WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The North Carolina Azalea Festival at Wilmington has officially named Elaine Hendrix as this year’s Queen Azalea.
Residents and city leaders gathered to watch the tradition unfold.
“Everyone told me to believe in festival magic, and I certainly woke up this morning and felt just the energy of the community,” said Melissa Lasarsky, Executive Director of the Azalea Festival.
The festival dates back to 1948.
“It’s such a special feeling that only the festival brings of community pride. That’s what this week is going to showcase,” Lasarsky.
The town also introduced the Queen Azalea’s Court during the coronation.
Hendrix attended the Azalea Festival for the first time in 2009. She said Wilmington will always hold a special place in her heart.
“This is an honor for me,” said Elaine Hendrix.
Hendrix is best known for her role as Meredith Blake in the movie “The Parent Trap,” and she most recently appeared as a contestant on the show “Dancing with the Stars.”
But Hendrix says her current role as Queen Azalea is one she takes pride in.
“I learned what joy can do for people’s lives. And I think that events like the Azalea Festival do that for its citizens. It gives us a chance to come together in such an uplifting way to share with one another,” said Hendrix.
Hendrix’s focus on representing joy is why Lasarsky said she was chosen for the role.
“The fact that this is her second appearance with the festival shows that she enjoyed it enough to want to do it a second time,” said Lasarsky. “But to hear her today, she wants to represent joy and inspiration in this community that’s just such a heartfelt thing and reflects why she was asked to be Queen Azalea.”
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