VISITORS CROWD CHARLESTON FOR FESTIVAL

CHARLESTON -- Although the local high school's colors are royal blue and white, Charleston has been pink and white and red all over this weekend during the town's 30th annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival.

Thousands of visitors from far and near are expected to attend the festival, which is held the third weekend in April each year to coincide with the prime blooming time for -- what else? -- dogwood trees and azalea bushes. Pink-colored stripes dotted some streets to lead anyone interested on a colorful tour of the many dogwood and azalea-lined streets.

The festival ends today with a 5K Run for Fun and various other events at Rolwing Park, the center for festival activities.

The Dogwood-Azalea Festival's namesakes could be found throughout the town, from family homes to local businesses to government buildings.

The late Molly French, an avid gardener, is the person credited with bringing the azalea to Charleston. French loved azaleas and jokingly threatened all of her Hunter Street neighbors to either plant azalea bushes or move elsewhere. Pretty soon, others in town were planting the colorful bushes, and the rest is history.

"One day the town was so filled with them, people said let's have a festival," said Linda Banta, event chairwoman and a member of the Molly French Garden Club.

Banta said the festival has been well attended despite cool temperatures over the weekend. A hard freeze two weeks ago and a string of thunderstorms in the past week had locals wondering if there would be any buds for visitors to see, but most of the blooms appeared to fare well, she said.

"We're excited and having a good time even though Mother Nature didn't quite cooperate with us this time," said Banta. "The azaleas are doing very well, but due to that hard freeze, the dogwoods aren't as full as usual. We were bruised but it wasn't so bad in the end."

Trees and bushes weren't all people flocked to the town to see, however. Rolwing Park offered festival-goers everything from shish-kabob to carnival rides to live music from numerous bands. "It's a nice afternoon trip," said Joe Nemeth, who drove with his wife, Jacky, from Dexter to attend the event.

Frank and Jan Lee of Marissa, Ill., said the festival gives them a post-tax season getaway. The couple has attended the event for the past four years to help Jan Lee, who is a certified public accountant, relieve stress following the April 15 tax deadline.

"It's the first weekend after tax season, so we usually stay away all weekend and just enjoy the weekend," said Frank Lee. "The best part is you don't have to worry about fights and falling over drunks -- it's just a good atmosphere for kids."

Numerous vendors were also on hand Saturday selling everything from beds for Beanie Babies to a local variation of disposable diapers. Charleston native and diaper inventor Lucille Cassell said she handed out free samples and sold packages of her cotton-lined disposable diaper to interested parents and businesspeople in hopes of broadening the market for her product, which is the only 100 percent cotton-lined diaper on the market.

"We're getting a lot of advertisement this weekend and people are picking up the free samples," she said between questions from passers-by. "I'm hoping to interest parents and business owners from other areas who might want to take my product back to their town."

Banta said this year's festival represents an economic rebirth for Charleston and business owners like Cassell. Several major employers have committed to expanding or bringing their business to the town, giving residents another reason to celebrate during the festival.

"We have had economic good news here, so I think it's helped everything," she said. "We have really started to concentrate on our tourism, and I think things are looking up for us."

TODAY'S DOGWOOD-AZALEA FESTIVAL EVENTS:

1 p.m. -- Martial Arts, Rolwing Park

1 p.m. -- Renewed Heart (live music), Rolwing Park

2 p.m. -- Run for Fun, Rolwing Park

2 p.m. -- The Pullen Family (live music), Rolwing Park

5 p.m. -- Piano Concert, First Baptist Church