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Last updated on Saturday, March 31, 2012
(ORLEANS) - Plans for the upcoming 44th annual Orleans Dogwood Festival being sponsored this year by the Orleans Chamber of Commerce are progressing as festival organizers and various event chairmen met Thursday night at the Orleans Town Hall to finalize plans for this year’s event.
(ORLEANS) - Plans for the upcoming 44th annual Orleans Dogwood Festival being sponsored this year by the Orleans Chamber of Commerce are progressing as festival organizers and various event chairmen met last Thursday night at the Orleans Town Hall to finalize plans for this year's event.
The 2012 festival with its theme of "My Hometown is..." kicks off on April 27 with the Dogwood Queen Crowning & opening ceremonies at the elementary school. The 2012 Dogwood Citizen of the Year will also be named during that ceremony.
The Chamber's ever popular Town-Wide Yard Sale will again be a part of the opening weekend activities.
The Orleans American Legion will again sponsor the carnival and midway provided by Brady's Amusements beginning April 30 through the evening of May 5. This year the carnival will operate a bit longer after the Parade on May 5 until 6 p.m.
The Dogwood Petal bike ride that debuted last year will also return to the festival line up. Other festival favorites returning will include Pet Parade, WUME Lip Sync, Dogwood Idol, Phi Beta Psi Style Show & Salad Supper, Orleans United Methodist Church Ham & Bean Supper, Euchre Tourney, Silent Auction, Student Art Show, Horseshoe tourney, Kiwanis Bubblegum Contest, Baby and Little Miss Dogwood contests, arts & crafts fair and more.
Expanded live entertainment is being planned nightly on the Main Street Stage downtown. New events will include the first ever Dogwood Derby Bed Races, Dogwood Shop Hop, Orleans Cub Scouts Rain Gutter Regatta, Games on the Green, an art walk, balloon Glow at the airport after the parade and the return of the Orleans Firemen's traditional pork roast after an absence of several years.
The Orleans area churches will be hosting a "Community Gospel Sing" on the designated "Church Night" on May 2 downtown and sponsoring the traditional closing out festival ceremony the Vesper Service on May 6 with a concert by Judith Montgomery.
Parade Chairman Randy Clark and his committee are actively seeking entries for Parade Day on May 5, 2 p.m. All type of entries are being encouraged including floats representing area businesses, youth, church groups, civic organizations, Orleans alumni, musical units, antique vehicles, tractors, horses etc.
The Chamber will work in conjunction with The Progress Examiner to publish a special Dogwood Festival Souvenir Program on April 18 which will include photos, stories on many of the planned events, and schedule and all event chairmen, organizations sponsoring festival events are being urged to get their event information turned into the P-E ASAP.
There are several unique business type sponsorships still available for a number of the festival special events. Sponsors receive abundant advertising through newspaper, radio and more. With sponsorship local and area businesses and merchants will also be included in promotional spots through the Chamber's e-news, website, facebook page & more. For more information on this opportunity contact the Chamber office at 865-9930.
Tami Ehinger is serving as the festival's General Chairperson this year can be reached at 865-6774 or by email Dogwoodfest2012@yahoo.com on festival related matters.
Those wanting more information on festival happenings are also being encouraged to visit the newly revamped website www.orleansdogwoodfestival.com and/or the Orleans Dogwood Festival Facebook page.
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