Seahawk Sun Run

🎉 What

• Event: North Carolina Azalea Festival Seahawk Sun Run in Partnership with UNCW Homecoming
• Location: UNCW Campus
• Includes: A 5K and 1 Mile
• Participation: Walk or run either event

📅 Date

• When: Saturday, February 15, 2025

📍 Start/Finish Line Location

• Address: UNCW - The Longleaf Trail
• Details: 5270 Randall Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403

🏃Distances Offered

• 5K: This event is timed
• 1 Mile: This event is not timed
• Participation: You can walk or run either event

✍️ 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.

🚗 Parking

• Available: Parking is available at the Randall Drive Lot
• Details: Park at any legal parking spot at UNCW

📅 Packet Pickup & Race Schedule

• Schedule: Click HERE for the full schedule of events

💖 How Your Registration Makes a Difference

The Azalea Festival Seahawk Sun Run benefits several great organizations.

🌸 North Carolina Azalea Festival

• Proceeds: 100% of your proceeds go to the North Carolina Azalea Festival.
• Mission: To stimulate the economy and promote volunteerism.
• Impact: Creates an estimated 51 million dollars annually in economic stimulus.

🎓 Fellowship in Volunteerism & Civic Engagement Scholarship

• Proceeds: 100% proceeds go to the Fellowship in Volunteerism and Civic Engagement Scholarship at UNCW.
• Support: Provides scholarships for UNCW students who intern with the Festival.
• Focus: Emphasizes non-profit event management skills and community service.

🐾 Paws4People

• Proceeds: For participants participating with their dog, 50% of your proceeds go to paws4people.
• Goal: Facilitates opportunities for individuals to experience a fulfilling life.

🌼 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.

🌟 Snapshot of Our Mission

• Community: Locally-grown, with the first Azalea Festival held in 1948.
• Economic Impact: Our mission is to stimulate the economy and promote volunteerism.
• Volunteerism: Over 1,000 volunteers support around 50 Azalea Festival events each year.
• Notable Guests: Many big names have joined us at the Azalea Festival.