Downtown street closures for International Folk Festival

Published on September 23, 2026

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Multiple streets in Downtown Fayetteville will be closed as the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s 48th Annual International Folk Festival takes place Sept. 25 and 26. 

Friday, Sept. 25: 

The intersection of Hay Street and Ray Avenue and additional downtown streets will close at 3 p.m. Streets will remain closed overnight through Saturday’s Parade of Nations. The Festival Park Plaza parking lot will close to the public at noon Friday.

Saturday, Sept. 26: 

Additional street closures for the festival and parade will begin at 6 a.m. The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. and is expected to conclude at noon.

Most streets will reopen after the parade. Ray Avenue from Old Street to Rowan Street will remain closed for the festival. The 400 block of Hay Street will also remain closed for the 910 Future Fest. 

Streets affected by the festivals are expected to reopen by 11 p.m. 

Once the street closures occur, no vehicles will be allowed within the festival footprint.

Drivers in the downtown area should follow the signage directed traffic around the closures. 

Downtown Parking 

Downtown Parking in city lots and parking garages are available with the standard $5 parking fee for large events.

On-street parking is also available in the downtown area. On weekends, on-street parking spots are free.

Attendees should be aware that private parking lots are not owned by the City and will charge patrons their own rates across the downtown area. 

FAST Routes 

Fayetteville Area System of Transit will have routes affected by the street closures. Plan accordingly for alternative routes and allow for additional travel time to and from destinations. Updates to the schedule will be provided as they are made available. Please visit our website at  RideFAST.net or call (910) 433-1747 for more information. 

Festival Park Clear Bag Policy 

Attendees planning to visit Festival Park during the International Folk Festival should be aware of the event’s clear bag policy. All bags must be clear and meet posted size requirements to be permitted inside the venue.  

Guests with bags that do not meet policy requirements will not be permitted entry. 

Attendees are encouraged to review the full clear bag policy in advance and plan accordingly. Additional details are available at FayettevilleNC.gov/ClearBagPolicy.  

For more information about the International Folk Festival visit WeAreTheArts.com/iff 

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