1. Wilmingtonians Know The Azalea Festival Is Bigger Than Christmas
In San Francisco they love Burning Man, in
Wilmington they love the Azalea Festival. Saying they have local pride for the bash doesn’t even cover it.
All year long they plan for the annual community celebration that draws more than 300,000 people. The festival lasts for five days and the locals of Wilmington make it a true affair with garden and home tours, and participating to the hilt.
Over 1,000 people volunteer and the entire town comes together to show everyone what Wilmington has to offer with true, Southern charm.
2. Everyone In Wilmington Is A Beach Bum
Whether they are sunbathing, hanging out on the pier, surfing or just having a beer or meal by the water, Wilmington locals love the beach and have definitely mastered the art of life as a beach bum.
And it’s kind of a no-brainer with the three amazing beach communities to enjoy: Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure… all drumming to a different beat.
3. Wilmingtonians Are All Stand Up Paddleboarding Champions
While the surfer dudes and dudettes stick to just one tune, the paddleboarders in Wilmington are a diverse bunch, but take their passion just as seriously. Paddleboarding groups, classes, races, meetups, competitions, yoga on paddleboards—and they’ll even one-up the surfers themselves with paddleboarding surfing. Only for the truly righteous.
It doesn’t matter if they’re out on calm water or in the ocean, Wilmingtonians will tell you exactly why SUP is great for your mind, body and spirit.
4. ... And Fishing Addicts
These people will find a way to do it any time the mood strikes them. While many folks in Wilmington go fancy with fishing charters, there are just as many that will fish right from the beach.
Freshwater, saltwater and sea water… in Wilmington they do it all. They even have a local publication, the Fishermans Post Newspaper, that specifically covers all the saltwater fishing action.
5. Everyone Always Needs A Bigger Boat In Wilmington
Wilmington is Port City, and the long time locals can’t escape a love for boating. Many of them spent their childhood playing on or arounds boats, so it’s only natural.
When it comes to boats, they know how to play big, especially when it comes to their yachts. There’s numerous yacht clubs in the area, with the favorites being Inlet Watch and Figure Eight Island. For those who want to play like the big boys without the big investment, a luxury yacht charter is the ticket to satiating the boat craze.
6. Southern Belles Are Alive And Well In Wilmington
Okay, so maybe this isn’t the standard daily getup in Wilmington, but it still does happen, and more often than you would think.
The throwback attire is especially prominent during proms, the Azalea Festival, and other formal ceremonies. It seems like a lot of preparation, but these ladies are out and proud of their Southern heritage. You’ll spot them at the garden tours for the Cape Fear Garden Club during the Azalea Festival.
7. Wilmingtonians Are All Movie Stars In Waiting
Since 1983 “Hollywood East” has been a part of more than 400 film productions. Did you hear of that one movie last year called “Iron Man 3”? Right here in Wilmington. It was just one of three box-office hits filmed in town last year. And 2014 has already been busy too. Locals are more than proud of their hometown’s time in the spotlight.
There’s even a local blog and radio program with the latest updates about all the TV shows and movies that are filmed in Wilmington. And you thought people in California were obsessed with celebrities.
8. Artists Are Everywhere In Wilmington
It doesn’t matter if they are an actor, actress, painter, blues musician, dancer, filmmaker, sculptor, writer, or part of the Blues Society or the Symphony Orchestra - whatever these people do, they do it with artistic style and flair.
Need more proof? There are 39 art galleries in downtown, along with the Cameron Art Museum, The Cape Fear Jazz Society, The Bellamy Mansion of History and Design Art, and the Thalian Hall Theater. Just because these people hold on to their Southern roots doesn’t mean they’re not high-class.
9. Wilmingtonians Can't Get Past The Past
Wilmington is steeped in history and the locals love celebrating their past. The USS North Carolina is moored just across the river from downtown, and the people participate in reenactments, living history dinners, lectures, tours and more.
Sometimes you’ll feel as though you just stepped back into Civil War time.
10. People Can Get A Little Mushy Here
In the end, everyone from Wilmington is a romantic, and they’re not afraid of a little PDA.
You’ll see them holding hands along the pier, snuggling on the Riverwalk, or stealing kisses on the beach. Valentine's Day doesn't just mean dinner at a restaurant—it means dinner on an evening river cruise with Wilmington Water Tours.
Romantic public proposals, candlelit beach dinners, and a sweet romantic vibe flows through the city—it's undeniably Wilmington.
Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think is unique about Wilmington in the comments below!
