Dogwood Arts Festival
dogwood art festival annual event knoxville tennessee sponsored dogwood art c nonprofit organization whose mission promote celebrate regional art culture natural beauty event held april celebrates blooming dogwood tree includes parade house garden show demonstration various appalachian art craft quilting bluegrass music dollmaking many event held market square downtown knoxville additionally driving trail marked knoxville surrounding area people view dogwood bloom initial impetus dogwood festival came description knoxville john gunther book inside usa bestselling book gunther characterized knoxville ugliest city united state called intense concentrated degrading ugliness visitor city also commented negatively city appearance reaction insulting characterization city knoxville civic leader started community beautification campaign beautification effort began yard neighborhood cleanup first dogwood trail designated sequoyah hill second trail followed holston hill additional trail designated fountain city lake forest neighborhood knoxville news sentinel columnist carson brewer proposed dogwood festival pointing successful ramp festival cosby tennessee model potential success festival knoxville city chamber commerce junior league embraced idea contributed make reality leading first annual festival journalist paul harvey praised city beauty festival saying there’s something knoxville make dogwood tree grow taller describing dogwood lining residential street resplendent day moonlighted night calling city springtime blizzard blossom dogwood noted presence flower including violet iris may apple lilac narcissus flowering fruit tree said festival attracted quartermillion visitor year event went virtual first time year history covid pandemic concern caused cancellation art event dogwood art festival