Sea Scape at the Azalea Festival

Celebrate the arrival of spring in Wilmington at the annual Azalea Festival. It’s one of the top local events, attracting more than 300,000 people. Cheer during North Carolina’s biggest parade, see major artists performing live, shop local vendors, and see millions of Azalea flowers blossoming around Wilmington.

Discover what’s exciting in this year’s Azalea Festival and why you don’t want to miss it.

Sea Scape Properties Participates in the Azalea Festival Parade

Sea Scape Properties is participating in the Azalea Festival 2025! The festival’s parade welcomes local companies and organizations to create floats, and we’re excited to participate in the event for the first time. We’re a staple in the Wilmington community as one of the leading vacation rental properties. We host visitors in town attending the events, so creating a float for the biggest parade in the state is the perfect fit!

The parade is on April 5, 2025. See our float cruising through Downtown Wilmington via 3rd Street. Be sure to wave—we’ll be happy to see you!

Things to do at Azalea Festival

Events blossom all across town for this multi-day flower festival. From sun up to sun down, these activities are the perfect opportunity to get to know Wilmington. Here are some of the long-running events you can expect every year during the Azalea Festival.

Attend the ribbon cutting ceremony

The Azalea Festival officially kicks off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Cape Fear Garden Club. Join hundreds of attendees and media to revel in the excitement with live music, speeches, local celebrities, and more.

Cheer on southern belles at the pageant

Beautiful southern belles compete in this annual pageant to win a scholarship and be crowned the North Carolina Azalea Festival Princess. Watch participants from local high schools dawn stunning dresses and showcase their talents during an on-stage presentation.

Marvel at floats during the parade

Did you know that the Azalea Festival hosts the largest parade in North Carolina? More than 100,000 people line the streets of Wilmington to watch the lineup of floats, marching bands, dancers, mascots, pets, and more. It’s an excellent time to see the creativity of local organizations while celebrating the cherished flower with the entire city.

Be sure to wave at us on the Sea Scape Properties float!

Go on a Garden Tour

Azaleas aren’t the only flowers you’ll see during the festival. Take the Cape Fear Garden Tour to see the most decorative landscaping from Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach. Commercial and residential homes participate in this tour, inviting visitors to walk through private garden spaces and enjoy taking photos.

See new styles in the Spring Fashion Show

Discover upcoming fashion trends soon to hit the local boutique shops during the festival’s fashion show. Local designers feature their latest collections inspired by festival themes like Garden Party attire. Plenty of fashionable people will attend, so don’t forget to pack your pastel-colored linen blazer and Victorian-style flower hat.

Watch the Battleship Boom & Bloom Fireworks Bonanza

The USS North Carolina was decommissioned in 1947 (the year before the festival was founded), but it still knows how to make a bang during the festival. Visitors can experience the fireworks show at the Battleship or viewed from across the Cape Fear River on the Riverwalk.

Live Concerts

The Live Oak Bank Pavilion in Riverfront Park is the largest music venue in Wilmington for hosting the biggest names in music to perform during the festival. Get ready for a major concert that features names like T-Pain, Flo Rida, Justin Moore, and more.

Shop the Street Fair

Open for business! Vendors line the streets of Downtown Wilmington ready to show-off their latest products—food, crafts, art, clothing, handmade goods, and more. Shop for your favorite products or simply enjoy the atmosphere surrounded by cheerful festivalgoers. There’s a designated children’s area with games.

New Events Every Year

Every year, the Azalea Festival introduces new events to the lineup. It gives visitors a reason to return year after year to experience new excitement. Some of the latest events in recent years include live podcast recording, a beer garden, volleyball, and corn hole tournaments.

How to attend the Azalea Festival (free events, tickets, where to purchase)

Visitors can find events from the Azalea Festival happening all around Wilmington. Some events are free to attend while others require tickets—and for those “in the know,” there is a free option to attend one of the ticketed events.

Here are the Azalea Festival events that require tickets:

• Azalea Garden Tour
• Fashion Show
• Music Concerts at Like Oak Bank Pavilion
• Airlie Luncheon Garden Party
• Battleship Boom & Bloom Fireworks Bonanza (alternatively, watch it free along the Riverwalk!)
• Events/Parties hosted by local organizations

These are events you can check out for free during the Azalea Festival:

• Parade (tickets are required for bleacher seats only)
• Pageant
• Street Fair

Tickets for the Azalea Festival events are available on the official website: https://ncazaleafestival.org/.

Where to Stay for the Azalea Festival

Are you excited to attend this year’s Azalea Festival? Sea Scape Properties proudly hosts visitors in town for the events. Stay for a couple of days or enjoy the entire festival. Check out our featured Wilmington vacation rentals that guests love staying at for the Azalea Festival.