April 3-7, 2024

COUNTDOWN:

Days
Hours
Minutes

Queen Azalea

Carli holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Theatre Arts from Appalachian State University where she also served as Co-Captain of their Dance Team. Carli attributes her debt-free education to the scholarship opportunities provided by the Azalea Festival Scholarship Pageant, Miss North Carolina and Miss America organizations where she had held the titles of Miss Wilmington, Miss Greater Sampson County, Miss Cleveland, and ultimately, Miss North Carolina 2021. As Miss NC, she competed at the 100th Anniversary Miss America Competition where she advocated for the needs of performing arts communities with her social impact initiative, Carolina Cares. With Carolina Cares, and her Blue Bucket Brigade, she raised over $30,000 for community arts programs across North Carolina & beyond! She is currently living in Wilmington, where she is on staff at American Leadership Academy- Coastal, onstage at Thalian Hall, and loving her new fur-baby, Gus. She is thrilled to be back celebrating the 76th Azalea Festival which is near and dear to her heart. As a third generation Wilmingtonian, she has served on the Azalea Festival Youth Committee, Princess Court, Queen’s Court, was an Invited Guest as Miss NC, and now Azalea Queen. From a little girl watching the parade street side, to participating in an array of NCAF events, Carli is embracing this full circle moment as your Queen Azalea and is honored to represent the Festival’s history & future!

Carli Batson
2023

Nia Franklin
2022

Nia Imani Franklin is a composer, actress, and singer who has had her music performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Friction Quartet, and many others. Nia also became the Composer in Residence at Festival Napa Valley in 2021, where she premiered several works and was awarded the Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Classical Music. After concluding her Lincoln Center fellowship in New York City, she earned the jobs of Miss New York 2018 and Miss America 2019. She recently released her EP, “Extended,” which featured her RnB songs, and her viral orchestra piece, “Chrysalis Extended.”

Nia holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Composition and Theory from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, as well as a master’s degree in Music Composition from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. In 2019, she founded Compose Her – an initiative that seeks to empower women in music.

Past Queens

Nia Franklin
2022

Victoria Huggins
2021

Anne Hawthorne
2020

Briana Venskus
2019

Beth Troutman
2018

Kira Kazantsev
2017

Anna Kooiman
2016

Mallory Hagan

Mallory Hagan
2015

Kirsten Haglund

Kirsten Haglund
2014

Jennifer Wayne

Jennifer Wayne
2013

Heather French Henry

Heather French Henry
2011

Ericka Dunlap

Ericka Dunlap
2012

Lindsey Shaw
2010

Amprapali Ambegaokar

Amrapali Ambegaokar
2009

Barbara Alyn Woods

Barbara Alyn Woods
2008

Amy Pietz

Amy Pietz
2007

Tanisha Lynn
2006

Kelly Packard

Kelly Packard
2005

2004-DariAlexander6

Dari Alexander
2004

2003-TraceyBregman6

Tracey Bregman
2003

Valerie Wildman
2002

Nikki Deloach

Nikki Deloach
2001

Nina Repeta

Nina Repeta
2000

Sydney Penny

Sydney Penny
1999

Alla Korot
1998

Lauren Roman

Lauren Roman
1997

Gina Tognoni

Gina Tognoni
1996

Laura Bonarrigo

Laura Bonarrigo
1995

Laura Sisk
1994

1993-KellyRipa6

Kelly Ripa
1993

Clare Carey

Clare Carey
1992

Tonja Walker

Tonja Walker
1991

Kate Collins
1990

Rebecca Arthur

Rebecca Arthur
1989

Kim Morgan Greene

Kim Morgan Greene
1988

Robin Greer

Robin Greer
1987

Kim Zimmer
1986

Phylicia A. Rashad

Phylicia A. Rashad
1985

Sharon Wyatt

Sharon Wyatt
1984

Laura Bonarrigo

Tina Gayle
1983

Lynda Goodfriend
1982

Maureen Teefy

Maureen Teefy
1981

Lacey Neuhaus

Lacey Neuhaus
1980

Laurie Walters

Laurie Walters
1979

Nancy Addison
1978

Francesca James

Francesca James
1977

Rita McLaughlin

Rita McLaughlin
1976

Stephanie Braxton

Stephanie Braxton
1975

Sharon Gless
1974

Joan Van Ark

Joan Van Ark
1973

Ann Elder

Ann Elder
1972

Phyllis Davis

Phyllis Davis
1971

Karen Jensen
1970

Chris Noel

Chris Noel
1969

Linda Cristal

Linda Cristal
1968

Melody Patterson

Melody Patterson
1967

Ulla Strömstedt
1966

Patricia Blair

Patricia Blair
1965

Abby Dalton

Abby Dalton
1964

Nancy Malone

Nancy Malone
1963

Whitney Blake
1962

Shelly Fabares

Shelley Fabares
1961

Linda Christian

Linda Christian
1960

Debra Paget

Debra Paget
1959

Esther Williams
1958

Kathryn Grayson

Kathryn Grayson
1957

Polly Bergen

Polly Bergen
1956

Sara Shane

Sara Shane
1955

Ella Raines
1954

Alexis Smith

Alexis Smith
1953

Cathy Downs

Cathy Downs
1952

Margaret Sheridan

Margaret Sheridan
1951

Gregg Sherwood
1950

Martha Hyer

Martha Hyer
1949

Jacqueline White

Jacqueline White
1948