The North Carolina Rhododendron Festival will take place in Bakersville, North Carolina, June 20th and 21st, 2025. The festival, in it’s 78th year, draws hundreds of visitors from all over the region and features the Rhododendron Festival Pageant, the Craft Fair with food vendors, children’s activities, live music throughout the day, as well as a classic car show, a 10K run, and 2 nights of street dancing. The festival coincides with the yearly blooming of the rhododendron atop Roan Mountain, home of the world’s largest, naturally occurring rhododendron gardens. Contestants for this year’s events below.
Junior Rhododendron Contestants
Eliza Kate Bray
Age 10
New London
Musical Theatre
Age 12
Marion
Lyrical
Kennedy Kirk
Age 12
Morganton
Musical Theatre
Kylie Penfield
Age 11
Marion
Musical Theatre
Age 11
Statesville
Musical Theatre
Queen Rhododendron Contestants
Ella Holley
Age 18
Goldsboro
Vocal
Emilee Bradley
Age 18
Lenoir
Jazz Dance
Gracyn Strickland
Age 19
Burgaw
Vocal
Kaylyn Fairchild
Age 19
Marion
Vocal
