North Carolina Azalea Festival at Wilmington, Inc.

3 days ago

Over the weekend, we celebrated a major milestone as our Executive Director, Alison Baringer, marked 20 years with the North Carolina Azalea Festival! 🌸

So much has changed over the past two decades:

✨ 20 years ago, the Festival had no social media, not even Facebook. Today, we connect with over 72,000 followers across multiple platforms.

✨ Ticketing looked very different. In 2006, tickets were sold in person at the office, by fax, or by mailing in a newspaper order form with payment. Alison’s first Festival concert was Carrie Underwood’s first show after American Idol, and she had to manually select every seat for the sold-out show in Trask Coliseum.

✨ Since then, Festival concerts have been held in three venues: Trask Coliseum, CFCC’s Schwartz Center parking lot, and now Live Oak Bank Pavilion.

✨ We’ve introduced dozens of new events and programs, including Aces for Azaleas Volleyball Tournament, Azalea Golf Classic, Chefs' Showcase, Jingle in the Park, Pet Royalty Photo Contest, Queen’s Dance Party, Tunes & Blooms, and more.

✨ Some events have retired, like the Cole Bros. Circus, Cake Challenge, Queen’s Arrival, the Summerall Guards Visit, and the Pre-Festival Party.

✨ What was once a one-person, part-time team, Alison has grown into a dedicated staff of four year-round employees.

✨ The Festival has also gained national recognition, including active membership and board representation with the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA).

So much has blossomed in 20 years under Alison’s leadership. We are grateful for her dedication, heart, and vision.

What’s your favorite Azalea Festival memory? 💐 Share it below as we celebrate this special milestone!

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