40th ANNUAL
AZALEA CELEBRATION

Saturday, October 3, 2026

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Applications are now being accepted for the 40th Annual Azalea Celebration!*

*The first 50 completed applications will also receive a complimentary North Carolina Wildflower Mix courtesy of Eden Brothers of Arden, NC.

40th Annual Azalea Celebration

Keep North Carolina Beautiful, in partnership with WRAL and Capitol Broadcasting Company, presents the 40th Annual Azalea Celebration this fall. Over the past 39 years, this program has awarded more than 340,000 complimentary azaleas to over 4,000 nonprofit organizations across North Carolina.

The opportunity to apply for up to 100 complimentary Encore™ Azaleas this October is open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations interested in beautifying their communities by planting azaleas.

Assisted by dozens of volunteers, between 5,000 and 10,000 free azaleas are given away each year. To apply, simply fill out the application form (linked below) and submit it by August 31.

This is a first-come, first-served program open to all qualifying nonprofits. Since quantities are limited, we strongly encourage applicants to submit their applications early to ensure they don’t miss out. All selected recipients will be notified by September 18, along with pickup instructions, including a scheduled time and a detailed map for pickup.

The azalea pickup is located just outside of Garner, NC off of Highway 70 at the WRAL-TV towers site. The azaleas will be loaded into your car, truck, or trailer by Boy Scout Troop 216 of the Occoneechee Council.

These azaleas have been cultivated for over three years, come in a one gallon bucket and will range in size from two to three feet tall, fully ready to plant.

New This Year!

🌸 Celebrate 40 Years of Beauty Across North Carolina! 🌸

In celebration of the 40th Annual Azalea Celebration, Keep North Carolina Beautiful is excited to offer a special incentive for this year’s Azalea Celebration applicants!

The first 50 completed Azalea Celebration applications submitted will also receive a complimentary ¼ lb. package of North Carolina Wildflower Mix, featuring 24 beautiful flower varieties and enough seed mix to plant approximately 300–350 square feet, generously provided by our partner,

Eden Brothers of Arden, NC.

Don’t miss this opportunity to add even more color and pollinator-friendly beauty to your community landscape. Apply early while supplies last!

Reinstated this year!

A.J. Fletcher Grant Program

We are excited to reinstate the A.J. Fletcher grant award this year, courtesy of WRAL/Capitol Broadcasting, for those oranizations that maintain healthy and vibrant azaleas.

Azalea recipients from prior azaleas celebrations (inclusive of calendar years 2021 and prior) can apply to earn the 2026 grant with the application period opening this fall, just a few weeks after the Azalea Celebration.

These grants are meant to reward beautification efforts of Azalea Celebration participants for maintaining their project and plants and can be used to expand a current project or to create a new one altogether

Annual awards are as follows:

1st Place: $500, 100 azaleas, and a gardening package

Second Place: $250, 50 azaleas, and a gardening package

Third Place: $125, 25 azaleas, and a gardening package