The Valdosta-Lowndes County Azalea Festival returns Saturday and Sunday, March 9 and 10.

The festival celebrates the spring bloom that has given Valdosta the nickname of the Azalea City while sharing many of the assets that make the city and Lowndes County a good place to live.

Even though the festival may get a wet start from forecast rains Saturday, Sunday promises drier, but cool, weather.

Featuring local entertainment, vendors and numerous activities for participants of all ages, the Azalea Festival has become an expected March treat for the area for the past two decades.

Yes, hard to believe, but it’s true: This will be the 24th Annual Azalea Festival.

In 2000, organizers had an idea of celebrating the community through the blooms of Valdosta’s many azaleas.

Why not create a festival that celebrates Valdosta-Lowndes County’s community spirit while honoring the region’s abundance of azalea blooms each March?

In March 2001, the first Azalea Festival was a one-day affair in Drexel Park.

It has grown and adapted each year since.

Through the years, thousands of people have made the Azalea Festival possible and shaped what it has become.

The participation of thousands of area residents and visitors have made it an annual success. Even after having to cancel at the last minute in 2020 due to the pandemic, the festival successfully returned last year to Drexel Park.

The festival is named for the region’s azaleas, a plant that blooms for a brief and beautiful period around this time of year.

But more than the blooms, the Azalea Festival celebrates the people and things that make Valdosta-Lowndes County a beautiful place to live throughout the year.

The festival offers a taste of what makes our region great.