Dogwood Arts Festival celebrates 61st year

ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer

The annual Dogwood Arts Festival returned this weekend at World’s Fair Park for three days, full of artwork and music from the Knoxville community and beyond.

The festival began Friday morning and ended Sunday night. While vendors shut down at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, live music continued until 8:30 p.m. both nights.

Artists participating in the Dogwood Arts Festival this year came from a total of 18 different states. Dozens of artists participated, along with a diverse musical lineup, so visual art was not the only medium on display.

Like most Knoxville festivals, there were also several food and drink trucks with options ranging from gelato to the classic Denton’s lemonade.

Shannon Herron, the Marketing & Creative Director for Dogwood Arts, noted that planning for the event began the second after last year’s festival ended.

“Our whole staff comes together on this event because it ties together every aspect of what we do, you know, celebrating artists, celebrating the natural beauty of East Tennessee,” Herron said.

Because of the long history of the festival, which was established in 1961, this is an event that the Knoxville community knows well. Herron said that some volunteers who helped this weekend have been involved for over 40 years. The goal is to invite all types of people to help with and share in the mission of displaying the beauty of art and Appalachia.

“Just the opportunity to work really closely with so many parts of the community and so many people in the community has been a really great experience,” Heron said.

People who have known and loved the festival for years, though, were not the only ones that helped garner a large crowd over the weekend. UT students also showed out, many of them experiencing the tradition for the first time.

Gracie Allen, a junior child and family studies major, Flora Mae Ayers a junior special education major and Claire Flatt, a junior nursing and Spanish major, went to the Dogwood Arts Festival on Saturday, despite having never been before.

“I think it’s really good to get outside of the college community and to get into the actual Knoxville community because you can see the beautiful place that we’re living in,” Ayres said.

UT students’ involvement with the festival did not end there. Hollie Sikes, a junior architecture major, got to perform her music on Saturday during the event. She is excited to now be able to say that she got to be part of a Knoxville tradition that prioritizes art.

“Knoxville really does have this web of local art and music that is constantly growing, and it makes me really happy to think I’ve made a little mark there,” Sikes said.

Since its establishment, the festival has been known for its commitment to accessibility to art for all by offering free admission and encouraging attendance.

“I’ve always been really impressed by the work that Dogwood Arts does to promote the arts in our community and to do it on such a large, public scale,” Herron said.

It has always been free, but last year they limited attendance due to COVID-19. This year, they got to return to some semblance of normalcy with free admission for anyone and everyone.

Loyal Dogwood Arts Festival-goers who did not make it out last year, might have noticed a change of venue. While the festival has traditionally been held in Market Square and the heart of downtown, they relocated to World’s Fair Park in 2021 to be able to better track attendance numbers for COVID-19 safety.

Herron said they enjoyed the space last year and realized the security it provides to artists and their work, so they decided to stick with it.

According to Sikes, the weekend gave people a glimpse into Knoxville art, which can go unappreciated. As a barista at a local coffee shop, she said tourists sometimes ask her what she likes to do around the city.

“I always tell them that Knoxville has a really strong local art community and this tends to surprise people,” Sikes said. “So I love when that comes to the forefront and the city really celebrates its art, because it really does make Knoxville special in ways people don’t even realize.”

Despite being known for the popular festival, Dogwood Arts has many events year-round. They have many plans for the summer and are currently gearing up for Southern Skies music festival, which will take place on May 14 and feature popular artists like The Dirty Guv’nahs and The New Respects.

Patrons of the Dogwood Arts Festival browse a variety of art pieces by artists from all over the country in Knoxville, TN. Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

Handmade glass ornaments for sale at the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville, TN. Saturday, April 23, 2022. Edward Cruz / The Daily Beacon

COVID-19 update: Cases remain low as variant BA.2 spreads across county

As restrictions lessen, and become nonexistent in some cases, it is important to stay informed and aware about COVID-19 at UT, in Knoxville and in Tennessee. Here are some recent updates on the COVID-19 statuses as such.

The University of Tennessee does not currently have any mask mandates in place. On Nov. 20, 2021, a federal district judge granted the state of Tennessee an injunction which prohibits state institutions, including UT, from enforcing mask mandates. UT continues to offer free KN95 masks upon request for those who need them. Mask mandates have also been lifted in the city of Knoxville, as well as in Knox County.

The CDC recommends that those who have a high risk for infection should speak with their health care providers about the use of masks. It is also recommended that those who use public transport wear a mask when traveling, especially in airports and on planes.

Statistics

COVID-19 cases on the university’s campus remain low, and Knox County’s COVID-19 case level has been downgraded to low by the CDC — meaning there are less than 10 cases per 100,000 people throughout the county.

The state of Tennessee has seen 1.98 million COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as almost 26,000 deaths from the virus. Knox County saw the thirdhighest case amount in the state with 128,000 cases and 1,371 deaths. COVID-19 cases began to drop quickly in Knox County, as well as in Tennessee, throughout the month of February and have continued to remain low.

Vaccinations and testing

UT does not require a COVID-19 vaccine for school attendance. However, it is strongly encouraged. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, as well as boosters, are offered Monday through Friday in the Student Health Center pharmacy. Also, rapid tests are offered to students in the health center pharmacy with additional resources offered through UT’s COVID-19 support form.

There have been almost 13 million COVID-19 tests taken since the beginning of the pandemic with about 6,600 tests taken per day last week. Additionally, 55.76% of the state of Tennessee is fully vaccinated, and 63.64% of the population have received one dose. Knox County is 61.22% fully vaccinated, and vaccination numbers remain fairly stagnant at this time.

Statements from the government

The Knox County Health Department (KCHD), as well as the University of Tennessee, has not made any major announcements regarding COVID-19 in recent weeks.

The newest strain of COVID-19 in the United States is the BA.2 — which makes up about 23% of the current cases in the U.S. This strand is reported to be more transmissible than previous variants, but it is unknown whether it is more deadly.

To help ensure your health and safety, the KCHD recommends staying up to date with vaccines and boosters, wearing a mask based on your personal level of risk and getting tested if you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling ill.