Azalea Sun Run

WHAT:
Azalea Sun Run presented by Harris Teeter

Join us at the beach! The Azalea Festival is excited to host the Azalea Sun Run on the sand at Wrightsville Beach.  The event includes a 5K and 1 Mile on the beach.  You can walk or run either event.  This is a great way to stick to those New Year Fitness Goals and get ready for spring and the Azalea Festival!  

After Sun Run Fun! Immediately following the Sun Run, the Oceanic Restaurant is hosting the After Sun Run Fun event for all participants and their families.  All participants receive a special discount in their registration.

DATE:
Saturday, February 4, 2023

START/FINISH LINE LOCATION:
Oceanic Pier
703 S Lumina Ave
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

DISTANCES OFFERED:
5K - Run or Walk - This event is timed
1 Mile - Run or Walk - This event is not timed

HOW TO REGISTER:
Register Before the Race: Click on the SIGN UP button in the upper right corner
Register At Pre-Race Packet Pickup or On Race Day:  To register at packet pickup or at the race, we will provide a QR code for you to register on your phone.  You can also register online from your phone or device up until the race starts. 

PARKING:
Parking is available at any legal parking spot in Wrightsville Beach near the Oceanic Pier.  Parking fees do not apply in February.

PACKET PICKUP & RACE SCHEDULE:
Click HERE for the full schedule of events

ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA AZALEA FESTIVAL 
The North Carolina Azalea Festival is held every Spring in Wilmington, North Carolina. The Azalea Festival’s roots go back to 1934 with Dr. Houston Moore who had the vision of transforming un-kept, swampy Greenfield Lake into a beautifully landscaped park. He enlisted the support of a coalition of local clubs, headed by the Wilmington Rotary Club, to bring the vision to life. It took nearly ten years of financial ups and down before the park finally blossomed, but once it did, its splendor inspired Dr. Moore to conceive the idea of a Festival to be held annually ‘when the flowers burst into bloom’. The first North Carolina Azalea Festival was held in 1948 and despite modest projections, drew over 60,000 spectators – including one invited guest that came all the way from Hollywood: movie queen Jacqueline White, who was named the first Queen Azalea.

Here is a quick snapshot of who we are:

- We're locally-grown; in 1948 Wilmington citizens and various community groups came together to create the first Azalea Festival.
- Our mission is to stimulate the economy and promote volunteerism.
- We help create an estimated $51 million dollars annually in economic stimulus.
- We have over 1,000 volunteers who help plan, manage, and orchestrate around 50 Azalea Festival events each year.
- Many big names have joined us at the Azalea Festival: President Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Carrie Underwood, Duran Duran, Snoop Dogg, Kelly Ripa, Phylicia Rashad, Michael Jordan...just to name a few!