WILMINGTON — The official festival to kick off springtime in Wilmington will take place April 8-12 all across town. The 79th annual North Carolina Azalea Festival brings thousands of volunteers to help highlight civic participation and organizations, who host garden and home tours, concerts, a street fair, parade and more.
A UNCW report, conducted more than a decade ago, has noted the annual festival brings in $50 million to the greater Wilmington area. The analysis found roughly 100,000 people participate in numerous happenings as part of the five-day event.
This year’s festival will officially begin with the crowning of the 2026 Azalea Queen, Elaine Hendrix — an actress from “The Parent Trap,” “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” “Friends,” “Two and a Half Men” and “Hello, Dolly!” She will be crowned Wednesday, April 8, at the Battleship North Carolina, featuring local dignitaries and celebrity guests. A pre-show event takes place at 2:30 p.m. with the start time at 3 p.m. including a meet-and-greet.
There are plenty of other events to meet Hendrix and her court, which includes D’Amrah Rowdy (Miss Ballantyne), Zoe Charles (Miss Carolina Foothills), Catherine Lee (Miss Gaston County), Hayden Pearson (Miss Goldsboro), Kate White (Miss Johnston County), Tiffany Rush (Miss Moore County), Carly Peeters (Miss Wendell) and Andi Creech (Miss Wilmington). Varied celebrity guests also attend the festivities.
Airlie Luncheon Garden Party
Airlie Gardens, 5725 Oleander Drive
Airlie Gardens will be decked out in its bounty of color and welcomes attendees to do the same for the annual North Carolina Azalea Festival Luncheon Garden Party. Flowery dresses, seersucker suits, big hats, and more pepper the grounds as folks enjoy cocktails and barbecue for a little day-drinking and hob-knobbing with area residents and officials.
It begins at 11 a.m. and is open to ticketholders only; learn more here.
After the garden party, folks head to Bluewater for a dockside party with Queen Azalea and her court at 2 p.m.; it’s free and open to the public.
Azalea Garden Tour
10 various locations • Tickets: $50
Annually, the Cape Fear Garden Club hosts the Azalea Festival Garden Tour to highlight multiple area gardens that are well-kept and colorfully manicured. This year the theme is “The Joy of April Gardens to Inspire” presented April 10-12.
The tours take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 10 private gardens (see the preview here). The kick off is Friday, April 10, 9:30 a.m. at Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St. In attendance will be Coastal Strings, the North Carolina Azalea Festival Queen and celebrity guests, with the queen’s garden party immediately after the ribbon cutting.
Proceeds from ticket sales — $50 each, children under 12 free with adult ticketholders — go back to area nonprofits that work toward beautifying the area, via the garden club grants and committee initiatives. Since 2003, the club has put back into Wilmington more than $1 million from its garden tours.
Azalea Festival Parade
Downtown Wilmington • Free
Starting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, the annual Azalea Festival parade will move down Third Street from Market to Brunswick streets.
Parking decks are available along Second Street, and guests can access Second Street via Princess Street until 9am. Parade staging will occur from Castle Street to Market Street, between Front Street to Fifth Avenue.
Pre-parade entertainment will begin at 8:45 a.m. in front of Thalian Hall and the Parade Reviewing Stand where bleachers will be set up.
Bleacher seats are available for $8 here.
Battleship Boom and Bloom / Fireworks
Over the Battleship North Carolina and Cape Fear River • Free-$30
The annual fireworks display returns at 9 p.m. over the Cape Fear River on Saturday, April 11. It’s free for all to view.
However, to amp up the watch party, tickets are available to the Battleship Boom and Bloom. This gives attendees an opportunity to view the display from aboard the Battleship North Carolina. Tickets are $39 and include a folding chair, bag of popcorn, music and dancing; kids 5 and under are free.
The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Learn more here.
Boxing Competition
Wilmington Convention Center, 515 Nutt St.
Returning both Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., weigh-ins are Friday.
The annual boxing competition as part of Azalea Festival will feature national and international competitors and from military branches. There are varied age groups participating, 8-16,17-34, and masters, 35 and up in six divisions from 55 pounds to 20 pounds.
Competitors from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, and more travel to participate in the USA Boxing Sanctioned Tournament.
The queen and celebrity guests also attend the event, which is sponsored by the North Carolina Azalea Festival, Friends of Boxing, Inc., USA Boxing, Inc., and LBC North Carolina.
Registration is open here and it’s open to the public.
