Knoxville's Dogwood Arts Festival, one of the best parts of spring

In addition to the Robins in our backyard another sure sign that spring is here is the beginning of Knoxville’s annual Dogwood Arts Festival now beginning it’s 49th year.

Best described as a month long celebration of spring, the annual Dogwood Arts Festival offers plenty of excitement and things to do for everyone with dance, film, literary arts, music, theater and visual arts.

This are my two dogwood trees in the front yard with neighbor's redbuds in the background.

According to the Festival website the Dogwood Arts Festival is "a celebration of the region’s natural beauty as well as its rich cultural and artistic offerings in all their vast varieties." One of my favorite things to do is tour the many "Dogwood Trails" which are typically residential areas of the city rich in Dogwood blooms and many other spring flowers, shrubs, and trees like the Redbud tree pictured below.

This is the entrance to my office; I find it hard to concentrate on the spring with the coming of warm weather and all the Dogwoods and Redbud trees blooming.

Listed below are just a few of the many Festival events Knoxville area residents and visitors can look forward to this April:

Events

* » Chalk Walk

* » Dogwood Parade

* » Market Square Art Fair

* » Art in the Park

* » Very Special Arts

* » Diva Luncheon

* » Dogwood Gala

* » Studio Tours

* » Dogwood Mile

* » Rhythm-N-Blooms

* » Jazz Concert

* » Bikes and Blooms Exhibits & Shows

* » Art in Public Places

* » Student Art Show

* » Regional Fine Arts Show

* » Knox County Art Educators Exhibition

* » Gallery Walk * » Historic Tours

* » Art Exhibits

* » Great Performances

* » Cultural Excursions

There's also a powerful legend attached to the Dogwood blossom and the Tree.

If you've ever taken a close look at a Dogwood blossom like the ones pictured below in my front yard, you'll notice each blossom has 4 leaves, 2 long and 2 a bit shorter, and at the end of each one there is a red-brownish area.

So the legend goes when Jesus was hanging from the cross he sensed that being used for the cross had greatly distressed the tree and said: "Because of your sorrow and pity for My sufferings, never again will the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a gibbet. Henceforth it will be slender, bent and twisted and its blossoms will be in the form of a cross -- two long and two short petals. In the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints -- brown with rust and stained with red -- and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see this will remember."

If you're in the Knoxville area during April be sure and enjoy some of the Dogwood Arts Festival events; there is something for everyone from kids to senior citizens.

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