A harbinger of spring, the azalea has long been loved by Southerners. These unwieldy shrubs with delicate blossoms can pretty up any curb and make even the most modest house look ornate. So it only makes sense that there would be an entire event dedicated to celebrating them: The North Carolina Azalea Festival is a nearly 80-year-long tradition in the picturesque coastal town of Wilmington. From April 8 through 12, the town will erupt in color and merriment as visitors from around the South honor the region’s favorite flower.
History
Started in 1948, the first festival was hosted to toast the completion of a local park. The area had undergone a nearly 10-year transformation, spearheaded by Dr. Houston Moore, from a swampland into something beautiful, filled with flowering plants like the azalea. Around 60,000 attendees (including movie star Jacqueline White, who became the festival’s first crowned queen) crowded in to enjoy the natural splendor. And the festivities have only grown from there.
A Community Effort
Possibly one of the most endearing things about this event is how the Wilmington community comes together to make it possible. The Saturday beforehand, volunteers gather to perform an Azalea Sweep: picking up trash and cleaning as needed. Local businesses, sponsors, and volunteers chip in to get everything off the ground, run booths, and make or ride in floats. And even still, there are plenty of other opportunities for residents to participate in the fun.
Any student in North Carolina, grades K-12, can enter the Azalea Festival Youth Art Contest, and middle schoolers are also encouraged to submit essays and poems into the writing competition. Stroll through the gallery to take a look at the submissions and see if you can predict the year’s winner. And don’t miss the pageant, where contestants compete to be the next Azalea Festival Princess with a prize pot of over $18,000 in college scholarships.
What To Expect
The Queen
Now spanning five days, the award-winning festival kicks off with the crowning of the Queen Azalea. Harkening back to that inaugural crowning of Hollywood royalty, this year the honor goes to Tennessee-raised Elaine Hendrix. You might recognize her blonde tresses from her breakout role as Meredith Blake in The Parent Trap or from her recent run on Dancing With the Stars. Beyond the coronation, the Queen Azalea, plus an assortment of other notables, will be at various events throughout the festival, so keep your eyes peeled.
Concerts, Performances, and Parties…