\While everyone is thinking about the upcoming holidays, the directors of the Tyler County Dogwood Committee have springtime on their minds as they begin planning for what they hope will be the best festival to date. The 82nd Annual Dogwood Festival will get kicked off with the Festival of the Arts March 22-23. Western Weekend will follow on March 28-29.
The three week-long festival will conclude with the Queen’s Weekend, with the Dogwood Parade and Coronation scheduled for April 5. However, Dogwood activities begin in January with the process of selecting local royalty. Senior girls from the five school districts in Tyler County will participate in a series of judgings to determine which ladies will serve as princesses and Ladies in Waiting.
Kingsmen, which are a group of businessmen from Tyler County, will carefully make selections based on poise, personality, and beauty. The judging dates for the festival have been set, and recommendations are currently being accepted for Kingsmen. In order to be eligible, each candidate would need to obtain two letters of recommendations from current Kingsmen. There are yearly dues of $50, and each Kingsman is required to sell at least $150 in advertisements for the Dogwood Book. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in becoming a Kingsman, the letters of recommendation and dues need to be received by the Dogwood Festival Committee no later than Monday, Jan. 13.
Anyone serving as a Kingsman is required to dress the part, preferably in their Sunday best attire – a sports coat and slacks, for all the judging rounds.
For more information, including a list of current Kingsmen, please go to www.tylercountydogwoodfestival.org or go the Tyler County Dogwood Festival Facebook page. You may also reach out to Gabi Thedford 409-224-0494.
