental Center, which provides accessible education and therapies to children with and without disabilities.
“Gettin’ Piggy With It is a shining example of what we can do when we come together,” says Frankie Lemmon School and Foundation Executive Director Marsha Hargette. “[Lawrence Barbecue and Trophy Brewing] are true community leaders who bring people together and do the hard work, and it’s Frankie Lemmon’s students and their families who are the winners.” And naturally, after a day of sipping and snacking, you’ll walk away a winner too. Buy ticket here.
The latest local news nuggets you need to know now.
WHAT’S HOT
It’s a dream come true…? Per N&O, the City of Raleigh and Live Nation are in talks to continue hosting a music festival at Dix Park following the fifth and final installment of Dreamville Fest—potentially under the same name.
RDU is taking flight! Five airlines are introducing 14 new routes beginning April 11, including nonstop flights to Bermuda, Kansas City, Dallas, Detroit, Nassau and more.
Call it a glow-up—Raleigh Fire Department’s Station 7 closed March 31 for renovations, including improvements like new windows, bathrooms, showers, flooring and LED lighting.
With its 7.8 million square feet of industrial space currently in development, Raleigh was named No. 12 among markets with the most industrial real estate under construction at the beginning of 2025, with current inventory expected to expand by 6.5%.
“Bigger Play, Brighter Futures.” Marbles Kids Museum launched the public phase of its first-ever Capital Campaign, which will fund the completion of a two-story addition feat. a new one-of-a-kind exhibit, a classroom for educational programming and a rooftop playscape—plus the beautification of the Blount Street exterior façade.
Always standing on business. … Raleigh ranked in the top 10 best cities for young entrepreneurs, determined by such factors as coworking affordability, wage and tax data, internet infrastructure, cost of living, and personal income.
Pay up! A recently released study evaluating tolls as part of the Capital Boulevard Improvement Project recommends easing traffic congestion by removing stoplights and creating highway interchanges, with upgrades beginning in 2027.
RDU Airport’s consolidated rental car facility is in a (traffic) jam, as the plan is being ditched due to rising costs. Other options are being explored.
RIP. Former Harlem Globetrotter, actor and tallest man in America George Bell—standing at 7’6’’—passed away in Durham at the age of 67.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is canceling $500 million in food deliveries for food banks and pantries across the country, resulting in a decrease of such nutritious items like chicken, eggs, milk and cheese.
WHAT’S NOT
The Bathroom Bill is back. NC Republican senators have introduced a bill similar to 2016’s HB2 dubbed the Women’s Safety and Protection Act that bans transgender people from using a bathroom affiliated with their gender identity at facilities like schools, prisons and more.
As the fifth and final Dreamville Festival has been put to bed, we recap the good, bad and dreamy moments of this year’s fest. And stay tuned for the new four-year music fest under the Dreamville label coming to Dix Park next year.
BEST
Weather This year’s fest was definitely the warmest and sunniest, complete with a chill breeze and partly cloudy skies to provide some relief from the heat. Even nighttime temps didn’t fall below 70—a plus compared to previous years’ nippy evening weather (not having to carry around a jacket all day? Big win)—but rain did start to fall Sunday at the end of the night. It was hot during peak daytime though, but luckily with Dreamville’s many shaded areas, there were plenty of spots to escape the heat.
Liquor Pop-Ups No one pulled out the stops more than this year’s liquor partners. Patrón set up a literal house in the middle of the festival pouring drinks in the brand’s signature tequila bottles, while Hennessy featured an energetic DJ set by Mannie Fresh and guest bartender appearance from Normani. And, as always, Casa Bacardi offered a tropical oasis to enjoy refreshing ’tails and make a wish in the branded fountain.
Art There were oodles of photo ops at this year’s fest, including a plethora of backdrops by local artists—showing that Dreamville Fest is more than just a music fest. Interactive structures also abounded, including a rainbow-hued string display that moved with the wind, neon rainbow setups, an inflatable flower installation, sunflower benches and much more.
NC Apparel North Carolina represent! Artists repped local sports with fashionable ’fits—from Lil Wayne’s branded Canes jersey to Ludacris’ UNC Tar Heels getup.
Throwback Artists While we love the top artists in today’s rap/hip-hop game (GloRilla ATE), it was a delight to see early aughts faves like Ludacris and Wale take the stage. Luda got the crowd hype with fan-favorites, even playing “Move Bitch” twice for an abundant crowd that belted along the lyrics both times.
Stage Visuals Dreamville really upped the ante with the stage visuals this year. Think raging flames setting the scene for 21 Savage; a smokeshow during Lil Wayne’s headlining performance, plus supercool graphics for his gaggle of coperformers (Hot Boys & Big Tymers, Birdman, Juvenile, etc.); an endearing animation behind Earthgang; lightning effects and strobe lights showcasing Erykah Badu; and *lit* light shows during the evening acts. And we’d be remiss not to mention J. Cole’s two-story home setup, where he kicked off the show upstairs sitting at a desk, working his way down to the first-floor couch.
