Hello, everyone!!
My name is Mia Volety, and I am beyond thrilled to be the 77th Azalea Festival Princess! A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Kande, Mrs. Amy, Mrs. Christy, and Clara, as well as my family and friends, Minh, our amazing judge’s panel, and the generous sponsors and dedicated volunteers who bring this event to life. I am so excited to represent Wilmington this year alongside my court!
Starting off strong!
My court and I have had an amazing first month representing the Festival and Wilmington. Our first appearances included attending an Azalea Festival Committee meeting, traveling to Raleigh to visit the Governor and witness the official proclamation of the Festival being signed, and participating in the annual Azalea Sweep, where we helped beautify downtown Wilmington by collecting trash. I also had the opportunity to walk in the Azalea Festival Fashion Show, attend a couple incredibly impressive art openings, and conclude the month by honoring this year’s Emeritus Pin honoree, Debi Causey.
Post-Festival!
It’s now been a couple weeks since the festivities concluded and I’m still riding high from an unforgettable week full of new memories, connections, and experiences! We kicked things off with a beautiful coronation ceremony, followed by my favorite day, Community Day. My court and I had a blast with the gifted students at St. Mark’s and the Brigade Boys & Girls Club. We also had the chance to learn more about all the incredible work being done at Novant Health and attended the Celebrity Luncheon.
Friday’s events were especially close to my heart as we helped kick off the Garden Tour and celebrated the Cape Fear Garden Club’s centennial, explored the breathtaking gardens at the Airlie Luncheon, and danced the night away at the Queen’s Dance Party and the Flo Rida concert.
Thank you to everyone who came out for the parade and street fair performances, and later that evening, the Patron’s Gala and Booms & Blooms at the Battleship. We wrapped it all up with a perfect round of putt-putt with the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation on Sunday!
Thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and patrons who make Wilmington the best!
