2024 Azalea Festival Home Tour: What to know about the homes, tickets and dates

Cheryl M. Whitaker, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read

Spring is here and the flowers are blooming, especially the azaleas. The azaleas are a reminder in Wilmington that the North Carolina Azalea Festival is near.

One of the many events scheduled this year is the Historic Wilmington Foundation Azalea Festival Home Tour.

Each year, the Historic Wilmington Foundation aims to shine a spotlight on a district during the Azalea Festival Home Tour. This year, the Foundation will turn its attention toward an unsung historic neighborhood ― Westbrook-Ardmore.

Fire Station No. 5, located at 1702 Wrightsville Ave. in Wilmington, is one of several local landmarks.
Fire Station No. 5, located at 1702 Wrightsville Ave. in Wilmington, is one of several local landmarks.

"Fifteen years since Westbrook-Ardmore was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Foundation is excited to welcome our community into the district during this year's Azalea Festival Home Tour," said Travis Gilbert, executive director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation.

During the tour, the public will browse through the seven featured houses and Quonset hut, exploring a pivotal chapter in Wilmington's early-20th century suburban expansion.

Here's what to know.

What's happening?

The Azalea Festival Home Tour will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7 from 1 to 5 p.m. rain or shine. All proceeds benefit the Historic Wilmington Foundation, a local nonprofit since its founding in 1966 that has been preserving and protecting the irreplaceable historic resources of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear region.

Homes on tour

The Nurnberger-Cavenaugh House located at 1614 Dock St., Wilmington, N.C.
The Nurnberger-Cavenaugh House located at 1614 Dock St., Wilmington, N.C.

Here are just a few of homes on tour:

  • Fire Station No. 5 at 1702 Wrightsville Ave. is the star of this year's show and is one of Wilmington's nine local landmarks. Constructed in 1931 during the Great Depression, the Spanish Colonial has been used as a private residence since 1998. With living quarters upstairs, the first floor has been transformed into a dynamic performance studio. The performing arts company for adults with disabilities, Theatre for All, regularly utilizes the space for practice. Theatre for All will be performing inside the Fire Station for the entirety of the tour.

  • Also on tour will be Nurnberger-Cavenaugh House (built in 1920). The Foundation awarded homeowners Landon Biehl and Matt Rhoney of New Wave Homes a Preservation Award in 2023 for the rehabilitation of this home, including the do-it-yourself restoration of the historic one-over-one sash windows.

  • The Joyner House (1915) is another featured home and is protected in perpetuity by a preservation easement. For the current stewards of the Joyner House, it was important for them to protect the exquisite oak-inlaid floors and coffered ceilings.

More: Wilmington continues to 'grow up' due to land costs, demand and building trends

Where to purchase tickets?

Floor of the Joyner House (1915), located at 1937 Hudson Drive, Wilmington, N.C.
Floor of the Joyner House (1915), located at 1937 Hudson Drive, Wilmington, N.C.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at historicwilmington.org/home-tour. Tickets also can be purchased in person at these three Wilmington locations:

  • Historic Wilmington Foundation's headquarters, 211 Orange St.

  • Legacy Architectural Salvage, 1831-B Dawson St.

  • The Azalea Festival office, 5725 Oleander Drive

The day of the tour, tickets can be purchased at the sales and information booths, located at 1513 Dock St. and 2024 Wrightsville Ave. in Wilmington.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Azalea Festival Home Tour 2024 in Wilmington, NC: Here's what to know