The Tyler County Dogwood Festival is held annually in the spring
in Woodville,the county seat of Tyler County. In 1938 at a
public meeting called to consider the completion of U.S. Highway
190, Judge James E. Wheat introduced the idea for a spring
festival celebrating the natural beauty and abundance of dogwood
trees in the area. Acting upon his idea, the Tyler County
Chamber of Commerce sponsored the first Dogwood Festival in
1940. Because of World War II, no festivals were held from
1942 to 1945. The third Tyler County Dogwood Festival was held
in 1946, and the festival has continued to be an annual event.
The Tyler County Dogwood Festival Association was incorporated
in 1946 for the purposes of sponsoring the festival, planting and
preserving dogwood trees, and promoting Tyler County history. In
1948 the association began publishing an annual booklet
highlighting specific aspects of Tyler County history.
The festival was expanded to two consecutive weekends in 1968
in order to include events on a western theme. Several
customs have evolved, including the crowning of the
Dogwood Festival Queen and a historical pageant. Activities have
included parades, trail rides, dances, and an arts and crafts show.