Best bet: 43rd annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival

Things are blooming in Charleston, Mo. The 43rd annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival continues through Sunday, with an arts and crafts fair, parade, candlelight tour, piano praise concert and 5K run/walk among the many activities highlighting the town's dogwood trees and azalea bushes. This year, the festival's art show will be hosted by the Charleston Arts Council and will feature work from Charleston native Julie Lutz Simmons. Simmons' work has been featured in American Artist, Adelphean, 101 North and Phoenix Home & Garden magazines. She has received numerous accolades and awards for her work and has been exhibited in fine art galleries throughout the U.S. The festival exhibit will be a sampling of Simmons' works in various mediums as well as her most recent pieces -- human forms created in wire mesh, alabaster and bronze. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday at the former kindergarten center, 711 E. Commercial St. For a complete list of Dogwood-Azaela Festival events, go to charlestonmo.org/festival/events.php.