[2] It includes a parade, a house and garden show, and demonstrations of various Appalachian arts and crafts such as quilting, bluegrass music, and doll-making.
Additionally, driving trails are marked in Knoxville and the surrounding area for people to view the dogwoods in bloom.
In that best-selling book, Gunther characterized Knoxville as the "ugliest city" in the United States,[4][5] with what he called "an intense, concentrated, degrading ugliness.
[4][7] In reaction to the insulting characterization of the city, Knoxville civic leaders started a community beautification campaign.
The city's chamber of commerce and Junior League embraced the idea and contributed $20,000 each to make it a reality, leading to the first annual festival in 1961.