This past weekend Wilmington hosted the 64th annual North Carolina Azalea Festival. The festival has so many activities that it's hard to take them all in. On Saturday my mother and I visited some of the gardens on the Garden Tour, sponsored by the Cape Fear Garden Club. The Garden Tour is a huge deal every year. There is a ribbon cutting on Friday and everyone breaks out their hats and their best Azalea pink outfits. There are usually around ten gardens on the tour, and in each garden there are several Azalea Belles. Young women, most high school juniors or seniors, are selected to be Azalea Belles. I was one when I was in high school. I mainly remember trying to be graceful in a hoop skirt on a parade float. If you know me, grace is not one of my strong suits. It's amazing that I didn't fall off the float.
This was the first garden we went to. It was a cool, overcast day but the flowers were so pretty.
I could totally get used to this view.
This space was made for me, the pillows even have my initial!!
The Azaleas were so close to peak, they were beautiful. The belles were all lovely, too.
This was my very favorite dress! Wonder why?
If you ever have the chance to attend the
North Carolina Azalea Festival, I highly recommend it. Beyond the garden tour they have concerts each year, (Avett Brothers and Darius Rucker performed this year), a home tour, a street festival, a cake competition, and a parade! The Festival usually takes place at the beginning of April, so make your plans for next year now!
