North Carolina Azalea Festival facts for kids

Quick facts for kids North Carolina Azalea Festival
Southern Charm In Full Bloom
Genre	Festival
Date(s)	April
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Wilmington, NC
Coordinates	34°12′36″N 77°50′57″W / 34.20991°N 77.84906°W / 34.20991; -77.84906
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1948
Founder	Hugh Morton
Previous event	April 3–7, 2019
Next event	2021
Participants	Over 1,000 Volunteers
Attendance	300,000

The North Carolina Azalea Festival is a big yearly party in Wilmington, North Carolina. It's the largest festival of its kind in the state. The festival started in 1948 and happens every April.

History of the Azalea Festival

The Azalea Festival began in 1948. Dr. W. Houston Moore, a local doctor, had the idea. He wanted to show off Wilmington's beautiful gardens. These included places like Airlie Gardens, Orton Gardens, and Greenfield Gardens.

Dr. Moore invited leaders from local clubs to a meeting. They met at the Chamber of Commerce. Their goal was to plan the first Azalea Festival.

Hugh Morton was chosen as the first president of the festival. He later wrote about how it all started. The first festival in April 1948 was a huge hit. The gardens looked amazing, and the weather was perfect. The festival even made a profit of $5,000. This helped make sure there would be more festivals.

The first Azalea Queen was Jacqueline White, a movie star. Famous radio host Ted Malone broadcast his show from the festival. North Carolina Governor R. Gregg Cherry crowned the Queen. Dr. Moore passed away after the first festival. Everyone was happy he saw his idea become a success.

Over the years, many events have been part of the festival. In 1957, famous golfer Arnold Palmer won the Azalea Open Invitational. The first "sidewalk show" was held in 1953. This show has been a tradition ever since.

Sadly, the 2020 festival was canceled. This happened because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Azalea Belle at the 2016 event

Festival Traditions and Fun

Airlie Gardens Tours

Airlie Gardens is a beautiful place in Wilmington. It covers about 67 acres (27 hectares). The gardens were created in 1901. They are full of different kinds of plants and flowers.

Airlie Gardens is less than a mile from the ocean. It used to be much larger, about 640 acres. Now, the 67-acre garden is open for everyone to visit. You can take tours and see many special spots. These include a butterfly garden and a unique "BottleChapel." There are also cool metal and ceramic sculptures. Airlie Gardens also offers summer camps and learning programs.

Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles

A special tradition of the Azalea Festival was the "Belles." These young ladies acted as hostesses and guides. They helped visitors explore the beautiful gardens. This tradition started in 1969.

To become an Azalea Belle, girls had to apply. Daughters or granddaughters of Cape Fear Garden Club members often got first choice. Girls from New Hanover County High School could also apply. A young lady could only be a Belle for one year. She also couldn't be in the Azalea Festival Scholarship Pageant that same year.

However, as of August 2020, the "Belles" are no longer part of the North Carolina Azalea Festival.

North Carolina Azalea Festival Queens

Each year, the Azalea Festival crowns a Queen. These Queens are often famous people. They are crowned on the first day of the festival. Many well-known actresses and public figures have been Azalea Queens.

Here are some of the past Azalea Queens:

Famous Visitors to the Festival

Many celebrities have visited Wilmington for the Azalea Festival. They come as guests, performers, or even as the Azalea Queen.

Here are some of the well-known people who have attended: