The 80th North Carolina Azalea Festival runs Wednesday, April 7, to Sunday, April 11, 2027: parade, free street fair, concerts and fireworks.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Dates, events, hours and rules come from the North Carolina Azalea Festival. This page is updated for each festival at the same address.

The 80th North Carolina Azalea Festival runs Wednesday, April 7, through Sunday, April 11, 2027. Founded in 1948, it calls itself Wilmington’s premier event and the largest festival of its kind in North Carolina. The festival’s 2026 Bloom Report puts attendance across its concerts, fairs and special events at about 250,000 people, run by more than 1,000 volunteers.

Know before you go

  • Dates: Wednesday, April 7, to Sunday, April 11, 2027
  • Free: street fair, parade, fireworks, Queen’s Coronation, Tunes & Blooms
  • Tickets: concerts, the Airlie Luncheon Garden Party, garden and home tours, dances; sold only through the festival’s ETIX ticket office
  • Ticket office: (910) 794-4650, info@ncazaleafestival.org
  • No pets: service animals only
  • Organizer: North Carolina Azalea Festival, a Wilmington nonprofit

The 2027 schedule, concert lineup and parade times are not posted yet. Watch the festival’s events page; until it fills in, the 2026 details below show how the week runs.

How the week runs

The festival is five days, Wednesday to Sunday, in the first weeks of April. Its FAQ says the exact week moves each year with Easter, and lists more than 30 events: some free, some ticketed and some private events for sponsors and guests. The usual pattern:

  • Wednesday: Queen’s Coronation (free). The Wilmington Art Association’s juried art show and sale opens and runs through Sunday.
  • Thursday: a nationally touring concert at Riverfront Park (tickets). Lil Jon headlined Thursday, April 9, 2026.
  • Friday: the Airlie Luncheon Garden Party and the Cape Fear Garden Club’s azalea garden tour (tickets), the street fair opens (free), the Queen’s Dance Party (tickets) and a second concert.
  • Saturday: the parade (free), the street fair, a static military aviation display and a boxing tournament (free, through Sunday), the Historic Wilmington Home Tour (tickets), the Battleship Boom & Bloom Bonanza (tickets) and fireworks (free).
  • Sunday: the last day of the street fair and Tunes & Blooms (both free).

The parade

The parade brings floats, giant balloons and marching bands down Third Street on the Saturday morning. In 2026 it ran Saturday, April 11:

  • Reviewing stand pre-show: 9 a.m.
  • Parade: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

For 2027, Saturday falls on April 10; the festival has not posted times or the route map yet. The parade map goes up on the parade page. Questions go to parade@ncazaleafestival.org.

The street fair

The street fair is free and runs Friday to Sunday along the downtown waterfront. The festival expects more than 200,000 visitors. The 2026 hours were:

Day Hours
Friday 3 to 7 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A free Performing Arts Stage and a Children’s Area with hands-on activities run Saturday and Sunday. The fair carries on in rain and wind unless conditions turn hazardous. Vendor applications for 2027 are open now on the street fair page.

Concerts

The concerts are at the Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park, 10 Cowan St. The festival’s concert page sets the rules:

  • Tickets come only through the festival’s ETIX ticket office, not Live Nation.
  • Seating runs from VIP boxes and the orchestra pit to reserved seats and the general admission lawn.
  • Prices for every section rise $10 on the day of the show.
  • The venue is cashless (cards only); shows are rain or shine with no refunds.
  • Lawn chairs are allowed if the legs are no taller than 9 inches.

Parking, pets and what to know

  • Parking: the festival says it depends on the event; each event page carries its own parking notes. Our getting around guide lists the downtown decks.
  • Pets: not allowed at any festival event, including emotional support, therapy and companion animals. Trained service animals are allowed. A city ordinance also bans animals inside the festival boundaries and on any street closed for a special event.
  • Azaleas: the bloom is not guaranteed. The festival says it celebrates the region whether the azaleas are out or not.
  • Office: the festival office at 5725 Oleander Drive is closed for renovations; email info@ncazaleafestival.org.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 North Carolina Azalea Festival? Wednesday, April 7, through Sunday, April 11, 2027, according to the festival.

Is the Azalea Festival free? Partly. The street fair, the parade, the fireworks and the Queen’s Coronation are free; the concerts, garden party, home and garden tours and some other events need tickets.

When is the Azalea Festival parade? On the Saturday of festival week along Third Street. In 2026 it ran from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., with a reviewing stand pre-show at 9 a.m. The 2027 times are not posted yet.

Can I bring my dog to the Azalea Festival? No. The festival allows trained service animals only, and a city ordinance bans animals inside the festival boundaries.

Why do the Azalea Festival dates change every year? The festival moves each year around the date of Easter, in the first weeks of April.

What this means for you

  • Book a hotel early if family is coming: the 80th festival is a milestone year.
  • Buy concert tickets online before the day; every section costs $10 more on show day.
  • Parade Saturday is the busiest day: the parade, the street fair and the fireworks all fall on it.

Related: spring break in Wilmington, downtown and the Riverwalk, parks and trails and our other annual event pages for Wilmington Riverfest and the Cucalorus Film Festival.