What do Mardi Gras and the North Carolina Azalea Festival have in common? Well, more than you would think! Both festivals, although founded almost 250 years apart, were created to celebrate the beautiful cities in which they occur.

Mardi Gras is known for its numerous elaborate street parades which are scheduled throughout the festival. People travel from all over the world to catch beads thrown from colorful floats and enjoy the sights and sounds of street parties.

The Azalea Festival is also known for its festive celebratory parade. A parade goer will experience stunning floats adorned with azaleas and other colorful spring flowers, queens, kings, and princesses, marching bands, local celebrities, and many more spectacular sites.

However, with keeping social distancing in mind, 2020 and 2021 has presented festivals with a new opportunity of re-presenting annual street parades…into Porch Parades! In February, Mardi Gras successfully demonstrated to the world that porch parades can be just as exciting and exhilarating as the traditional street parades. Countless other festivals and events across the country have done so as well, including the National Cherry Festival in Michigan and the Portland Rose Festival in Oregon.

Now, the North Carolina Azalea Festival will be following suit and hosting our own Azaleas on Tour Porch Parade, April 5 – April 11, 2021. The community is invited to celebrate by decorating their porch, yard, or windows with the Porch Parade theme of “Azaleas and Spring”!

You will not want to miss this NEW Azalea Festival event….For more information on how you can be a part of this historic re-presented event, and other events, click below.