20 things to do in Wilmington during the Azalea Festival, both official events and beyond
Well, it's here.
Wilmington's biggest annual celebration, the North Carolina Azalea Festival, returns to the Port City for the 77th time this week for five days of concerts, art, parties, pageant queens and much, much more April 3-7.
With an event as big and sprawling as the Azalea Festival, however, there are plenty of events that aren't technically festival events but are well worth checking out. Take music-centric Alt-Zalea Fest, for example, the Slamdance to the Azalea Festival's Sundance, which will take over Wilmington's Brooklyn Arts District on Saturday with dozens and dozens of bands and solo acts.
Let's get this party started.
ALL WEEKEND
'Beauty and the Beast'
April 5-14at Thalian Hall: Thalian Association Community Theatre presents the stage version of this Disney movie musical. Features both songs from the movie by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, along with new songs from Menken and Tim Rice. Multi-time Wilmington Theater Awards winner Sydney Smith-Martin plays Belle, a young woman from a small town who enters an enchanted household headed by The Beast (Kaleb Edley), who's really a cursed prince. 7:30 p.m. April 5-6 and 12-13, 2 p.m. April 7 and 13-14. Tickets at 910-632-2285.
'Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery'
April 5-14at DREAMS Garage: Wilmington Theater Awards winner Regina McLeod directs this play by Shay Youngblood for Cleod Nine Productions about a Black girl's coming of age in the 1960s South, where the girl is raised by multiple women in her community after her mother dies. 7:30 p.m. April 5-6 and 12-13, 3 p.m. April 6-7 and 14, tickets are $22.
Azalea Festival Street Fair
April 5-7in downtown Wilmington: The street fair is back on Front Street this year, with more than 250 food and arts crafts vendors, a children's play area and a performing arts stage. It's a festival centerpiece that attracts tens of thousands of people each year. 6-10 p.m. April 5, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. April 6 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. April 7. Free.
Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour
April 5-7, various locations: This self-guided tour of some of the most fabulous gardens in the area has been organized for the festival by the Cape Fear Garden Club since 1953. Tour starts at 10 a.m. Friday-Sunday, although Airlie Gardens is only on the tour Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $50 each and are good for all three days.
Historic Wilmington Foundation Azalea Home Tour
April 6-7 in the Westbrook-Ardmore National Register Historic District: Last year, the Azalea Festival Home Tour organized by the Historic Wilmington Foundation highlighted the Sunset Park neighborhood for the first time. This year, the tour heads to the Westbrook-Ardmore National Register Historic District, which includes two 100-year-old Wilmington neighborhoods you might never have heard of: Manhattan and the Bronx. According to research done by Historic Wilmington Foundation Director Travis Gilbert, the neighborhoods, which are off South 17th Street between Castle Street and Wrightsville Avenue, were named by real estate companies of the day trying to drum up sales in what was then the outskirts of the city. 1-5 p.m. April 6-7, with a ribbon-cutting 1 p.m. April 6 at Historic Fire Station No. 5, 1702 Wrightsville Ave. Home tour tickets are $40 each.
Tina Friml
April 5-6at Dead Crow Comedy Room: Friml is a very funny stand-up comic who's been seen on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" and was a prestigious 2019 New Face of Comedy at Montreal's Just For Laughs Festival. In her act, she talks about living in New York City as a disabled person, being from Vermont and having "very, 'You go, girl!'" energy. 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. April 5-6, tickets are $18 and $28.
Spring Art Show & Sale
April 3-7at the Hannah Block Historic USO/Community Arts Center: 42nd annual juried art show and sale put on by the Wilmington Art Association in a conjunction with the Azalea Festival. The work of dozens of artists will be on display. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 3-6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 7. Free.
Azalea Festival Coin Show
April 6-7at the Wilmington Elks Lodge: Longrunning festival tradition is presented by the Lower Cape Fear Coin Club. More than 30 dealers on hand to display, buy and sell coins, currency and other items. Free appraisal on coins and currency brought in, and all children get a free foreign coin and can start their own penny album. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 7, free.
Azalea Festival Boxing Tournament
April 5-7at the Wilmington Convention Center: Longrunning festival tradition since 1978 features boxers of all ages from all over the East Coast competing in six weight divisions. 2-5 p.m. April 6-7, weigh-ins April 5. Free.
