Lindsey Shaw's voice showed a mix of surprise and excitement when informed that Amy Pietz, the actress who played her mother on the defunct CW sitcom "Aliens in America," served as the 60th Azalea queen in 2007.

"Oh my gosh, I am totally going to call her when I get off the phone and tell her that I am following in her footsteps," Shaw said. "That is such an honor."

On Wednesday, Shaw, a 20-year-old actress whose current gig is a leading role on the ABC Family series "10 Things I Hate About You," will be crowned the 63rd queen of the N.C. Azalea Festival during a ceremony at Riverfront Park.

Asked if she might pump Pietz for any pointers on being the queen, Shaw, who showed evidence of a quick wit during a phone interview on Monday, said, "I'm going to ask her what's the most nerve-racking moment. Just kidding. I'm probably going to ask her what she wore and how formal I need to be because I assume that ... I'm going to be way out of place with what I'm wearing."

Shaw, a self-described tomboy, did four or five pageants such as "Universal Miss and all of this ridiculous stuff when I was younger," she said. "But being girly -- I don't usually do that. I usually put on jeans and a sparkly top and it's good to go."

On "10 Things I Hate About You," a show that manages to be tru-to-life, more thoughtful and less vulgar than most of what passes for family entertainment these days, Shaw plays Kat Stratford, a sweet-natured high schooler who puts up ...
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WORLD’S BIGGEST FEST-LIST

LEGEND: CO = CAMPING ON-SITE; CR = CAMPING REMOTE ; HO = HOOKUPS ON-SITE; HR = HOOKUPS REMOTE; A = WHEELCHAIRS OK ; I = INTERPRETED FOR HEARING IMPAIRED

5/1-6; SHENANDOAH APPLE BLOSSOM FEST–Where: Winchester, Va. Info: John H. Rosenberger II, Exec. Director, Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, 135 N. Cameron St., Winchester, VA 22601; Ph: 540-662-3863; Fx: 540-662-7274. (E-mail: ; Web: ). 649 to go….

5/2; PONDEROSA STOMP–Where: House of Blues, New Orleans, La. Featuring: Wardell Quezergue & the New Orleans Rhythm & Blues Revue, Dan Penn, Dale Hawkins, Little Jimmy Scott, Augie Meyers, Skip Pitts, Barbara Lynn, AI “Carnival Time” Johnson, Lazy Lester, Willie Tee, Rockie Charles, Jay Chevalier, Roy Head, Joe Clay and more. Info: Skipper Bond, Bond PR & Brand Strategies; Ph: 504-897-0462 or 504-598-6225. (E-mail: ; Web: )

HIS AND HERS FEST WASHBAG S FROM AMAZON

Festival Washbag Kit His
Festival Washbag Kit Hers

5/2-5; ST. LOUIS STORYTELLING FEST–Where: St. Louis, Mo. Tix: FREE. Info: University of Missouri, St. Louis, Continuing Education & Outreach, St. Louis Storytelling Fest, One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121-...
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Apollo Resorts and Leisure are delighted to announce that the Doves gig planned for the Scarborough Open Air Theatre on Sat 7th August has been expanded into an all day summer music event. Doves Summer Music Festival has a fantastic line up of special guests including Newton Faulkner and The Futureheads announced to join Doves at the new 6500 seater Scarborough North Bay venue. With doors now opening at 1.00pm, the gig will take on a music festival atmosphere for revellers to enjoy.

Scottish rock band Kassidy will get proceedings underway, with Tiffany Page next on stage with her brand of radio friendly route 66 rock n roll. Following Tiffany is North East export Detroit Social Club fresh from their prime spot opening performance at Glastonbury this year. The Futureheads also get in on the action, and then special guest Newton Faulkner takes to the stage armed with songs, great big songs from his No.1 Debut record 'Handbuilt By Robots' and his hit follow up 'Rebuilt By Humans'.

Doves, then headline the day with a 90 minute set, they come to North Yorkshire to celebrate their new 'Best of' collection 'The Places Between: The Best Of Doves' which was released in April.

The show will also feature tracks from their epochal debut 'Lost Souls', the Mercury Music Prize nominated 'The Last Broadcast', widescreen masterpiece 'Some Cities', and not least, last year's critically acclaimed gem, 'Kingdom Of Rust'. Emotionally resonant...
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Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast CVB

Wilmington, NC - Historic Wilmington & NC's Cape Fear Coast encompasses the city of Wilmington and the island communities of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach. Its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and nearby estuarine reserves provide a true haven for sunseekers, beachcombers and nature lovers,…

The Azalea Festival Committee announced today Sargeant Kim Munley will be this year's Parade Grand Marshal - and the country music band Montgomery Gentry will headline the concert program.

Munley is a Carolina Beach native and made headlines last year when she helped take down the Fort Hood shooter.

Here's more information from an Azalea Festival News Release:

Montgomery Gentry’s journey into the front ranks of American music has been one of the most gratifying sagas of the past decade. Their road to gold and platinum albums, CMA and ACM awards, a Grammy nomination and highly successful tours has been paved with musical integrity and with an abiding respect for the people and the genre they represent.

“We’ve never sold out to anybody,” says Eddie Montgomery, whose soul-stirring baritone and 19th century outlaw look have become iconic among country’s rowdier fans. “What you see is what you get”.

“We’ve always been consistent with choosing songs that deal with the working class, songs people can identi...
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Three years ago, in early July, I moved to Florida in the peak of its hot season. Never having been to Florida before, except for airport layovers in Miami, being in the intense heat was surprising. I’m sure, if you cracked an egg on a sidewalk, it would’ve fried itself. Thank goodness for air conditioning. Once you get past the intensity of the heat in the summertime, you are initiated into this gorgeous state’s climate. Of course there are hurricanes, but after encountering eight of them myself and not having my property damaged, I am not as afraid of the smaller ones as I once was.

It just takes a little self-education on what to do during a hurricane, such as what supplies to buy in case your power goes out. It isn’t a bad idea to rent or buy your home out of the evacuation zones, either. These zones are listed in the front of Floridian phone books, along with the escape routes, should you be unfortunate enough to encounter a larger one. The truth of the matter is, if you live in Florida, you will most definitely witness multiple hurricanes. If a larger one comes through, I know now to take my pets and plan a vacation up north to see my family, as soon as I find out the hurricane is coming. If you wait too long, you will have no choice to be stuck in a very long line of highway traffic. And hotels book up quickly. So, if you don’t want to end up sleeping in your car in...
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