Pike County Azalea Festival

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2009 PIKE COUNTY

azalea festival MARCH 23 – APRIL 6

Come and celebrate spring! Join us in Pike County during this most beautiful of seasons while it showcases its abundance of azaleas, flowering trees, and other springtime plantings at the height of their blooms. From Summit to McComb and on south to Magnolia and Osyka residents and businesses illuminate these flowers in breath taking displays. But the joy doesn’t stop there. Local civic and community clubs celebrate by offering two weeks full of many wonderful events such as: a family day in the park starting with a 5K Run/Walk, home & garden tours, flower shows, art walks, special dining events and this year’s kickoff event “Cooking with Class II” MCCOMB GARDEN CLUB’S 51ST ANNUAL LIGHTED AZALEA TRAIL This year marks the 51st Annual Lighted Azalea Trail sponsored by The McComb Garden Club. Club members encourages all of Pike County residents and businesses to

light their azaleas, flowering trees, and other blooming plants from dusk to 9 PM during the two-week festival. The county is divided into competition areas where businesses, clubs as well as individuals via for the most beautiful display. The event culminates with the presentation of the Azalea King and Queen in McComb’s beautiful Edgewood Park. This ceremony recognizes the county’s outstanding high school seniors and will take place on Monday, March 30, at 6 PM. AZALEA TRAIL HISTORY In 1949, Reverend Earl B Emmerich, a Methodist minister who had served as a missionary in Korea, suggested to his brother, editor of the Enterprise-Journal, that McComb should light its azaleas in keeping with the traditional lighting of the cherry blossoms in Japan. Editor Oliver Emmerich encouraged various civic organizations in McComb to start what is today known as the Lighted Azalea Trail. This event has been continuous since 1957.

STORY BY DR. ROGER NICKERSON, DIRECTOR MCCOMB MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION

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home & garden: azalea festival

2009 PIKE COUNTY AZALEA FESTIVAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS CAMELLIA CITY CIVICS CLUB’S AZALEA CORONATION at Edgewood Park, honoring outstanding local students. Call Ciciley Watts at 601-684-5641 for time and date.

Festival luncheon at The Courtyard, 517 S. Railroad Blvd. Broma’s Deli will cater. Gay Austin will speak. Cost is $5. Tickets are available First Bank offices and should be purchased by March 16. Call 601-249-4556. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 1-5 p.m., Summit Garden Club Flower Show and Home Tour, with tours of the Dan Lewman home, 1200 Peters Street.

MARCH 1 - 30 Youth Art Month Exhibit, McComb Library, featuring area students. Sponsor is Charles Crossley’s Studio of Art & Design. MARCH 25 - APRIL 3 1-4 p.m., open house at the Black History Gallery, 819 Wall Street in McComb. Admission is free, and donations are welcome. Call Hilda Cassin at 6841130 or Alvin Hogan 601-6842798. MARCH 23 - APRIL 5 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Gulf/South Gallery, 228 Fifth Avenue., McComb, will open for gallery artists to exhibit. Call Lynn Wells 601-684-9470. TUESDAY, MARCH 24 Noon. First Bank Azalea

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Flower Lovers Club’s Festival of Flowers at Pike National Bank’s Community Room, McComb. Call Donna Smith at 601-249-2688. THURSDAY, MARCH 26 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pike County

Juried Art Show & Sale sponsored by the Pike County Arts Council, to be held at Pike National Bank. Artist entry fee is $10. Call Sharon White at 601250-4525. FRIDAY, MARCH 27 7 p.m., “Magnolia Anthology: A Cemetery Play,” at the Magnolia Community Center, Donation is $10 per person. Call Jimmy Harris at 601-341-5340. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Osyka Civic Club’s annual Arts and Crafts Spring Fling, with chili cooking contest. Call Brandy Dickerson at 601-83-0004 for registration info.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 8 a.m., the McComb Rotary Club and McComb Garden Club’s annual Running Through the Azaleas 5K Run. Registration is at 8. Race starts in Edgewood Park on North Street. Cost is $15 before March 13, and $20 on the day of the race. Call Rachel Wilson Michel at 601-684-6700. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Family Day in Edgewood Park. Call the Chamber at 601-684-2291 SATURDAY, MARCH 28 10 a.m. to 1 p.mm., “Garden Extravaganza,” sponsored by Keep Pike County Beautiful, featuring landscape designers, nurseries, artists and guest speakers.

Call Libba Alford at 601-684-4941 SATURDAY, MARCH 28 10 a.m. - noon in Edgewood Park, pet show sponsored by the McComb Animal Hospital, Registration is $3 and starts at 8:45 a.m. Call 601-684-1581

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 dusk until 8 p.m., McComb Garden Club’s Azalea Princesses on Parade at the home of Mrs. Dick Moore, 505 Lakeshore Drive, McComb. MONDAY, MARCH 30 10:30 a.m., Cystic Fibrosis Charity Golf Tournament at Fernwood Country Club. Cost is $10 per person or $400 per team

for the four-man scramble. Call Anna Ruth Brumfield at 601-8762552, Registration 10:30 and tee time is 11:45 a.m. MONDAY, MARCH 30 6 p.m., McComb Garden Club azalea coronation, recognizing local high school seniors, will be held at the pool at Edgewood Park. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 1 to 4 p.m., Magnolia Garden Club’s flower show at Hedge Hill at 10 Lampton Lane in Magnolia. “Dance of the Flowers” is the theme. Call Dolores Cornacchione at 601-7836070

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home & garden: azalea festival

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Magnolia/South Pike Chamber of Commerce hosts the Magnolia Historic Tour & Lunch, Cost is $25 and reservations are required. Call 601783-5211

Japonica Gallery, 119 N. Sixth Street, Edgewood Gallery, 530 W. Georgia Ave.; Gulf South Gallery, 228 Fifth Ave; and Studio of Art and Design, 325 N. Front St. Call Judy Hughey at 601-248-8945

Committee will host “Magnolia’s Evening in Lights” at Magnolia’s North Railroad Park. Tickets are $10 and available at Magnolia’s First Bank, Pike National Bank and Citizen’s Bank. Call 601783-6572 or 601-783-5915

THURSDAY, APRIL 2 r to 8 p.m., McComb’s Depot District’s annual Art a la Carte, sponsored by the Southwest Mississippi Art Guild. Galleries will feature special exhibits, with food and drink served at

FRIDAY, APRIL 3 5 to 8 p.m., Art exhibition/open house at Studio of At Design

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., picnic honoring railroad families and a museum exhibit, downtown parking garage McComb City Railroad Depot Museum and McComb Community Relations and

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FRIDAY, APRIL 3 6 to 9 p.m., City of Magnolia and the Magnolia Beautification

Bureau are sponsors. Call 601684-1984, 601-684-2800 or 601276-3079 SATURDAY, APRIL 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Southwest Mississippi Homebuilder’s Association show at the National Guard Armory in McComb. Arts and Crafts will be on display. Call Beverly Johnson at 601-7834244. SUNDAY, APRIL 5 1 to 3 p.m., open house for sculptor Larry Dawson at Gulf/South Gallery, 228 Fifth Ave., McComb. THURSDAY, APRIL 15 6 p.m., wine tasting with hors d’oeuvres, sponsored by The Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Michael Cameron, owner of cork & Cask, will be the guest, to be held at the Parish House, 215 N. Broadway, McComb