Wilmington Parks & Recreation names the Venus flytrap as the new mascot

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — After a spirited community-wide social media competition, the City of Wilmington has officially crowned the Venus flytrap as the newest mascot for the Parks & Recreation Department.

The city recently launched a bracket-style contest featuring eight Wilmington-inspired contenders, giving residents the opportunity to vote for their favorite potential mascot. The lineup included local-themed favorites such as the Venus flytrap, alligator, osprey, and box turtle, sparking what officials described as a surprisingly passionate online debate.

According to the city, nearly 4,000 comments were submitted across social media during the voting period, as residents campaigned for their top choices and engaged in friendly competition to support their picks.

After the final round of voting, the Venus flytrap emerged as the winner and will now serve as the official face of Wilmington Parks & Recreation programming and outreach.

While the mascot has been selected, city officials say there is still one more step in the process: choosing a name. Residents are currently invited to vote on the final name selection, with only a limited time remaining before voting closes.