The Hopscotch Music Festival kicked off in Downtown Raleigh on Thursday. Day parties were held at music venues around the city. For the third year, a pop-up skate park was opened on Martin Street, where Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell cut a ribbon marking the beginning of the festival.
“I feel like my proudest Raleigh self when I’m here. And we have so many amazing musicians from North Carolina,” said Hutch Whitman, a festival goer.
The festival features musical artists representing a variety of genres, including hip-hop, heavy metal, acoustic, and more.
“It has something for everybody. What makes that great is [that] you can jump from place to place. That’s kind of the idea of the festival. You’re not buying a ticket to one show, you’re buying a ticket to a three-day adventure,” said Derek Johnson, a volunteer organizer.
Festival goers tell WRAL now that other music events have left the Raleigh area, Hopscotch stands alone.
“With Dreamville leaving and no longer existing, Hopscotch truly is an opportunity for Raleigh to bring in people to support local businesses. And support these artists that are from Raleigh and Durham,” Ava Bourn, a festival goer.
On Friday, musical acts will perform at Moore Square, City Park, and various venues around Downtown Raleigh
Click here to see a schedule of performances.
