| 34th annual Iris Festival under way in Dresden | | Posted: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 12:00 pm
| By SARAH WILLIAMS
Special to the Press
DRESDEN — The 34th Annual Tennessee Iris Festival is taking place in Dresden.
Festivities began Saturday and will continue until this Saturday.
This week’s Iris Festival festivities include the Tennessee Iris Festival parade, a baking contest, a pancake supper, golf tournament, pet show and the Tennessee Iris Festival Iris and Horticulture Show.
This Saturday, a 5K race, 2 Mile Walk, 1 Mile Fun Run and a .25 mile Tot Run will take place off the Dresden Court Square.
The race will start at the corner of Main Street and Poplar Street and begins at 8 a.m.
The cost is $20 for the 5K race, $10 for the 2 Mile Walk, $10 for children ages 5-12 who participate in the 1 Mile Fun Run, and $8 for children under the age of 5 who participate in the .25 mile Tot Run. The 1 Mile Fun Run begins at 7:30 a.m., the 5K race and 2 Mile Walk begin at 8 a.m. and the Tot Run will immediately follow the 5K race. For information about race registration, visit the website www.tennesseeirisfestival.com.
From Tuesday to Saturday the carnival will be set up at the McWherter Civic Center, Dresden City Park area.
The annual Dresden Iris Festival Parade will begin on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The parade will feature entries, royalties and honored guests as the residents of Dresden celebrate Iris Festival. A highlighted map of the parade route is available on the Tennessee Iris Festival website and on the Tennessee Iris Festival programs.
In association with Saturday’s parade, residents of Dresden have the opportunity to participate in the Parade Yard Party Competition. Homes and businesses along the Iris Festival Parade route can host a “yard party” to add to the celebration of the Iris Festival. This year’s Parade Yard Party theme is “Bloom Where You Are Planted.”
One of this week’s Tennessee Iris Festival activities included a Cemetery Walk at the Sunset Cemetery on Sunday. The feature of this year’s cemetery walk was “Ned,” which featured the life of former Tennessee Governor Ned Ray McWherter and some of the people buried at Sunset Cemetery who influenced his life. Also, a prayer breakfast was held Monday at Dresden Elementary School.
For more information about the Iris Festival and its event schedule, visit www.tennesseeirisfestival.com.
Published in The WCP 4.30.13 | | | | |
