(Photo By Flickr User pixydust8605)
Dogwood Festival weekend is May 6th-7th, and the theme for this year’s Adams Fiber/Blessing Health System Dogwood Parade is “Community Connections.”
***Dogwood 2017 Schedule:
Thursday, May 4th:
7:00 p.m., Little King and Queen of Dogwood Pageant, Quincy Mall Center Court
Friday, May 5th:
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Concert in the Plaza, First Mid-Illinois Bank Plaza next to St. Boniface Church. Zeke Cernea is performing. You’re welcome to bring a lunch or purchase lunch from The Butcher Block food truck.
5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Block Party, The Good Samaritan Home, 24th & Harrison. They will be grilling up some hamburgers and hot dogs, and side dishes will be available. The Dixie Dads will be performing at the event and there will be plenty of games for the kids. You’re welcome to bring your lawn chairs.
6:00 – 9:00 p.m., Block Party, St. James Lutheran Church, enter at 16th and Madison. Free food and drinks, bounce house, games, and live music by Esther Moore. For more information, call the church office at (217) 222-8447.
Saturday, May 6th:
7:00 a.m. – noon, Quincy Farmer’s Market opens, Washington Park
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Charitable street donation for the Madonna House, 18th & State and 24th & Harrison
8:30 a.m., Breakfast on the Lawn, First Christian Church, 1415 Maine
9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Amusement Rides, food, crafts in Washington Park
9:30 a.m., Parade, 24th and Maine, proceeds west to 6th St. Please bring a canned food item for the “Operation Serve” collection for local pantries.
Noon-3:00 p.m., Entertainment downtown
Noon-5:00 p.m., Renovation Concert Series, Washington Theater, 425 Hampshire.
Live performances scheduled:
Beau Becraft: Noon–1:00 p.m.
Kayla Obert: 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Jackie Kaufman: 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Liz Bentley: 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Avenue Beat: 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Cost is a suggested donation of $2 for the entire afternoon of music. Soda from Refreshment Services Pepsi and popcorn will be for sale. Upon admission, tours will be given by knowledgeable Washington Theater Commissioners. Music will be appropriate for all ages. ALL sales and donations will go towards the continued fundraising efforts of the Washington Theater Redevelopment Commission. The Theater will have some chairs available but patrons are allowed to also bring their own. No alcohol allowed within the Theater. For more information,go to /www.facebook.com/washingtontheater or contact Washington Theater, Board Chair Adam Duesterhaus at 217-430-8382.
6:00 p.m., Dogwood Dance sponsored by the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), at The Elks Club, 311 N 2nd Street. A buffet-style dinner will be served at 6:00. Dancing starts at 7:00 with music by Raised on Radio. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance from any member or at the Chamber Office.
8:00-9:30 p.m., Dark River Derby Coalition season opener, Scotties Fun Spot, 8000 Broadway. The Dark River Derby Coalition plays against the COMO Derby Dames from Columbia, MO. Family friendly atmosphere. Admission is $10 at the door, kids 12 and under get in free, and they’re welcome to stay after for photos and autographs. For more information, click on to www.facebook.com/events/667939986741277.
Sunday, May 7th:
Noon-4:00 p.m., Amusement Rides, food, crafts in Washington Park
Madonna House fundraiser at Down on the Corner (DOTC) Hog Roast, 2449 Illinois Highway 96, Ursa, IL Madonna House Fundraiser details (12noon-5pm):
Noon-5:00 p.m., pork sandwiches served
2:00-3:00 p.m., Trixx performs
3:00-4:00 p.m., Live Auction
4:00-5:00 p.m., Trixx performs
1:00-4:00 p.m., Log Cabins Open House, Quinsippi Island
1:00-5:00 p.m., Quincy Preserves Spring Home Tour. The architecture of the Spring Tour will span the time frame from the inception of Quincy’s history at the John Wood Mansion to the mid-century modernistic John Benya homes; along with all the different eras in between. Not only will residential architecture be on display, but the old Emerson School (now apartments) will be opened to tour participants. The homes include 2328 Hawthorne Hill Road West, 1850 Jersey Street, and 1310 Washington Street. Advanced tickets are $12 and can be purchased by going to http://quincypreserves.org/tours-events/order-tour-tickets. For more details, click on to http://quincypreserves.org/2017-spring-tour.
***SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
History of the Dogwood Festival
The Pink Dogwood was adopted as the city tree of Quincy in 1935 by the Quincy Garden Club. The president of the club at that time was Mrs. Ward Best. Periodically since then, the club has planted dogwood trees on public and private grounds as memorials to past presidents and other honored members.” (Source: Illinois Room Vertical file, Garden Club.)
Quincy is the one of the northern-most communities in the nation where Dogwoods can be grown. Following an effort by a local service club in conjunction with the Garden Club, the city boasted of a good number of the beautiful trees and was featured in an article in “Flower and Garden” magazine. Mary Lou Kent, who worked at the Chamber at that time, decided the Chamber should organize a Dogwood Festival to promote Quincy, IL and tourism in the city when those trees were in full bloom. The first Dogwood Festival was in 1969. Mary Lou Kent went on to become a state legislator.
The event is always held the weekend prior to Mother’s Day weekend in May.
Parade participants are encouraged to use the theme to show how their businesses and organizations are connected to their clients/members, connected to Quincy, and connected to the world.
Registration for parade entries can be found on the Chamber’s website, www.quincychamber.org. The cost is $25 for non-profit organizations and $50 for businesses. The amount of entries will be capped at 125.
Annual Dogwood events include the Little King and Queen pageant, Dogwood Dance, and entertainment in Washington Park. For food vendor space and miscellaneous entertainment in Washington Park, contact Theresa Godman at 217-223-4186. For craft and art vendor space, call Bill Wolters at 217-223-1563 or Gale Hill at 217-224-5862.
