April 8-12, 2026

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The North Carolina Azalea Festival’s mission is to be nationally recognized as a showcase for our community’s rich array
of artwork, gardens, history, and culture through recreational, educational and family-oriented events.
The Festival encourages volunteerism and civic participation as it contributes to the region’s economy
and promotes the unique qualities of Wilmington’s river-to-the-sea community.

While the Azalea Festival will continue to showcase the many diverse cultures of our area at every
Azalea Festival, through the new International Blooms program, the Festival will now also specifically
highlight one country each year. This chosen country will be highlighted at various Festival events
through special musical and dance performances, invited guests and groups representing the country,
food and art displays, and more. In efforts to ensure each country is represented authentically, the
Azalea Festival will work with ambassadors and citizens who have that country’s heritage.

The North Carolina Azalea Festival chose Nigeria as its honored country for the 2025 International Blooms program.

Nigerian Representation in the 2025 Azalea Festival

We were thrilled to partner with a local Nigerian group for this year’s International Blooms program!

Chef Felix Emeke joined us at this year's Chefs' Showcase to share an authentic Nigerian dish with guests. He is the founder of Wilmington’s African Caribbean Market and Eke's African Kitchen, open for weekend lunches.
At this year's highly anticipated Spring Fashion Show, we proudly featured traditional Nigerian clothing! Each look was vibrant, distinctive, and captivated the entire audience.
This year, we once again partnered with Cape Fear Community College's Carpentry Program to design a tasteful parade float that honored Nigerian culture. The float was vibrant, energetic, and filled with proud individuals representing Nigeria in the parade!
For this year’s pre-parade entertainment at the Reviewing Stand, we invited a local Nigerian group to perform, dance, and play music, bringing an upbeat, lively energy to kick off Parade morning!
To kick things off at the Performing Arts Stage in the Street Fair Children’s Area, the group was also invited to perform for Street Fair guests and others to enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out the Performing Arts Stage on Saturday and Sunday to catch a wide array of multicultural performances. You can also catch special performances during the “Parade of Nations” a mini-Parade within the larger Festival Parade!


Thank You to Our International Blooms Presenting Sponsor