Azalea Festival Shag contest deadline Saturday

North Carolina designated the Shag as the official state popular dance in 2005. It’s been a favorite, though, for much longer.

In fact, a Shag contest is a popular part of the North Carolina Azalea Festival. In the past five years it’s grown from about 200 to about 500 people watching the contest. As for the people who are entertaining the crowd with the fancy footwork, all age groups and skills participate. Organizers say it’s quite a show.

“The dancers are phenomenal,” Shag contest organizer Eddie Baker said. “They can do so much, especially the juniors. Everybody wishes we were as limber as the juniors are now.”

If you’d like to participate in the Shag contest, you still have time.The deadline to get a guaranteed spot in the contest is Saturday.

The Shag contest is April 10 at the Cape Fear Community College Schwartz Center.