The stage where Sharon Lawrence was crowned Queen Azalea was adorned with pink and gold balloon arches. Patt Noday welcomed everyone to the beginning of the 77th North Carolina Azalea Festival and presented the American flag. Noday thanked the volunteers who help with the festival.
The guests of the festival were introduced and thanked by Noday. The Princess Minh Vu of the N.C. Azlea Festival thanked the crowd and introduced her court. The Queen's Court is made up of winners from the previous year. Keydet escort accompanied each court member, and they included Robert Slater, Colby Slade, Alexander Melvin, Liam Loughlin, Jon Krueger, Kyle Dargis, and Francis Boehling Lawrence, a North Carolina native, was formally introduced by Noday after the Queen's Court was introduced. Lawrence said that he will treasure this time and that those who have grown up and moved away will recognize the value of being from this state. Lawrence was announced as the queen in March. The Queen Azalea is best known for her work in "On Becoming a God in Central Florida" and "Home Before Dark" for Apple+. Lawrence has had recurring roles in shows such as "Rebel," "Criminal Minds," "Shameless," "The Ranch," "Queen Sugar" and "NYPD Blue". She was an accomplished stage actress and founding member of the North Carolina Theatre. She was in "A Kid Like Jake," "The Mystery of Love and Sex," "Love, Noel," and "A Song at Twilight." Lawrence received the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for her role in "Orson's Shadow". Lawrence received a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She is a member of the Board for the Heal the Bay and the second vice president at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. This year's festival will feature concerts, street festivals, a parade, garden tours, and more. Noday said that he knew they had to give back to the community. The first queen in festival history to be from Wilmington was crowned last year by the Mayor.