PALESTINE, Texas (KETK) – It’s finally time for the Texas Dogwood Trails Celebration in Palestine.

The event runs from March 17-April 2, and this is its 85th year.

The city said the celebration is a hallmark that gives the city’s economy and the hotel industry a boost.

“The Texas Dogwood Trails Celebration is a three-week long celebration honoring the blooming
cycle of the dogwood,” said Mary Raum, the Tourism Marketing Manager for the City of Palestine.

Visitors can find the beautiful dogwood trees at the 254-acre Davey Dogwood Park and in the city. Several trees can also be found in the Main Street District, after they were planted last season.

“The blooming cycle is always at the mercy of Mother Nature, and sometimes blooms come early, and other times, they are right on time,” Raum said. “The flowers bloom over 21 days from the opening of the bud to the brackets dropping as the leaves push them off. We encourage people to follow the Visit Palestine, Texas, Facebook page as we post a bloom watch update there periodically throughout the season to help guests better determine when they would like to visit.”

This year, the event will include the Dogwood Brunch Train, Dogwood Arts and Music Festival, Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival and more. The city of Palestine said a power company manager and bank president came up with the idea for the event in 1938 when they started discussing the beauty of the trees and the East Texas area.

For more information about the Dogwood Celebration, click here.