VOTE NOW: N.C. Azalea Festival nominated for 'Best Flower Festival' in the country

Madison Lipe, Wilmington StarNews
·1 min read

With spring approaching, Wilmington’s annual North Carolina Azalea Festival is nominated for USA TODAY’s Best Flower Festival, along with 19 other competing festivals.

Wilmington has been home to the Azalea Festival since 1948, and each year hundreds of thousands of people gather to enjoy everything from concerts and artwork to gardens and history.

According to the 2023 Bloom Report, the University of North Carolina Wilmington completed a year-long study to show the economic impact of the festival. They found that the annual festival has a more than $50 million impact on the local community each year.

There are multiple traditions each year at the festival, but the most notable one might be the crowning of the Azalea Queen and princess.

This year's concertgoers can get tickets to see T-Pain and Chase Rice at the Live Oak Bank Pavilion.

This year’s festival will run from April 3-7.

North Carolina Azalea Queen Carli Batson waves at members of the public to mark the end of the 2023 North Carolina Azalea Festival Parade on April 15, 2023 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
North Carolina Azalea Queen Carli Batson waves at members of the public to mark the end of the 2023 North Carolina Azalea Festival Parade on April 15, 2023 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Who are the competitors?

There are 19 other festivals competing against Wilmington in the running for "Best Flower Festival," with some are close to home.

South Carolina Festival of Flowers in Greenwood, South Carolina; International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia; Flower and Food Festival at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; and Bell Buckle Daffodil Day in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, are some of the neighboring competitors.

Other competitors reach as far as California with the California Poppy Festival in Lancaster and Washington with the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle.

More: This Wilmington bed and breakfast named the best in the country

Wilmington's North Carolina Azalea Festival is nominated for USA TODAY's 'Best Flower Festival.' Voters have until March 18 to cast their vote.
Wilmington's North Carolina Azalea Festival is nominated for USA TODAY's 'Best Flower Festival.' Voters have until March 18 to cast their vote.

How can you vote?

Voting is open until noon Monday, March 18. You can visit the USA TODAY website to access the poll. The winners will be announced on Friday, March 29.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: NC Azalea Festival nominated for 'Best Flower Festival' in USA TODAY poll