Knoxville Celebrates Dogwood Blooms with Vibrant Festivals and Events

From garden tours to art displays, the city embraces its iconic spring flowers.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:07am

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph shot through condensation or rain-streaked glass, composed of soft, warm pools of light and color depicting a cluster of delicate dogwood blossoms in the foreground and a blurred urban landscape in the background, conceptually representing the serene and vibrant atmosphere of Knoxville's annual dogwood festivities.Knoxville's springtime dogwood blooms inspire a month-long celebration of the city's natural beauty and creative community.Knoxville Today

As the dogwood trees burst into bloom each April, Knoxville's Dogwood Arts organization kicks off a month-long celebration featuring festivals, garden tours, and public art displays showcasing the city's natural beauty and creative community.

Why it matters

The dogwood tree has become a beloved symbol of Knoxville's identity, with the annual blooming serving as a cherished rite of spring for residents and visitors alike. These events allow the community to come together and appreciate the city's natural splendor while supporting local artists and businesses.

The details

Dogwood Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing Knoxville's public spaces, organizes a variety of events throughout April. Highlights include the Dogwood Trails and Gardens tour, which allows visitors to explore stunning private gardens, and the Dogwood Arts Festival, a three-day celebration featuring live music, food, drinks, and tents showcasing the work of local artists and makers. The organization also coordinates the Chalk Walk, where talented artists create colorful murals across downtown.

  • The Dogwood Trails and Gardens tour takes place on April 18-19.
  • The Dogwood Arts Festival is scheduled for April 24-26.
  • The Chalk Walk event is set for April 11.

The players

Dogwood Arts

A nonprofit organization dedicated to making Knoxville a great place to live and visit, with a focus on showcasing the city's natural beauty, public art, and creative community.

Sherry Jenkins

The executive director of Dogwood Arts, who emphasizes the organization's role in celebrating Knoxville's architecture, flowers, sculptures, and murals.

Mark Windham

A retired University of Tennessee professor who discovered a hardy cultivar of dogwoods that helped ensure the trees would continue to bloom across the region, cementing the dogwood's status as a Knoxville icon.

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What they’re saying

“When you come to Knoxville, and you see great architecture, and you see flowers, and you see sculptures and you see murals, you understand that the people who live here care about it.”

— Sherry Jenkins, Executive Director, Dogwood Arts

“Knoxville is the ugliest city I ever saw in America, with the possible exception of some mill towns in New England. Its main street is called Gay Street; this seemed to me to be a misnomer.”

— John Gunther, Journalist and Writer

What’s next

Visitors can plan their Knoxville dogwood experience by checking the Dogwood Arts website for a full schedule of events and a guide to the city's Dogwood Trails.

The takeaway

Knoxville's annual celebration of its iconic dogwood blooms showcases the city's commitment to embracing its natural beauty and supporting its vibrant creative community, solidifying the dogwood tree's status as a beloved symbol of local pride.