It’s time once again for my annual list of the season’s watermelon festivals. As always, pretty much all of these shindigs take place in the watermelon-rich Southern region. If I’m forgetting any festivals, leave a comment and I’ll add it to the list. For a more comprehensive festival calendar, visit the “Festivals” page of the National Watermelon Promotion Board website.
Also, if anyone visits any of these festivals (or others), send me some pictures (watermelonexperts@gmail.com) and I’ll post them here on What About Watermelon.
HAMPTON COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL (June 16-24)
LOCATION: Hampton, South Carolina
HIGHLIGHTS: Melon Miss & Master Pageant, watermelon eating contest, watermelon growing contest, parade
LULING WATERMELON THUMP (June 21-24)
LOCATION: Luling, Texas
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon contest, coronation of watermelon queen, watermelon eating contest, champion watermelon auction, world championship watermelon seed-spitting contest
PANHANDLE WATERMELON FESTIVAL (June 23-24)
LOCATION: Chipley, Florida
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon beauty pageant (not sure whether this one is for people or watermelons), big watermelon contest and auction, watermelon seed spitting contest
BEAUREGARD WATERMELON FESTIVAL (2012 dates not yet determined)
LOCATION: DeRidder, Louisiana
HIGHLIGHTS: “Cutting of the Melon” kick-off event, celebrity seed spitting contest
PAGELAND WATERMELON FESTIVAL (July 20-21)
LOCATION: Pageland, South Carolina
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon seed spitting contest, watermelon eating contest.
MISSISSIPPI WATERMELON FESTIVAL (July 20-21)
LOCATION: Mize, Mississippi
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon seed spitting contest, watermelon eating contest, greased watermelon race.
LOUISIANA WATERMELON FESTIVAL (July 26-28)
LOCATION: Farmerville, Louisiana
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon seed spitting contest, largest watermelon contest, watermelon decorating, watermelon hunt, watermelon auction, watermelon quality and tasting competition, arm wrestling contest (I know the last event isn’t watermelon-related, but an arm wrestling contest is pretty cool, so I gave it a mention)
HOPE WATERMELON FESTIVAL (2012 dates not yet determined)
LOCATION: Hope, Arkansas
HIGHLIGHTS: Watermelon Olympics (with a watermelon toss, among other events), a seed spitting contest, “Watermelon Idol” talent show, watermelon eating contest