Poplar Grove Herb & Garden Fair
April 6-7at Poplar Grove Plantation: 32nd annual event at the New Hanover/Pender County line features herb and plant vendors from across the state, as well as garden art, handcrafted items and more. Kids can visit an animal rescue sanctuary while their folks shop. Proceeds benefit the historic Poplar Grove attraction. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April 5 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. April 7, free.
FRIDAY
Chase Rice
April 5 at Live Oak Bank Pavilion: Platinum-selling country singer Chase Rice will perform a sure-to-be-packed concert for the Azalea Festival. Rice has sold millions of albums and had No. 1 country hits while going on sold-out tours with such country stars as Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks. Opening act is Lanie Gardner. 7 p.m. April 5, tickets start at $55.
Jazz Night with the Jim Ferris Trio
April 5at Bourgie Nights: Popular monthly concert typically sells out, with jazz fans packing the house to see sax man Jim Ferris and pianist Duke Ladd playing all manner of jazz standards. This month's show features guest drummer Mike McPherson. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of show.
SATURDAY
Azalea Festival Parade
April 6in downtown Wilmington: A festival staple since day one back in 1948. Marching bands, area dignitaries and pageant queens, along with Queen Azalea LXXVII Sharon Lawrence, will be featured. The parade proceeds down Third Street from Bladen to Market and is free to view, although bleacher tickets are available for a small fee. 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 6, free.
Alt-Zalea Fest
April 6in the Brooklyn Arts District: Annual day-long indie music festival features a wide range of 66 musicians and bands, from solo folkies to full-on rockers, at venues all over Wilmington's Northside. Performers are a mix of local and regional artists, including Port City favorite Jesse Stockton, Charlotte electro-pop keyboardist Jenn DeSantis and dozens more. The fest's dozen or so venues include Flytrap Brewing, The Half, The Kitchen Sink, Brooklyn Cafe, Goat and Compass, Bottega, Dead Crow Comedy Club, Palate and more. Noon-9 p.m. April 6, shows are free but bring cash to tip the musicians with.
Cape Fear Chorale
April 6at UNCW's Kenan Auditorium: Wilmington vocal group presents pieces by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Roderick Williams and Tomas Luis de Victoria, as well as Judith Weir’s "The Big Picture," which explores the "colors" of sound. Featuring guest baritone and soloist Thandolwethu Mamba. 7:30 p.m. April 6, free.
Poor Man's Garden Party
April 6at the Eagle's Dare: Didn't get invited to the "real" Azalea Festival garden party? Well, this is the next-best (or maybe even-better) thing, with cowboy-themed attire, booze from country singer Chris Stapleton's Traveller Whiskey brand and country music bands, with live tunes from Wilmington's own Cary Benjamin (4 p.m.), Nashville honky tonk act The Cowpokes (6 p.m.) and singer Hannah Dasher (9:15 p.m.). 4 p.m. April 6, tickets are $15.
Tunes & Blooms
April 6at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater: A half-dozen top Wilmington bands will play at this free concert. Includes indie rockers The Great Indoors and Narah, UNCW Battle of the Bands winner Fudge, pop-rock act Kicking Bird, folk singer Delia Stanley, DJ sets from Fort Lowell Records and more. Noon-10 p.m. April 6, free.
For the Roses
April 6at Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern: Multi-band bill created by Wilmington "femme musician-ran creative collective" For the Roses features a half-dozen bands, all led by women. On the bill is ethereal indie rock act Lady Die, with singer Julia Rothenberger; indie folk singers Olivia Gillaspie and Madisinn; and Carolina Beach rockers Pearl, with former Pleasure Island singer Chloe Torres. 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $10.
Azalea Festival Fireworks
April 6in downtown Wilmington: A good spot to catch the display will be pretty much anywhere along the Cape Fear River, although the Battleship North Carolina will be ground zero. 9 p.m. Saturday downtown.
SUNDAY
Carolina Brass
April 7 at UNCW's Beckwith Auditorium: Brass group celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022, and has long performed a mix of classical, jazz, show tunes and more. 7:30 p.m. April 7, tickets are $14.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Things to do in Wilmington, NC, during the 2024 Azalea Festival
