New Hanover's Pretty, Pretty Party
By OLD TRUDGE
A pretty little flower did it. Snow¬
balled a local spring holiday into a
nationally known festival, which next
week will have its sixth annual revival
southeastern North Carolina.
Now, with new features added each
ar, Wilmington's Azalea Festival ai¬
ds more people than docs any
tival event in the North State,
ver 150.000 are expected to arrive
the city and environs during the
r-day program, which opens March
th and continues through the 29th.
It's the custom now for families all
r the state to pick up and go to
c the flowers."
The region has millions of them
ooming this spring. Originally, they
re confined to a few private gar-
ns. But once the people got in-
ested. they began to plant them
rywhere — in back yards as well as
t. along the sidewalks and high-
ys and in every public place.
The three places where they are
n to best advantage arc at Green¬
field Lake, at Wilmington; Airlic Gar¬
dens, Wrightsvillc Sound: and at Or¬
ton Plantation, on the river road to
Southport. Most visitors will take in all
three gardens.
But the four-day celebration will in¬
clude a lot of other things besides
sight-seeing. There will be celebrities
on hand to participate and help en¬
tertain. A folk music contest, a rodeo
(brand-new this year), a parade,
dances, and a host of parties which
will go on. day and night, throughout
the region.
To accommodate overnight visitors,
places at Wrightsvillc and Carolina
beaches are opening, and the chamber
of commerce will assist in obtaining
rooms.
On opening day there will be a na¬
tional radio program and initial rodeo
events. On Friday, festival guests will
be introduced from the portico of City
Hall, a community street dance will
be held in the evening, and other
events will include a trotting race and
rodeo show. The teen-age azalea ball
climaxes the evening.
Saturday’s parade will include more
than two-score bands, 50 floats, mil¬
itary units from North Carolina bases,
the festival queen and court, and other
units.
The folk music program, a rodeo
feature and other entertainment is
scheduled for Saturday afternoon and
evening. The queen will be crowned
at the annual coronation ball Saturday
night — the gayest event of the pro¬
gram. Sunday is the big "visiting" day
for the three gardens and for relaxing
at informal parties on the beaches.
Even New Hanover people arc a lit¬
tle surprised at how their azalea party
got to be such a big boy. A long time
ago, the area put on a "Feast of Pi¬
rates" fete, mostly to help promote at¬
tendance at the beaches. It got to be
a lot of trouble and expense, interest
died and the affair was allowed to dry
up. Some years ago, the extensive
blossoming each year of azaleas and
Every year, hundreds of thousands of blos¬
soms are added to the azalea show — and
the program draws more Tar Heels.
THE STATE. Vol. XX; No. 42. Entered as second-class matter, Jane I. 1933. at the Postofflee at Raleigh. North Carolina, under the act of
, March 3, 1*79. PubUshed by Sharpe Publishing Co., Inc., Lawyers Bldg.. RaJelgh. N.
С.
Copyright, 1933, by the Sharpe PubUshlng Co.. Inc.
