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Festival Park
Rowan Street and Ray Avenue
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910) 433-1547
(910) 433-1762 (fax)
parksrecinfo@ci.fay.nc.us
Park Description

The location of a park at the site has been talked about as far back as four decades. A manufactured gas plant operated on the south side of Cross Creek for almost 100 years, closing in the early 1960s. The City purchased the contaminated land in the 1980s without knowing the extent of the problem. A parking lot was going to be built there, but construction stopped when the contamination was discovered.

Later, $10 million was provided by Progress Energy to assist in the cleanup of the site and to develop the park. The cleanup consisted of removal of 33,000 tons of soil and thermal treatment and removal of two large gasholders. The creek had to be diverted and contamination in the creek was removed. Around this time, in 1996 the Marvin Plan was presented to the City Council and Cumberland County Commissioners in a joint meeting. Of all of the studies and plans presented through the years, the Marvin Plan has probably influenced Fayetteville the most to add more greenways to beautify the downtown area. Festival Park, Cross Creek Linear Park and Freedom Memorial Park can be attributed partly to the Marvin Plan. It took 10 years to assemble all the land, demolish the buildings, clean up the site and begin construction of Festival Park.

Festival Park - including Festival Park Plaza, a mixed-use retail and commercial office building adjacent to the Maiden Lane promenade, which has already opened - is approximately 14 acres. The north side of the park, the entertainment complex, totals 4.3 acres, and was obtained via a land transfer from the Department of the Interior, National Parks Division, as part of the previous BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure Act).

The stage is approximately 2,700 square feet, and has professional lighting and a sound system to attract top-notch talent. Backstage, there are two individual dressing room areas and a large group dressing room area. The lawn area is 3.5 acres and can hold several thousand people. Trees and bushes have been added, and additional landscaping has been done along Cross Creek. Festival Park features a permanent restroom facility and a concession stand.

Hours of Operation: Sunrise to Sunset

Fees: No entry fees for this park
Metro Region: Fayettville, NC
Park Management: City

Food / Restaurant   Handicap Accessible   Open Space   Parking   Restrooms   Shelter/Pavillion   Trails, Paved   Water Fountain