The Azalea Festival is a multi-day event that's huge with Wilmington locals. Our little beach town is growing more and more by the day it seems, and it looks like this year's festival will have an amazing turnout! If you're heading to the festival, whether you're a first-timer, or a long-time local festival lover, it can be overwhelming looking at the huge lineup of events and trying to pick out what to wear. We took a look at the lineup, made a list of the biggest events, when they're happening, and what you should wear!**
Azalea Festival 2026: Where to Go & What to Wear
Garden Tours (Saturday Apr 11 - Sunday Apr 12): Garden tours are open Saturday until Sunday from 10am until 5pm. This is an outdoor event, and Wilmington can get HOT in April! Focus on breathable fabrics, comfortable shoes, and, since it's a garden tour, why not wear something floral? A breathable floral dress is the perfect starting point for your garden tour outfit. Airlie Gardens is an historic garden, and the terrain is a mixture of grass, dirt paths, and crushed oyster shells which means super high heels are not your friend at the garden tour.
If you need added height to keep your dress from touching the ground, an espadrille wedge helps distribute your weight evenly so you won't have to worry about sinking into the grass. Another option is a short, suede western bootie, which would look adorable with that floral dress, and protects your toes from dirt and ants (which, unfortunately, can be a real problem during a garden tour).
Concerts (Thursday Apr 9 and Friday Apr 10): The concerts are nighttime events taking place at the Live Oak Pavilion. Thursday's concert features Grammy award winner Lil Jon, one of the biggest names in hip hop, electronic dance music, and pop culture. Friday's concert features Dustin Lynch, who has built one of the most consistent recording careers in modern country music.
First, a MUST: Bring noise-canceling headphones for your kids! For your outfit, don't dress too fancy. This is a lowkey, outdoor concert, not a masquerade ball. Aim for an outfit that's easy to layer. A high-quality graphic tee and a pair of jeans is a phenomenal starting point, just bring along a sweater or a denim jacket to put on. It could be 75 degrees and sunny at 5:00PM, but by the time the concert starts a couple hours later and the sun goes down, you're right on the river, so the breeze can get verrrry cold.
Western boots or fashion sneakers should be your footwear of choice, regardless of outfit, because open-toed shoes or high heels at an outdoor venue is a filthy foot or broken toe waiting to happen! It's important you bring a crossbody bag or a belt bag for all of your valuables, too. Leaving your purse on the ground, wide open at a nighttime concert, is not a wise move, and big totes can be annoying to carry in a crowd. Plus, a crossbody bag means you have a free hand for your drink!
Street Fair (Friday Apr 10 - Sunday Apr 12): The fair is downtown and open 6pm until 10pm on Friday, open from 10am until 10pm on Saturday, and open from 10am until 5pm. The street fair is one of the highlights for the Azalea Festival. It's vibrant, it's fun, but... it can get hot and crowded fast.
Dress for comfort and focus on breathable fabrics. This is an outdoor event and it can get very hot and humid. A cotton or linen vest lets you enjoy the sunshine without overheating, and you can pair it with a flowy skirt or cotton or linen pants if you're worried about chafing potentially ruining your day. Natural fibers like cotton or linen are far more breathable than anything you own made of polyester. Blacktop heat and Wilmington humidity can be brutal. Even though the thermostat reads 75 degrees, it could end up feeling like 90 degrees, so focus on natural fibers and breathable materials. Polyester is a sweat trap. And bring a water bottle or two!
Downtown Wilmington has many brick and cobblestone roads, so pick your footwear appropriately! Stylish sneakers or sandals with a flat back (so they don't flop off) are a great go-to footwear option for the street fair. Downtown Wilmington's roads are famous heel traps, and you don't want to break your ankle. Leave your wedges at the garden tour.
Parade (Saturday Apr 11): The grand public kickoff for the Azalea Festival is the morning of Saturday April 11. Watch Queen Azalea, giant balloons, distinguised guests, and marching performers in one of the biggest parade events in the entire Southeast! Make sure you grab a spot for this one, because it's a free event! It's roughly two hours long, so if you want to the stay for the entire parade, dress comfortably and bring chairs or towels to sit on if needed.
Bring something that is easily convertible to keep you warm in the 9 AM cool air, but won't suffocate you when the heat cranks up by the end of the parade. Again, breathable, natural fibers should be a top priority here. Polyester anything can stay at home in your closet. Wide leg linen trousers keep you warm in the morning and are breathable enough to help you manage the heat around noon. Pair it with a denim jacket that you can easily slide on or off, and a stylish hat or a pair of shades to keep the sun out of your eyes.
There's also the curbside dilemma. You want to wear something that's comfortable enough to sit down in, but you certainly don't want to flash the parade drivers. That means miniskirts are for sure a no-no for the parade. You'll spend half your time tugging it down while you're sitting on your blanket/on the curb, and ruin your experience!
Battleship Boom and Bloom (Saturday Apr 11): Between 7:00 - 9:30 PM, enjoy a fireworks show on the Battleship! Weather and wind on the battleship can be chilly, so bring cold-weather clothes and accessories. Put on a heavy, 100% cotton chunky knit sweater or an oversized coastal cardigan so you can stay warm.
If you're watching from the boardwalk, make sure to leave the heels at home. The wooden plank walkways guarantee that heels and wedges will get stuck and ruined. Fashion sneakers, closed-toe mules, or flat ankle boots should be your footwear of choice.
For bottoms, something sensible works best. You'll be doing a lot of sitting and standing during the fireworks show, without much movement. Relaxed fit denim or wide leg pants ensure you're comfy while you're sitting in your spot watching the grand finale. Another important thing: bring noise-canceling headphones for any kids you're carrying with you!
Hopefully now you feel more prepared for the busy (but fun-filled) Azalea Festival weekend! Enjoy yourself, and we hope have the best time at Wilmington's biggest local celebration!