Charleston in bloom: Annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival set for April 16 to 19

The 47th annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival will take place Thursday, April 16, through Sunday, April 19, in Charleston, Missouri.

"The event takes place rain or shine," says Karen Teeters, executive director of the Charleston Chamber of Commerce and coordinator of the Dogwood-Azalea Festival.

The festival features a six-mile trail highlighting the beautiful dogwoods and azaleas at peak bloom. The theme of this year's festival is "A Step Back in Time."

"Reservations can be made online for buses and large tour groups," says Teeters.

Other events included in the Dogwood-Azalea Festival are home tours and a candlelight tour.

"We always do a luminary walk on Saturday night (of the festival), and this year, we are partnering with Relay for Life," says Teeters. "The bags will be in memory or in honor of someone (the participant) chooses."

There also will be a plant sale and an arts and crafts bazaar.

"We have crafters coming from as far away as California," says Teeters.

The festival includes one of the largest parades in the area as well as an old-fashioned ice cream social, an art show, a piano concert featuring 16 pianists and carriage rides.

There will be a 5K race/Run for Fun, a carnival, the Miss Dogwood-Azalea pageant, a fish fry, dog show and more.

New to the festival this year is a motorcycle show co-sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council No. 3282 and the Missouri Knights on Bikes.

"The motorcycle show will run from 10 a.m. Saturday on (through the day)," Teeters says. "They will have music and all proceeds will benefit Special Olympics."

The Dogwood-Azalea Festival has been nationally recognized over the years.

"We were named a 'Top 100 Tour Destination' by the American Bus Association and a 'Midwest Travel Treasure' by AAA," says Teeters. The festival also was recently named one of America's Best Spring Flower Festivals by Fodor's Travel.

About 30,000 people attend the Dogwood-Azalea Festival each year.

"Our hometown merchants also extend their hours during the festival," says Teeters.

For more information about the festival, including lodging and dining options in the area, visit charlestonmo.org/festival.

More to do in Charleston

* Visit the Hearnes Museum at 109 S. Main St. in downtown Charleston. The museum features memorabilia from the tenure of Gov. Warren Hearnes, who was from Charleston. His wife, Betty, a former state representative, is the curator. Hours during the Dogwood-Azalea Festival are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

* The Mississippi County Historical Society, 403 N. Main St., will be open for tours during the festival. Visit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

* A mile and a half north of Charleston, see Robert G. Delaney Lake. This Missouri Conservation Area has opportunities for fishing and wildlife sightings and a walking trail.

* Three miles west of Charleston, a state marker commemorates the Sharecroppers' Rebellion, and the Mississippi County Library at the corner of Main and Marshall streets will have an exhibit featuring the Sharecroppers' Rebellion. See it from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday during the festival.