Dogwood Festival officials asked the city of Fayetteville to give it $50,000 and forgive $1,000 in rent to allow the organization to continue to put on shows. City Council formally declined the request Aug. 24 but agreed to pay the organization $27,000 in previously budgeted funds. The city also said it would forgive $1,000 in Festival Park rental fees. Council agreed to a staff recommendation to spend $15,000 the city had budgeted last fiscal year that was never allocated to the festival, as well as another $12,000 it was planning to contribute to the organization this fiscal year. City funds will be donated only if a festival takes place held sometime in the coming year. The Dogwood Festival was canceled earlier because of the COVID-19 pandemic.