WOODVILLE – The 83rd Tyler County Dogwood Festival will kick off its three-week celebration next weekend with the annual Festival of the Arts on Sunday, March 22. This special day highlights the heritage and culture of Tyler County.
Be sure to come hungry, as the popular old-fashioned “Dinner on the Grounds” will be served from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Heritage Village. Guests can enjoy a delicious meal along with entertainment and demonstrations throughout the afternoon. Representatives from the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas will be on stage sharing demonstrations and there will be live folk music. Members of the Tyler County Art League will also be on hand offering art demonstrations.
Tyler County Heritage Society president Kay Timme said the organization is excited to partner with the Dogwood Festival committee to present the event at Heritage Village.
“The Festival of the Arts will feature artisans from the Tyler County Art League stationed along Main Street in the Village for folks to enjoy during Dinner on the Grounds,” she said.
“There will be an opportunity to tour the Clyde Gray House Museum at 1:30 p.m. as part of the festivities. Don't miss the amazing collection of Gray's tiles and paintings on display.”
Tickets for the Dinner on the Grounds are $12 for ages 11 and up and $6 for children ages 3–10. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Heritage Village Museum store or at the gate on the day of the event. Each dinner ticket also includes a self-guided tour of the village. Visitors who would like to tour the village only may purchase a tour ticket inside the museum store.
Later that afternoon, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Royal Tea will be held at the Allan Shivers Library and Museum. Little girls, from babies through third grade, are invited to enjoy tea with Dogwood royalty. Guests will receive a crown, create their own sash, and have the opportunity to visit with and take photos with members of the royal court. Tickets are $20, with additional siblings admitted for $10, and may be purchased at the door. The address to the Allan Shivers Library and Museum is 302 N. Charlton Street in Woodville.
A new event, the Royal Flower Party, will also debut this year. The event, designed for girls in fourth through eighth grades, will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tyler County Art League. During this event, participants will get to spend time visiting with Dogwood royalty while enjoying pizza and creating flowers that will be used to decorate the amphitheater for the Queen’s Coronation. Each guest will also get to make a bouquet to take home from the “flower bar.” Tickets are $20, with additional siblings admitted for $10, and will be available at the door. The address for the Tyler County Art League is 212 W. Bluff Street in Woodville, and guests are encouraged to park behind the building.
The Allan Shivers Library and Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
Community members are encouraged to stop by and view the temporary Dogwood exhibit in the museum’s exhibit hall, which features memorabilia from past Dogwood Queens, including gowns, crowns, and sashes. Admission to the museum is free, although donations are appreciated.
The library will also host a special guest in the Bunch Room on Saturday, March 21. From 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to meet artist Bruce Lyndon Cunningham.
Cunningham is widely known for his line and watercolor drawings of Texas native plants and for his hand-crafted wooden carvings inspired by forests and trees. He will present a program at 11 a.m. and will have books and artwork available for purchase.
The Festival of the Arts offers a wonderful opportunity to experience the culture and heritage of Tyler County and East Texas, with plenty to see and do throughout the weekend. For more information, contact Festival of the Arts Director Payton Clotiaux at (409) 283-0449 or the Heritage Village Museum store at (409) 403-2025.
