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Last updated on Tuesday, April 29, 2014
(ORLEANS) - For the past 45 years, the Orleans community has celebrated the blooming of the dogwood trees.
This year's 46th annual Dogwood Festival, sponsored by the Orleans Chamber of Commerce, runs April 30 through May 4.
Dogwood Festival visitors are invited to start their day Saturday, which is parade day, by attending the Annual Orleans Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast.
Serving will be from 6:30-9 a.m. at Orleans Elementary School. Tickets, priced at $5 for adults and $2 for children, are available for purchase from Kiwanis members or at the door.
After breakfast, a variety of events and activities will take place on the square.
A longtime festival favorite, the gum contest sponsored by the Orleans Kiwanis Club, will begin at 10 a.m. near the bandstand.
The parade will begin at noon and will be led by Lew and Georgia Tetrick who will serve as Grand Marshals. The parade will roll through downtown Orleans May 3 at noon.
The Dogwood Festival has been named as one of Midwest Living Magazine's top flowering festivals in the Midwest.
This year's festival theme, "Come Home When Dogwoods Bloom," invites former residents far and wide to help Orleans gear up for its 200th birthday and plans underway to mark the town's bicentennial next year.
16-year-old Madison Sullivan, a sophomore at Orleans High School, was crowned queen and 92-year-old Leopal Busick was named citizen of the year.
The Orleans American Legion Post is once again sponsoring the carnival with Brady Amusements which will be set up and run the entire week downtown as in the years past.
Festival goers will still find a number of old favorites. Returning events include the popular silent auction, photo contest, euchre tourney, student art show, gospel sing, pet parade, arts & crafts in the park, Kiwanis Breakfast, and the lip sync contest.
The UMC ham & bean Supper, Dogwood art walk, Orleans Cub Scout Rain Gutter Regatta, and Kiwanis Bubblegum Contest will also all return to the festival lineup.
Entertainment lineup for the main festival stage begins Wednesday night and will include performances by the OES/OHS Choir, OHS Pep Band, Kirby Stailey, the wildly popular Pet Monkey Band and Sweet Water.
What would any Hoosier gathering be without good food. Dogwood patrons will be able to enjoy a variety of beloved carnival type fare on the midway. The Orleans Band parents Food Stand will be located in usual spot on the one-way. In addition the Orleans United Methodist Church will serve up their delicious ham & beans supper complete with homemade desserts. Kiwanis Club members will feed hungry festival goers breakfast on parade day.
Arts and crafts, and other vendors are expected to be set up in the park area beginning Wednesday through Parade Day Saturday.. Brandon and Nikki Deckard are taking care of lining up vendors for those four days.
More event details, entry forms for the various events, vendor applications, and event chairmen contacts are now available on the festival's website, www.orleansdogwoodfestival.com and the Face Book page is also being updated with new information.
Chamber representatives recently learned that Coca-Cola as agreed to be one of the festival's main corporate sponsors this year.
"We certainly appreciate Dean Jones and the Coca-Cola folks for stepping up and helping us to keep the festival going," said Executive Director Robert Henderson.
Henderson said other than a small handful of generous corporate benefactors the only annual operating monies the festival receives is the 10% of the net profits of those groups, or organizations who traditionally sponsor money making events during the Dogwood days.
Weather Note: Some events subject to change or cancellation due to weather. The Main Stage entertainment will be moved to Orleans Elementary, SR 337 E in the event of bad weather.
*Both the Orleans Christian Church and Orleans United Methodist are designated emergency type shelter areas during festival week in the event of severe weather or other type of emergency.
First Aid-Orleans 1st Responders (South side square).
Dogwood Headquarters, festival, area visitor info etc. (Orleans Chamber, north side of square)
Wednesday, April 30 (Official Opening Day)
Dogwood Headquarters-Chamber Office - Vendors Arts & Crafts-Congress Square
*Sponsored by Orleans Area Ministerial Association
Thursday, May 1
Dogwood Headquarters-Chamber Office - Vendors Arts & Crafts-Congress Square
Friday, May 2
Dogwood Headquarters-Chamber Office - Vendors Arts & Crafts-Congress Square
Saturday, May 3
Dogwood Headquarters-Chamber Office - Vendors Arts & Crafts-Congress Square
Sunday, May 4 (Official Closing Out)
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