Dean Poling
The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA — Has this week’s warmer weather come soon enough for azalea blooms for this weekend’s 10th Annual Azalea Festival?
Usually, the azaleas are in full bloom by mid-March. On a few occasions, azalea bushes have even seen their blooms start to fade by the time of the Azalea Festival. But not this year. This year, South Georgia has experienced a real winter, with freezing temperatures, frosty mornings, even an evening of snow flurries. So, few to almost no azalea blooms so far. Still, blooms or no blooms, with temperatures expected in the high 60s under partly cloudy skies Saturday and Sunday, the Azalea Festival should have plenty to take folks’ minds off the plant life.
For the 10th annual festival, organizers have returned to several favorites from past events with new offerings, too.
“We are excited to be featuring more entertainment than ever at this year’s 10th Annual Azalea Festival,” said Grant Brown, Azalea Festival chairman. “From Frisbee-chasing dogs to racing pigs to cloggers and bands of all kinds; we have it all going on this weekend.”
Events & Information
Arts & crafts vendors, food, roaming entertainers, Native American Village, Robinson’s Racing Pigs, the Fearless Flores Circus, Valdosta Technical College plant sale, Extreme Euro Bungee, Kidzone with the world-famous Disc-Connected K9’s Frisbee Dog Team, Hands-on Kids Art Project, many other children’s attractions, Humane Society “Pet Contest” (2 p.m., March 13, registration 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; $5 per category or $15 for all four; more information: 247-3266); Historical Valdosta Bus Tours (1 p.m. and 3 p.m., March 13, leaves parking lot behind Barnes Drugs at Brookwood Drive; $10, adult; $5, children, tickets available at booth or by calling 245-0513); Bands (Skannyardle, noon-4 p.m., March 13; Daddy’s Money, noon-4 p.m., March 14); 10th anniversary Wild Adventures raffle.
Azalea Festival Century Bike Ride
Saturday
South Lowndes Complex
6440 Ocean Pond Ave., Lake Park
Hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority
Registration: noon-6 p.m., March 5; 7 a.m., March 6.
Cost: $30 per person. Helmets required. Lunch, T-shirt, goody bag provided while supplies last.
More information: Contact Sirocus Barnes, (229) 333-1861 or sirocus.barnes@mchsi.com; of visit the Web site www.vlpra.com
Azalea Festival 5K Road Race and One-Mile Fun Walk/Run
Saturday
Start and finish: VSU Recreation Center, 1500 Sustella Ave., Valdosta
Hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority
8 a.m.: One-Mile Fun Run/Walk
8:30 a.m.: 5-K Road Race starts
9:30 a.m.: Awards ceremony
Registration: 7 a.m., March 13
Cost: $20, individual registration on the day of the race; $50, family registration on the day of the race.
T-shirt and goody bag offered while supplies last.
More information: Contact Sirocus Barnes, (229) 333-1861 or sirocus.barnes@mchsi.com; of visit the Web site www.vlpra.com
