The sights, sounds and even tastes of The Grand Old City’s celebration of the humanities begins this week.

The 24th Dogwood Fine Arts Festival kicks off on Friday, with events featuring the written, visual, musical and other art forms running in venues across the city through Sunday, May 17.

Artists headling this year’s festival are award-winning author Gary Shteyngart, who will speaking at Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center on Friday, May 15; Grammy Award-winning musician Melissa Manchester, performing at the middle school on Saturday, May 16; and veteran storyteller Tim Lowry, who will be hosting a family-friendly show at Southwestern Michigan College’s Dale A. Lyons Building Theatre on Wednesday, May 13.

Several new and returning events round out this year’s festivities, many of which are free and open to the public.

The festivities begin Friday evening with a special wine tasting, art exhibition, and vocal concert at SMC, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Dogwood Fine Arts Festival is made possible through the generous support of the St. Denys Foundation. For more tickets or additional information, people can call (269) 782-1115, (866) 490-2847 or visit www.dogwoodfinearts.org.

A full list of events is below:

 

Friday, May 8 — Festival Grand Opening “Wine and Song”

Wine tasting with area wineries, hors d’oeuvres and concert by the Dogwood Chorale.

The Dogwood Chorale is a select chamber ensemble comprised of Michigan teachers and community members, each bringing a variety of talents and experiences in music education and performance to the choir.

The mission of this ensemble is to perform quality and entertaining vocal literature as well as serve the needs of the area youth through the facilitation of music education activities.

Dale A. Lyons Building

Southwestern Michigan College

58900 Cherry Grove Rd.

6:30 p.m.

Tickets: $25

 

Saturday, May 9 — “You Rang, Madam?” Afternoon Tea at the Historical Gardner Mansion

Visitors will step back in time and celebrate the 20th Dogwood Tea as it returns to its origins at one of Dowagiac’s grandest mansions. Experience afternoon tea with all the trimmings of fine china, linens, lace, tasty sweets and savories teas.

Additional parking and shuttles available from the Heddon Museum upper lot W. Telegraph Street/Green Street

The Gardner Mansion – also known as The Maples

511 Green St.

1 p.m.

Tickets: $18

 

Monday, May 11 — Emerging Playwright Award

Staged Reading of the winning manuscript from the “Dogwood/Beckwith Emerging Playwright Award”

This unique award is designed to recognize emerging playwrights, ages 18–30, living or studying in Michigan and northern Indiana. Over two thousand dollars in awards will be presented to the top three finishers in this competition.

Beckwith Theatre

100 New York Ave.

7:30 p.m.

Tickets: Free

 

Tuesday, May 12 — American Art at its Best

Join the festival for a casual and fascinating discussion about “American Art at its Best,” with Brian Byrn, Curator – Midwest Museum of American Art.

The evening will feature true American art treasures from the MMAA’s permanent collection. Experience premier works by Norman Rockwell, Anna Mary Robertson (Grandma Moses), Grant Wood, and Hans Hofmann and explore the Midwest’s place and importance in art and art history.

Dogwood Festival Headquarters

In the Huntington Bank Building

207 Commercial St./Pennsylvania Ave.

7 p.m. Reception

7:30 p.m. Event

Tickets: Free and open to the public

 

Tuesday, May 12 — Story Master Class with Tim Lowry

Attendees can explore their creative side with a workshop on story and character creation and presentation.

Front Street Crossing

227 Front St.

7-9 p.m.

Tickets: $10, limited registration

 

Wednesday, May 13 — Storyteller Tim Lowry

Tim Lowry has been telling stories of the people, by the people, and for the people for 25 years. Lowry shares folk tales, stories from American history, and personal narratives. When Tim is not on the road, he makes his home in Summerville, SC, where he often performs stories of the historic South Carolina Lowcountry: Colonial Tavern Tales, Gullah Folk Tales, and Civil War Ghost Stories.

Dale A. Lyons Building Theatre

Southwestern Michigan College

58900 Cherry Grove Rd.

7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $6

 

Thursday, May 14 — Youth Fine Arts Night

This celebration of young artists showcases elementary, middle, and high school student artwork and musical talents. Tour the student gallery of artwork, and listen to the music of choirs and bands.

Dowagiac Union High School

701 West Prairie Ronde St.

Art exhibits open at 6 p.m.

Concerts begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets: This event is free and open to the public.

 

Thursday, May 14 — Klassics for Kids

A NEW twist and creative introduction to classical music, designed especially for middle school music and vocal students, featuring the woodwind quintet Lake Effect Winds. Each member of this ensemble combines their experiences from teaching and performing into a unique event for young music lovers.

Performing Arts Center

Dowagiac Middle School

57028 Riverside Dr.

1 p.m.

Tickets: $15 — Adults; $10 — Students

 

Friday, May 15 — Author Gary Shteyngart

Shteyngart has made his reputation with wry exploration of ambivalent, conflicted, often frustrated love. His most recent work is “Little Failure: A Memoir,” published in 2015. His novel “Super Sad True Love Story” is the winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize and was selected as one of the best books of the year by more than 40 magazines around the world. “Absurdistan” was chosen as one of the ten best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review and Time magazine; and The Russian Debutante’s Handbook is winner of the Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction and the National Jewish Book Award for Fiction.

Performing Arts Center

Dowagiac Middle School

57028 Riverside Dr.

7:30 p.m.

Tickets: Reception/Book signing and Main Floor $60, Main Floor $25, Upper level $20

 

Saturday, May 16 — Melissa Manchester

Grammy Award-winning artist Melissa Manchester was born in to an artistic family and was introduced to all the classics, by the age of 15, she was already a published poet.

After graduating from the High School of the Performing Arts, Melissa entered New York University and enrolled in a songwriting class taught by Paul Simon.

As a back-up singer for Bette, Melissa fulfilled her childhood fantasy of playing Carnegie Hall. Six months later, she had a recording contract and was headlining at Carnegie Hall. Some of Melissa’s biggest hits are: “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “You Should Hear How She Talks About You,” “Through the Eyes of Love,” “Midnight Blue,” “Whenever I Call you Friend,” and “Just You and I.” Melissa also pursued acting and appeared as a regular on the NBC sitcom, “Blossom.”

Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center

57028 Riverside Dr.

7:30 p.m.

Tickets: Premium Seating — $45, Main Floor — $35, Upper Level Seating — $25

 

Sunday, May 17 — Joyful Noise

Scholarship benefit concert with the Dogwood Chorale.

An afternoon concert celebrating the human voice.

Donations benefit student scholarships for the Chorale Youth Vocal Camp.

The Dogwood Chorale is a select chamber ensemble comprised of Michigan teachers and community members, each bringing a variety of talents and experiences in music education and performance to the choir. The mission of this ensemble is to perform quality and entertaining vocal literature as well as serve the needs of the area youth through the facilitation of music education activities.

First United Methodist Church

326 N. Lowe St.

4 p.m.

Tickets: Free will offering