Safety Precautions Walk anywhere on the grounds and there’s likely a medical tent in sight, a great comfort in the case of an injury, dehydration or other medical emergency—even a Narcan tent as a fail-safe. Water stations were also scattered throughout, in addition to Electrolit samples near the entrance. And staff were quick to rescue patrons in need during sets (s/o crowd members who waved their phone flashlights to gain attention).
WORST
Sound Issues Despite two entire days of live music, J. Cole’s mic failed during the opening of his final headlining performance, a major flop. Erykah Badu’s mic also went out while she was on stage with him—and Earthgang’s sound system was having issues at the start of their set. Luckily, Cole noticed his vocals weren’t projecting and restarted his first song for the enormous crowd to hear, and Earthgang’s DJ stopped the set to figure out the issue before the duo came on.
Huge Crowds With 52,000+ people in attendance each day, Dreamville sold out once again—and it showed. Sunday was especially packed, with clusters of festivalgoers descending on Dix, making it hard to maneuver throughout the grounds. Toes were stepped on and several folks had to be escorted out of the throngs during individual sets (though alcohol and other substances could definitely be in play). During his Sunday set, even J. Cole paused to take it all in—marveling at how far the crowd stretched.
Long Lines Perhaps inevitable when it comes to a festival of this size and scale, lines for merch and some bars and some food vendors stretched endlessly. Hands down, the GA merch tent was the roughest scene, with throngs of festivalgoers snaking through the grounds to snag a hoodie or T-shirt—barricades had to be brought in on day 2 to help. Even in the VIP area, we waited ~20 minutes for an order of fries—but, worth it (!).
Poor Service After five years, we thought Dreamville had finally figured out the shotty service situation. Saturday we were able to text/call/post to social media with minimal delay, but Sunday harkened back to the dead bars of years’ past, getting worse as the day went on. By the evening, we were unable to text or make calls, and Instagram wouldn’t update.
This Earth Month, invest in your community—and the environment.
When it comes to recycling, there’s no question about whether items like paper, cardboard, plastic and the like are recyclable. But when it comes to things like plastic film, Styrofoam, paint, batteries and light bulbs, confusion abounds over how you should dispose of them. Enter The ReCollective, the Triangle’s first hard-to-recycle pickup service.
Launched in fall 2022 by Bryce Brooks and Kevin Younge, two eco-friendly Triangle residents with a passion of simplifying waste and reducing climate change, The ReCollective makes recycling easy, accessible and transparent while taking waste off your hands and creating something new out of it.
Filling the gaps left by traditional curbside programs, the concept has since expanded to serve 600 households/month across the Triangle—diverting the equivalent of 1 million plastic bags’ worth of plastic film from landfills and waterways (!). To boot, in 2023, The ReCollective expanded to offer organics collection—including food scraps and compostable waste—and introduced a partnership with Toward Zero Waste that makes composting more accessible and affordable.
“We are passionate about helping bring awareness to the community about the environmental challenges we face,” says Younge. Adds Brooks, “The Triangle is a special area that is so ready for circular community solutions that are affordable, accessible and have a positive impact for everyone here.”
The ReCollective’s pickup service is super-convenient—and you don’t even have to leave your house to use it. Collection bag kits containing four labeled canvas bags, a separate plastic bag for Styrofoam, and a waterproof bag are dropped off at your home before your scheduled pickup day. Simply leave the bags on your porch and a ReCollective crew member will swing by to collect them.
The sustainable service then takes materials and passes them on to local businesses and organizations that recycle or reuse them in a creative way—think art pieces or products like deck boards. Reduce, reuse, recycle in action!
The best part? Getting rid of those nonrecyclables costs about the same price as a Netflix subscription or getting a couple drinks at a local bar. So why not put your money toward something that’ll help better the environment—and the world?
No, you’re not dreaming—after five epic years, J. Cole is putting his era-defining Dreamville Festival to rest. On April 5–6, the rapper will link up with a host of hip-hop and R&B music greats—not to mention local small businesses, artisans, vendors, muralists and community organizations—for one final fest.
“Watching people from all over the world and all walks of life gather here each year has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of our journey,” J. Cole said in an Instagram post via Dreamville. “Whether it’s the day-one fans or the newcomers, each reunion has been unforgettable.”
This year’s ~dreamy~ lineup includes top-tier artists like Lil Wayne, GloRilla, 21 Savage, Wale and Ludacris—and who knows what other surprises might be in store. Hey, the sky’s the limit! dreamvillefest.com
*Editor’s note: On Thursday, April 3, the City of Raleigh announced a new four-year musical festival under the Dreamville label, name currently TBD. Find more info here.
