DANSVILLE – The 54th annual Dogwood Festival in Dansville kicks off next week with a little bit of something for everyone.
“We have events everyday and most of them at the beginning of the week are pretty local and the events at the end of the week draws the most people,” said Festival Chairman Barry Haywood.
The event, the first major community festival of the season in Livingston County, runs from May 9 to 15.
This year’s theme is, “Take me out to the ballgame.”
The festival starts on Monday with a used book sale then a Chamber of Commerce meet-and-greet. The carnival kicks off on May 12 in Babcock Park off Morey Avenue. The combined float and firemen’s parade is scheduled for 5 p.m. May 14. The parade route includes South Main Street to Morey Avenue to Babcock Park.
Several high school sports events are highlighted on the festival schedule. Other highlights include a dance recital, pet parade, 5K Fun Run/Walk, lawn fete, open houses at Finger Lakes Soaring Club and Dansville Historical Society Museum, a pulled pork dinner, weiner dog races, and a festival-concluding Praise in the Park, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. May 15. The ecumenical worship service is sponsored by St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Dansville Presbyterian Church.
For Haywood, the goal is to introduce people to all that the area has to offer.
“We want people to realize what the area has to offer – retail wise, food wise, fun wise and we, of course, have the state park close by, so we always like to show what Dansville has to offer,” said Haywood.
The Dogwood Festival marked its 53rd year in 2019, before the pandemic. The festival, an integral part of the Dansville community since the 1960s, continues to be the longest running community event of its kind in the area.
Dogwood Festival Schedule by Watertown Daily Times