The Azalea Festival is here! The annual event celebrates spring and Wilmington. Entertainment is plentiful, with something for everyone! Art, nature, architecture, concerts, parades, contests, parties, fairs, sports, and fireworks are some of the exciting events taking place during the festival! Some of the most popular events are:<\/p>\n
The Juried Art Show<\/strong>– It\u2019s an art lover\u2019s paradise. There are works of art from over 100 artists, many of which are for sale. The Art Show is taking place now through Sunday. April 15th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n The Queen\u2019s Coronation<\/strong>– At the head of the festival every year is the Queen. The Queen and her court attend events throughout the week and are featured in the parade. This year\u2019s Queen is Beth Troutman. She is an Emmy Award winning television personality and has appeared on The Today Show, Extra, HLN, Good Day New York<\/em>, and numerous others. Her coronation takes place April 11th<\/sup> at 3:00pm.<\/p>\n Concerts<\/strong>– One of the main attractions of the Azalea Festival is all the concerts that take place. Billy Currington with Drake White and the Big Fire, and Kenton Bryants are performing on Thursday night. On Friday night there are two exciting concerts! The first is an Old School Concert featuring the Ying Yang Twins, Chubb Rock, and the Hamiltones. Later that night Lucdacris will be performing with Childish Major.<\/p>\n Airlie Luncheon Garden Party<\/strong>– One of the most anticipated events of the festival, you won\u2019t want to miss the garden party. Hosted in the gorgeous Airlie Gardens, enjoy your lunch on the Intracoastal Waterway surrounded by vibrant flowers. The Garden Party takes place on Friday the 13th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n Cape Fear Garden Tour<\/strong>– Sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club, this tour is your chance to visit the most magnificent gardens in the area. The tour has even been featured in Southern Living Magazine!<\/p>\n Waterfront Street Fair<\/strong>– Taking place April 13-15 the Street Fair is a popular attraction. There are over 250 vendors selling food, clothes, art, music, and flowers; just to name a few.<\/p>\n Parade<\/strong>– This is one of the major events. The parade takes place Saturday morning in Historic Downtown Wilmington along 3rd<\/sup> Street.<\/p>\n Fireworks<\/strong> \u2013 After spending the day enjoying the parade, street fair, and concerts, make sure to watch spectacular firework display. The fireworks happen over the Cape Fear River, making for stunning view.<\/p>\n