Azalea Festival 2026: Here’s What You Need To Know.

Published on April 02, 2026

The 79th annual North Carolina Azalea Festival is happening next week, and organizers are expecting about 100,000 people to descend on downtown Wilmington to take part in a full slate of events, including the street fair and parade (and fireworks!).

Here’s what you need to know before you head out.

Click here for a full list of events.

Street Fair

The Street Fair will take place Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 12. (Specific times are noted below) and features lots of vendors, live entertainment, a performing arts stage and children's activities area. The street fair runs along Front Street between Orange and Red Cross streets. A map, which includes specific vendors and staging areas, can be found here.

Street Fair event times:

• Friday, 4/10 – 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
• Saturday, 4/11 – 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Sunday, 4/12 – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm 

Road closures:

The follow streets will be closed beginning 7 a.m. Friday, April 10, and lasting until 6 p.m. Sunday, April 12:

• Front Street between Red Cross Street & Orange Street
• Dock Street between Water Street & Second Street
• Second Street between Market Street & Dock Street
• Market Street between Water Street & Front Street

Azalea Festival Parade

The Azalea Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, April 11, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. The parade will begin at the intersection of Third and Market streets and move north along Third Street, ending at Brunswick Street.

A map of the parade route can be found here.

Road closures for the parade are as follows:

• Front St between Orange St & Castle St
• 2^nd St between Orange St & Castle St
• 3^rd St between Harnett St & Castle St
• 4^th St between Red Cross St & Castle St
• Harnett St between 4^th St & 3^rd St
• Bladen St between 4^th St & 3^rd St
• Brunswick St between 4^th St & Front St
• Hanover St between 4^th St & 2^nd St
• 2^nd St between Hanover St & Brunswick St
• Campbell St between 4^th St & 3^rd St
• Red Cross St between 4^th St & 2^nd St
• Walnut St between 5^th St & 2^nd St                
• Grace St between 5^th St & 2^nd St                                         
• Chestnut St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Princess St between 5^th St & 2^nd St *Late closure 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Market St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Dock St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Orange St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Ann St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Nun St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Church St between 5^th St & 2^nd St
• Surry St between Church St & Castle St

Parking for the weekend events

• On-Street metered parking will be free all weekend, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 10.
• All parking decks will be $10 flat rate beginning Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, excluding Riverplace
• Convention Center and 929/Skyline parking decks will also be $10 for the Thurs/Friday concerts (+all weekend)
• 2^nd St parking lot will be closed for festival use
• Hannah Block parking lot will be posted daily rates