Palestine celebrates the springtime blooming of the dogwood trees with its annual Dogwood Trails Celebration, opening Friday and continuing over the next three weekends.

Among the activities on tap are the Dogwood Trails Festival on Saturday, the Dulcimer Festival on April 1, two excursions of the Texas State Railroad and performances by the Palestine Community Center.

A star attraction is the 200-acre Davey Dogwood Park. Visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty of the blooming dogwood trees by driving through the park, taking one of the walking trails or visiting one of the picnic areas.

The Texas State Railroad’s Piney Woods Excursion train rides will depart at 11 a.m. Friday and Saturday from both its Palestine and Rusk depots. The four-hour round trip includes a one-hour layover at the opposite depot. The train passes through East Texas countryside full of blooming dogwood trees.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 877-726-7245 or go to the website texasstaterr.com.

Palestine Community Theater will stage the comedy “Rex’s Exes” in performances Friday through Sunday and March 25 to 27 at the Texas Theater in downtown Palestine.

The Dogwood Trails Festival will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the downtown business district and Old Town Palestine. Attractions will include a parade at 10 a.m., arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, live entertainment and a kids’ zone.

Tours of the Ivy Payne Wildlife Refuge, County Road 134, will take place at 4 p.m. March 25, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. March 26, and 9 a.m. March 27.

The Texas State Railroad’s Special Bunch Train is set to depart at 10 a.m. March 26 from the Palestine Depot.

A highlight of the third weekend will be the Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival at The Museum for East Texas Culture, 400 Micheaux St., Palestine. Set for April 1 and 2, the festival offers workshops, jam sessions and concerts.

The concerts will take place both days at 1:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. More information about the festival is available at oldpalmusic.com.