Lower Cape Fear Coin Club’s Azalea Festival Coin Show
Elks Lodge 5102 Oleander Drive • Free
Presented by the Lower Cape Fear Coin Club, the annual free coin show will take place at the Elks Lodge, 5102 Oleander Drive, on Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be coin collectors offering currency on display and for sale and trade; children will learn about currency and foreign countries, and there will be a Kids Korner with games and more.
More than 30 dealers from multiple states will be on hand to appraise, buy, sell and trade coins, currency, and other numismatic items.
Cape Fear Corvette Car Show
Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Wilmington, 228 S. College Road • Free for spectators
If cars are your jam, the 16th annual Corvette Show is taking place at the local Jeff Gordon Chevrolet dealership from a.m. to 11 a.m. with judging at 11 a.m. and awards at 2 p.m.
It’s $30 to enter the contest and $20 to display only. Awards will be presented for stock and modified Corvettes in all classes, C1 through C8.
Find out more here.
Lil Jon
Live Oak Bank Pavilion, 10 Cowan St. • Tickets: $68 and up
Having produced and created worldwide popular club anthems like “Get Low,” “Turn Down the What,” and “Yeah,” Lil Jon will perform Thursday, April 9, at Live Oak Bank Pavilion in Riverfront Park, downtown Wilmington.
For more than two decades, the hip-hop artist has been known for elevating and shaping electronic dance music culture. He has won Billboard awards, a Grammy, and become recognized as a pioneer of the Crunk movement — highly stylized Southern hip-hop, featuring heavy bass lines, club beats, synths, and call-and-response vocals.
Tickets start at $68.
Historic Wilmington Foundation Home Tour
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheatre Drive • Tickets: $50
Aside from the garden tour, the historic home tour is another revered event for the North Carolina Azalea Festival, taking place Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $50 and the foundation is spotlighting Historic Downtown Wilmington.
Homes featured are located on the south side, from Market to Queen Streets and S. Sixth Street to the Cape Fear River.
The home tour is self-guided; learn more here.
Dustin Lynch
Live Oak Bank Pavilion, 10 Cowan St. • Tickets: $57 and up
Dustin Lynch, who has 10 top-charting songs on Country Airplay and is known for a modern country-dance sound, will be the country artist who is taking to the stage, rain or shine.
Known for the track “Chevrolet,” featuring Jelly Roll, on the album “Killed the Cowboy,” the Grand Ole Opry member has garnered popularity since releasing “Cowboys and Angels” in 2012. He also has hits like “Small Town Boy” and “Thinking ‘Bout You,” selling out multiple tours and hitting the road with artists like Scotty McCreery, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Florida Georgia Line.
Tickets are on sale for $68 to $195 here.
Queen’s Dance Party
Wilmington Convention Center, 10 Convention Center Drive • Tickets here until sold out
Meet the royalty of Azalea Fest at the Queen’s Dance Party, featuring Hendrix and her court, and celebrities.
There will be hors d’oeuvres served, and attendees will have opportunities for autographs and photograph opportunities. It takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Street Fair
Downtown Wilmington • Free
The street fair will close off Front Street from Red Cross to Orange streets, welcoming food and arts and crafts vendors, selling wares and grub to the public. It’s open Friday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Throughout the weekend, there will be free multicultural events and children’s performances. A children’s area will feature family-friendly vendors and hands-on activities and a performing arts stage highlights local entertainment, plus the Azalea Alley Beer & Wine Garden will be open to purchase food and beverages.
Parking is available in varied downtown parking decks and lots.
Tunes and Blooms
Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, 1941 Amphitheatre Drive • Free
If local, live music has piqued your interest more than the big names playing at Live Oak Bank Pavilion, then head to Greenfield Lake Amphitheater for a lineup of local and regional bands.
Kicking off at noon, concert-goers can expect to hear Research Triangle, Delia Stanley, Emily Burdette and the Elements, Echoes of Heroes, Strange Raven, Sandra Themiddaymiss and Bigg B., Tercel, and Queen’s Giant.
Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and parking is at the venue. There also will be arts and crafts vendors, outdoor games, and refreshments sold.
All concerts are free!
Wilmington Art Association’s Juried Art Show and Sale
Hannah Block USO/Community Arts Center, 120 S. Second St. • Free
WIlmington Art Association has hosted its annual Juried Art Show and Sale for four decades at Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Center, 120 S. Second St.; it runs through April 12.
More than 200 artists and 300 pieces of work will be featured in an array of both 2D and 3D media. It’s free and open to the public, with artwork available for sale. The event is juried, with cash prizes given to artists in multiple categories, from Best In Show to Best 2D and Best 3D.
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