Dogwood Trail Celebration

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Experience Paducah! Relive a little bit of yesterday and look forward to what Paducah offers for tomorrow. Held mid-April when the trees are in full bloom. Trail lasts as long as dogwoods are in bloom. Streets are transformed into a 12-mile fairyland as residents spotlight their beautiful dogwoods.

People prepare all year for this event which lasts usually from two to three weeks, but most of it depends on the weather and the trees. It takes some encouragement and care from mother nature to get the process where it needs to be. Usually around mid-April, the dogwoods bloom and accent their surroundings including other trees, greenery, and flowering plants of all species. Ask anyone who lives in the area, and they will tell you that the Dogwood Celebration is what signifies spring in this area. The start of the festival is the annual Dogwood Ball, held at the Carson Center.

The lighting of the dogwood became a tradition in 1964 when the Paducah Civic Beautification Board began this nighttime tour of Paducah in bloom. This Ohio River town packs the people in each spring with the annual Dogwood Trail celebration, which showcases the thousands of blooming dogwoods in Paducah. The American Quilter’s Society National Quilt Show is held in conjunction with the dogwood festival. This Trail from the DayTrips series describes many fascinating, exciting, (and many free of charge) things to do, most within a two-hour drive of Nashville. Each Day Trip includes destination highlights, places to visit along the way, choice restaurants and lodging, and shopping.

The trail is marked by signs placed at frequent intervals along the route. The tour may be done by walking, bike, private car or bus. Since its beginning, the Trail has grown from two blocks to a twelve-mile tour of the West End lasting an hour and a half with another 12 miles of alternate routes.

Download and follow the map on your own anytime! The trail runs through the historic downtown, LowerTown Arts District and residential neighborhoods, showcases Dogwood, Japanese Maple, Red Bud, and Weeping Cherry trees as well as blooming garden areas and other flowering species. Dogwood Trail signs are strategically located at each turn or drive it on their own anytime day or night during the dogwood blooming season. Dogwood Trail signs are strategically located at each turn in the Trail.

The Dogwood Trail Reception & Awards event hosted by the Paducah Civic Beautification Board. Complimentary one-hour tours of the 12-mile trail hosted by Paducah Ambassadors aboard Paducah Area Transit System buses will be available at 7:30 PM. Locals and visitors alike can enjoy the Dogwood Trail. Also dont forget to check Quilt Show/ Dogwood Trail Calendar of Events brochure from http://www.paducah.travel/ and http://www.ilistpaducah.com/

"You can always tell how old a house is by how big its dogwood trees are." [Taken from The Paducah Sun (Paducah, KY)]

That was years ago -- the trail started in 1964 -- and Mary Hammond, executive director of the Paducah-McCracken County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Monday that, "You can always tell how old a house is by how big its dogwood trees are."

The trees, some of which Hammond said were more than 50 years old, were illuminated for the tourists, which accounted for only a handful of the thousands who will see the trail in the coming week. Mayor Bill Paxton reminded visitors to City Hall on Monday that tens of thousands of quilters will enjoy the trail and other Paducah features.

Dogwood revelers were first greeted at Dolly McNutt Plaza across from City Hall on Monday with a ribbon cutting for four new picnic tables before the tour.