Dogwood-Azalea Festival offers activities, events

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Charleston's dogwoods and azaleas may be the stars of the annual four-day festival in their honor, but in addition to taking in the town's sights, there are many activities and events for all ages to enjoy this weekend.

The 54th annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival began Thursday and will run through Sunday. Visitors can tour the 6-mile Dogwood-Azalea Trail and choose from numerous activities to enjoy while in Charleston, according to Karen Teeters, executive director of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce.

"Charleston is always gorgeous and it's especially gorgeous festival week," Teeters said. "The residents have really gotten behind the theme of 'Springtime in Wonderland,' this year, and they've done an outstanding job of using them in their yard decorations. It's a community event, a community effort and the whole community is glad for everyone to come and visit."

Last year -- following a hiatus from COVID-19 in 2020 -- the festival returned and more than 32,000 people attended the four-day event, according to traffic estimates, Teeters said.

"Everyone last year was so tired of being cooped up and we had a big crowd," Teeters recalled. "The town was gorgeous last year and it was close to perfect."

This year's event is promising, too, as weather is looking to be beautiful, Teeters said.

"The favorites are returning: pig races, petting zoo, quilt show and home tours and candlelight walk," Teeters said.

The Molly French Garden Club celebrates its 71st anniversary this year with the annual plant sale.

Teeters noted the festival began when the members of the club encouraged residents to plant dogwoods and azaleas. Word of the town's beauty in the springtime spread and people flocked to Charleston to see the pretty views.

"They sat at a card table at the edge of town and sold maps and postcards for visitors," Teeters said. "As it grew, the ladies discovered it was more than they could take on and turned it over to the chamber."

The Mississippi County Historical Society will offer tours of the Joseph Hunter Moore Home, 403 N. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The home is a 17-room house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and furnished with pieces authentic to the home's construction period of 1899. Tours are $5, and tickets are available at the Chamber or at the door. A bake sale will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at the home.

The Hearnes Museum at 109 S. Main St., is filled with various items and memorabilia from the 22-year tenure in office of Charleston's native son and Missouri Gov. Warren E. Hearnes's career. His wife, Betty Hearnes, also served the state for several years as well. Admission is free and the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Charleston Chamber of Commerce will be open through Saturday at 110 S. Main St., where visitors will also find all of the festival information they will need as well as souvenir T-shirts and other goods.

A selection of hand-stitched quilts will be on display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Clara Drinkwater Newnam Library. There will also be a book sale during the same times at the library.

Rolwing Park will be the home of the arts and crafts show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and will host several vendors. There are more than 70 spaces rented to vendors from Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas, according to Teeters.

The festival's carnival provider will once again be Tinsley Amusements of High Hill, Missouri. Carnival tickets are available for sale at the Chamber office. The carnival is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For the last four years, specialty food vendors have made up the Taste of the Festival area at the corner of 10th and Marshall streets. This year, vendors will open as early as 9 a.m. and stay open as late as 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

"We've expanded the Taste of the Festival with more food vendors at the corner of 10th and Marshall streets between the carnival and arts and crafts show," Teeters said.

The largest springtime parade in Southeast Missouri kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday and will go from City Hall to Commercial Street to 13th Street.

A dog show is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday on the tennis courts at Rolwing Park.

Teeters described the candlelight walk, which begins at dusk Saturday, like a step into a fairyland.

Sound Stage in the Park, sponsored by the Charleston McDonald's, will also host performances in the park from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Pig races, petting zoo and pony rides will return for Saturday and Sunday appearances.

Check-in for the annual 5K run is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a youth and toddler run at 2 p.m. and 5K at 2 p.m. Sunday at Rolwing Park.

A car show will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Knights of Columbus lot at the corner of South Sixth and Marshall streets; and an ice cream social will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church, 301 S. Main St.

"The car show is expected to be bigger and better this year because the weather is going to be gorgeous, and we've had a good initial response to it," Teeters said.