Destination SunFest!

Dix Park is the site of one of the most exciting new park projects in America. The 308-acre site blends historic architecture and rich landscapes into a unique destination in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. Admission free programs and events are made possible through the generous donors  of the Dix Park Conservancy.  Check out all of our events on Eventbrite and visit dixpark.org for more information about the park.

Dix Park

To celebrate the completion of the Master Plan for Dorothea Dix Park and welcome the community to enjoy our amazing sunflower field,  we invite you to join us for a SUNsational family-friendly festival spectacular: Destination SunFest at Dix Park. Enjoy the Ferris wheel, carousel, food + drinks, live entertainment, history hayride tours along with art, craft and other fun activities for kids and adults! All rides, games, and activities at the event are FREE.
Please RSVP! Registration is FREE, helps us to know how many guests to expect, and we can contact you with important event information! This event is free to the public thanks to Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy donors.
During the master planning process, our community shared a diverse array of ideas for the types of experiences they wish to have in the future of Dix Park. The Dorothea Dix Park Master Plan categorizes these ideas into themes that will come to life throughout the park:
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Wellness and Play – For All Ages, For All Visitors
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Arts and Culture – Memorable Experiences
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Food and Community – Bringing Together Groups and Families
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Gardens and Ecology – Inspired by the Land and the Region
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History and Reflection – Connect the Past to Today
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The uses and activities that together create these various experiences at Dorothea Dix Park will change as Raleigh grows and as the needs of the community evolve. These themes will help anchor our community’s vision for what the park should offer as it develops over time.
 At Destination SunFest, activities throughout the event celebrate these themes in the Master Plan – offering something for everyone:
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Wellness and Play
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Amusement Rides – Celebrate the child within by experiencing the Ferris Wheel, carousel, fun slide, swings, and inflatables. 
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Putt Putt – Enjoy a healthy game of miniature golf, getting your steps in as you walk the course.
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Bubble + Water Play – Chase bubbles as you hop and skip through the field and cool off with a water slide.
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Arts and Culture
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Live Music – Sit back and enjoy local musicians performing all day long. 
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Air Brushing + Balloon Twisting – Display your creative side with air brush body art or a creative inflated design.
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Scrap Exchange – Craft a unique art project with upcycled materials. 
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Art Activity – Get creative through an interactive art experience with Kid Lab artists.
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Food and Community 
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Local Food and Beer – Experience local fare from some of the triangle’s favorite vendors with seating areas to mingle with neighbors.
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Yard Games – Gather with friends and meet new people over a friendly game of cornhole, connect 4 and more. 
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Raleigh Police and Fire Department – Connect with your local police officers and fire fighters who work hard to create a safe community for us all.
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Gardens and Ecology
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Sunflower Field – Visit the 5 acres of sunflowers planted at Dix Park.
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Garden Activity – Ask a Gardener for at-home plant care tips and take home a giveaway from our Raleigh Parks team.
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Mobile Biofuel Processor – Watch as City of Raleigh makes biodiesel from the sunflowers harvested by Public Utilities.
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Vendors - Hear about other environmental initiatives with Sustainability and Stormwater staff including pollinator habitat and water conservation. 
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History and Reflection
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Historic Hayrides – Take a hayride around beautiful Dix Park that highlights views of historic buildings and unique landscapes. Guided tours will be offered each half hour. 
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History Display – Explore the past with portions of the current exhibit at the City of Raleigh Museum, From Plantation to Park: The Story of Dix Hill.
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Join us to celebrate the Master Plan, connect with the land and community, and become a part of the next chapter of Dorothea Dix Park.
<A HREF="https://dixpark.org/destination-sunfest" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="Destination SunFest" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">FULL EVENT DETAILS HERE</A>
How to Get There + Parking:
This is going to be a BIG event! To maximize safety and to provide the best experience for everyone at the park, there is no parking on Dorothea Dix Park campus for this event. Free vehicle parking will be available on NC State Centennial Campus with a free shuttle running between the parking lots and Dorothea Dix Park. <A HREF="https://dixpark.org/destination-dix" TARGET="_blank" TITLE="Destination Dix page" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">PARKING + SHUTTLE INFO</A>
What to Bring:
- Your friends and family - Your kiddos - A picnic blanket or lawn chairs - A small cooler or picnic basket with food and non-alcoholic drinks - Refillable water bottles
What is NOT allowed: 
- Dogs + Pets - Smoking is not permitted in the park - Drones + Other Aerial Devices
Dorothea Dix Park continues to work to be accessible and welcoming for visitors with disabilities and limited mobility. Planning to attend and have questions about accessibility? Contact Joseph Voska, Programs and Operations Manager, at 919-996-6688 or <A HREF="mailto:joseph.voska@raleighnc.gov" TARGET="_blank" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">joseph.voska@raleighnc.gov</A>. Please note, this event will take place on grass, uneven surfaces, and across all forms of terrain.
 
Want to be a vendor? Need more information?
Please contact Joseph Voska at 919-996-6688 or <A HREF="mailto:events@dixpark.org" TARGET="_blank" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">events@dixpark.org</A>
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<H2>Liability Waiver</H2>
City of Raleigh - Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department
Release, Covenant Not To Sue, and Indemnity Agreement
I understand that participating in Discover Dorothea Dix Park – Program (hereinafter “Program”) involves risk of injury. These risks include, but are not limited to, inclement weather, accidents while traveling, equipment problems or failures, contacts with and actions of other participants, spectators, or volunteers, slips/trips/falls, and musculoskeletal injuries, among others. I choose for myself, for my child, or for another participant who I am enrolling, to participate in the Program despite these and other risks. Pictures or video may be taken of participant for use in program publicity. My email will also be used to keep me informed of Dorothea Dix Park communications.
By signing this form, I acknowledge all risks of injury, illness, and death, and property damage, and affirm that I have assumed all responsibility of injury, illness, death, and property damage relating in any way to the Program. I also agree for myself and for any child or other participant who I am registering herein to follow all rules and procedures that may apply to the Program and to follow the reasonable instructions of City employees and other supervisors of the Program. In return for the opportunity to participate in this Program, I agree for myself and for the child or other participant I am registering, and for our heirs, assigns, executors, and administrators to release, waive, and discharge any legal rights that any one of us may have to seek payment or relief of any kind from the City of Raleigh, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the State of North Carolina, their employees or their agents for injury, illness, or death relating in any way to this Program.
If I am registering a minor for the Program, I agree that I am a parent, legal guardian, or am otherwise responsible for the minor whose application I am submitting and that I release, waive, and discharge any legal rights on behalf of that minor. If I am registering an adult, I agree that I am authorized to do so and do hereby release, waive, and discharge any legal rights on behalf of that adult participant. I, along with any participant I register herein, also agree not to sue the City of Raleigh, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, or the State of North Carolina, their employees, or their agents and agree to indemnify the same for any and all claims, damages, losses or expenses, including but not limited to medical expenses and attorney’s fees, if a suit is filed concerning an injury (to person or property), illness, or death to me or to any participant I am enrolling that relates to, or results from, participation in the Program.
I have read this document thoroughly and understand that by registering for this program I am waiving legal rights.

Flowers Field

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