MULLENS, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – Today at 6 p.m., the City of Mullens will kick off one of its most exciting traditions, the annual Mullens Dogwood Festival. The festival will last from May 5 until May 9, 2021.
According to Susan England, president of the Mullens Dogwood Festival Committee, the event has been taking place since May of 1979. Unfortunately, the city couldn’t hold the celebration last year due to COVID-19, making this year the forty-first festival in the city’s history.
The week-long festivities will commence with the opening of the carnival this evening.
Other events include live music, a Dogwood memorial tree planting, a sidewalk chalk contest, a rubber ducky race, scholarship opportunities, a spaghetti eating contest and more.
View the festival’s entire schedule here.
England expressed her excitement for the festival, stating that it always feels like a family reunion.
“It is amazing. People are so excited because this is their opportunity to get out and visit with people and do something that is fun. You can feel the excitement in the air.
“The theme this year is “Celebrate Home” because a lot of people come back home for the festival- people that are from here and raised in Mullens but live in other places. They come back home to see their family and friends and celebrate the festival.”
As Mullens prepares to welcome back old family and friends, Governor Jim Justice released a statement concerning the festival.
“Tucked away in the beauty of Wyoming County, the Mullens Dogwood Festival has been a great source of excitement in the area for decades. This event encourages family and friends to join and celebrate the traditions that have been passed down throughout the generations,” he wrote.
“Whether you have come every year since the beginning or this is your first time, I can assure you that your experience will go above and beyond your expectation.”
For more information on the Mullens Dogwood Festival, visit the event’s Facebook page.