Wilmington's North Carolina Azalea Festival has announced two concert headliners for 2027.
One is a big name making his first appearance in Wilmington, while the other act has played the festival several times in the past.
On Thursday, April 7, retired basketball star Shaquille O'Neal will perform at the Azalea Festival as DJ Diesel, his electronic dance music alter ego. It will mark the first time O'Neal, who won four NBA championships over the course of his 19-year professional career and has released rap albums and appeared in movies, has appeared publicly in Wilmington.
O'Neal is also a well-known basketball commentator.
On Friday, April 8, longtime North Carolina folk rock band The Avett Brothers will headline the festival.
It will be the fifth
time the Avett Brothers have headlined the Azalea Festival, having played it previously in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2021.
Both concerts will take place at Live Oak Bank Pavilion in downtown Wilmington. Tickets for both shows go on sale 11 a.m. Nov. 9.
The 80th annual N.C. Azalea Festival, Wilmington's biggest annual festival, is scheduled for April 7-11, 2027.
John Staton is the arts and culture reporter at the StarNews. You can reach him at jstaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington's Azalea Festival announces concert headliners for 2027
