Dogwood Festival to Charge Entrance Fee in 2026

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival will return to Piedmont Park April 10–12, 2026 for its 90th anniversary after organizers warned the event was at risk of cancellation due to a $250,000 shortfall. Organizers have raised roughly $71,867 from community supporters and philanthropists including Deen Day Sanders and The Rich’s Foundation but still face a budget gap driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced sponsorships, and rising production and security costs. To help cover costs, the City of Atlanta agreed to let the festival charge a nominal entrance fee without requiring the usual fenced or gated ticketed permit. Tickets are set at $5 for Friday and $10 for Saturday and Sunday, with weekend passes and family packages available. The festival, which attracts about 200,000 visitors annually and features more than 250 fine artists and numerous performers, is still seeking donations but organizers say the fee will be a “tremendous help” to stabilize finances beyond 2026.