North Carolina Azalea Festival
north carolina azalea festival annual community festival wilmington north carolina largest festival kind state founded take place april azalea festival began idea dr w houston moore md dr moore held meeting wilmington chamber commerce civil club representative discus begin planning first azalea festival festival would take place april would serve purpose showcasing local garden airlie garden orton garden greenfield garden following letter written mr morton gayle ward response request information festival beginning dear gayle dr w houston moore md wonderful old gentleman lived block market street active rotary club beautifying greenfield park azalea dogwood flowering plant decided invite leading civic club wilmington send representative meeting chamber commerce building behind city hall discus feasibility holding azalea festival would celebrate beauty greenfield orton airlie garden around town sent wilmington jaycees representative first meeting probably minute somewhere list attended first gathering recall henry rehder wallace murchison kenneth sprunt starnews editor john hope paul marshburn among one particularly supportive dr moore idea business trip caused miss second meeting somewhat informal committee upon returning town advised electedselected president first azalea festival level best talk way dr moore persuasive determined guy promise support around room others committee first azalea festival took place april garden peak beauty weather perfect festival cleared profit knew would never see second festival first absolutely ideal queen jacqueline white rko radio picture top celebrity ted malone originated coasttocoast abc radio network program platform front community center second street nc governor r gregg cherry crowned queen lumen ballroom wrightsville beach community saddened dr moore died summer following festival whole town pleased believe died happy first azalea festival rousing success best regard hugh morton number event made azalea festival schedule including azalea open invitational arnold palmer took home title first sidewalk show held continued tradition since festival cancelled response coronavirus pandemic airlie garden span acre wilmington property created garden less mile ocean planted various type flora ownership garden changed hand several time gone acre km land grant king george ii comparably smaller acre garden open public viewing garden tour open public include visit several different area airlie including butterfly garden mystery grave minnie evans sculpture garden latter bottlechapel along metal ceramic sculpture airlie garden also host summer camp educational program available public tradition held azalea festival belle young lady serve hostess guide garden area tradition began suggestion president cape fear garden club time first year seven girl played role azalea belle become azalea belle one must apply position however precedence given girl either daughter granddaughter cape fear garden club member girl new hanover county high school next nc azalea belle belle member cape fear garden club may committee sponsored applying belle chairman new azalea belle policy adopted number belle needed year dependent upon size garden tour determined belle chairman also young lady may serve belle one year may azalea festival scholarship pageant year serf belle august belle longer affiliated north carolina azalea festival north carolina azalea festival brought number people wilmington area serve festival queen queen crowned first day festival past participant include celebrity visited southern town wilmington festival including guest visitor queen emcee festival included