Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Dogwood Festival returns this weekend
SILOAM SPRINGS — It is that time of the year for kettle corn, root beer and duck races in Siloam Springs. It is time for the return of the Dogwood Festival.
The 47th annual Dogwood Festival will be held this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in downtown Siloam Springs and promises to have something for everyone, according to Lindsey Taylor, the director of community development for the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s Dogwood Festival will feature similar events from previous years including the car show, Dogwood Relay, Dogwood Duck Race and Miss Dogwood Pageant as well as new events, Taylor said.
NEW EVENTS
New events include a pancake eating contest at 9:30 a. m. Saturday morning on center stage, Taylor said. The contest will be sponsored by IHOP and the Siloam Springs Public Library, Taylor said.
Taylor did not say who would be participating in the pancake-eating contest but did say many spectators will recognize several of the participants.
At 12: 30 p. m., the first Dogwood Doxie Relays will be held at Bob Henry Park. The race is open to dachshunds and their owners, Taylor said. The chamber will partner with Tailwaggers and Victory Service Dog Ranch, Taylor said.
This will give owners the chance for dachshunds to run with their owners, Taylor said. The race will only be open to dachshunds and their owners, Taylor said.
RETURNING FAVORITES
Old favorites will also return for the festival, Taylor said. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, there will be the second annual car show, she said.
One difference will be that the car show will be held on Broadway Street instead of North Wright Street, Taylor said.
There will also be the annual Dogwood 5K, 10K and Fun Run at 8 a.m. Saturday morning at Bob Henry Park and hosted by the Parks and Recreation division, said Recreation Coordinator Charli Crandell.
The entry fee will be $25 per person and $15 per student, Crandell said. The first 200 participants will get a shirt, Crandell said.
Age groups for the event will be ages 12 and younger; 13-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 5059; and 60 and older, Crandell said. Check-in for the race will be at 7 a. m., Crandell said.
At 1:30 p.m. Sunday there will be the Duck Race, Taylor said. A total of 1,000 rubber toy ducks will be released into Sager Creek on University Bridge, Taylor said.
Ducks can be purchased for $5 a piece, and winnings will range from $5 to $250 Taylor said. All proceeds from the sale of ducks will go back to Ability Tree, Taylor said.
The Miss Dogwood Pageant will have three groups for boys ages up to 9 years old and nine groups for girls ages up to 25 years old, according to pageant coordinator Toni Lindsey.
Each category will have one winner. Girls will receive a crown and the boys a medal, Lindsey said. There will also be an optional photogenic category, Lindsey said.
Miss Dogwood 2022 Ebony Mitchell will host the pageant along with Miss University of Arkansas 2022 Taryn Bewley and Miss University of Arkansas Outstanding Teen 2022 Lilyanna Gigerich, Lindsey said.
There will also be a special appearance by Little Miss University of Arkansas Jessica Bowser, Lindsey said.
VENDORS AND PERFORMERS
This year’s vendors will have a mixture of returning favorites and new vendors, Taylor said. Vendors who will make a repeat appearance at this year’s Dogwood Festival are Billy Jack’s Root Beer, Carsten Concessions and Mitchell Kettle Corn, Taylor said.
New vendors include Gelly Ball, which offers a combination between water guns and paintball, Taylor said. There will also be a gourmet macaroni and cheese truck, Taylor said.
The Funzone inflatables will also be back along with the climbing wall, Taylor said.
“We like to keep our staples and traditions, but we like to add new and fun things this year,” Taylor said.
Musical acts will include The Butler Creek Boys and Mojo Bone, Taylor said. New acts include Dandelion Heart, Melody Pond and the Swade Diablos, Taylor said.
This year’s headliner will be Tori Miller, Taylor said. Miller is a Siloam Springs native and was a contestant on “The Voice,” Taylor said.
One last new attraction will be the addition of Disney princesses who will be posing for pictures, Taylor said. The company providing this service is Put A Tiara On It Princess Parties, Taylor said.
The princesses will be located at Princess Corner from 3-5 p.m. Friday at the gazebo, Taylor said.
“We love to see the community come out and embrace the Dogwood Festival, and there really is something for everyone,” Taylor said.