California Watermelon Festivals in 2024:  Find a Watermelon Festival Near You!

Looking for a Watermelon festival in California in 2024? (just scroll down the page)There is no other listing as complete and current as this list, just updated! All the Watermelon festivals in California we can find are listed on this page! If you love strawberries, look for a festival near you below! And I'm always looking for more Watermelon festivals! Please write me, if you know of any to add!  I update the dates as soon as the festivals publish their information, but you can always click on the links (usually the name of the festival) to see the current information on the festival's own website. 

Always click on the links to the festival to confirm this year's dates; weather and other conditions could cause a change at the last minute. They may change or cancel at the last minute. . If they don't have a website, call the phone number provided, but ALWAYS CONFIRM THIS YEAR'S DATES AND TIMES BY EITHER VIEWING THEIR WEBSITE OR CALLING.

Click here for the form to add a festival and have detailed information; or click here if you have general information and are not connected with the event!

California 2024Watermelon Festivals Festivals - Where, When and More Details!

California

Watermelons typically ripen from June (in northern Florida and Texas) through July, August  and September in the mid-Atlantic, Midwest and New England. July and August dominatesas the months for Watermelon production (and festivals) Unlike strawberries, which grow almost anywhere, watermelons are grown commercially far fewer states, since they require warmer temperatures and a much longer season.

There are two general types of Watermelon festivals 1) community festivals, usually organized by a church, school, local Chamber of commerce or a town and 2). Watermelon festival held at and by a farm. They are different in what they offer, and community festivals tend to be less expensive so they are grouped separately. (of course not all states and areas have both.)
Following the festival listings are links to our easy to follow directions about making Watermelon jam, freezing watermelons, Watermelon pies and much more.

Community Watermelon Festivals

• Alpine Village Oktoberfest - every Friday to Sunday from the second week in September through the end of October
  833 West Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90502. Phone: (310) 327-4384. Among the fun activities is a cow-milking contest, Woodsawing,  Steinholding, Food, Beer, Chicken Dance and MUCH more! Beer Garden: Every Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Alpine Inn: Wednesday & Thursday 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. THE LARGEST AND LONGEST OKTOBERFEST IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA! OMM PA PA BRASS BANDS.
• California Watermelon Festival - July 28 and 29, 2018
  11480 Foothill Blvd, Lakeview Terrace, CA 91342. Email: wf@watermelonfest.org. Directions: The Hansen Dam Soccer Complex in Lake View Terrace is easy to access right off the 210 Freeway. Just take the Osborne street exit and head south on Foothill Blvd (away from the hills). Travel a quarter mile and you're at the entrance. Parking is $7. Watermelon drinks, watermelon foods, a beer tent, fantastic music acts, all kinds of yummy foods, a culinary tent dedicated to amazing watermelon carvers and cooking demonstrations. And stunt cyclists doing flips over your head, children's theater musicals, popsicles, balloon twisters, magic shows, crafts, clowns, games and prizes, bubble parties, watermelon cotton candy, even unlimited pony rides, all included with your ticket!
• Manteca Crossroads Watermelon Street Faire  - Early June every year;  June 1st & 2nd, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
  Downtown Manteca, Main & Yosemite, Manteca, CA 95336. Email: joann@manteca.org. Phone: (209) 823-6121. Visit Downtown Manteca for the Central Valley's premier shopping event - the Manteca Crossroads Watermelon Street Fair! Enjoy over 200 vendors, food trucks, crafts, beer garden, music, kiddie rides, car show, boat and rv display, children activities and more! The Manteca Crossroads Watermelon Street Days is one of the largest events in the region and voted among the best events to attend in Northern California. It attracts over 40,000 people every year to celebrate with food, music, vendors, and activities.
  Bring the family for two days of fun.
• Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Festival - August
  Huntington Beach, CA.
• Slice of Chico - Second Friday and Saturday in July, from 9 am to 5 pm,
  Downtown Chico, CA. Phone: 530-345-6500. The Downtown Shopping event of the summer, takes place14-15, 2017. Most stores will be open by 9am both days and the best deals are sure to be uncovered on Friday! On Saturday the 15th, the DCBA will hand out ice-cold slices of watermelon to our downtown guests from the official watermelon station on 3rd Street in front of Made In Chico/Chico Sweet Confections. (Watermelon available while supplies last - typically around 3pm.) This wonderful community event will also help us bring to a close our First Downtown Chico Restaurant Week (July 7 - 16). What better way to wrap-up the "Hottest 10 days in Downtown Chico!" Sizzling HOT prices and ICE Cold Watermelon!
• Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival at the Rose Bowl - August
  Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA. Open: FRI from 5 pm to 10 pm; SAT from 12 pm to 10 pm; SUN from 12 pm to 10 pm. Admission: General: $10 | Kids: $5. Click here to SAVE 20%. There are a whole bunch of different activities at the Watermelon Festival from food and shopping to games, and bands. All ages are welcome and there is something for everyone. Free watermelon all weekend long. We ll slice and dice until your stomach is full. Traditional booth games, Arcade games and more. Test your skills at the amusement booths ring toss, darts and carnival games of all kinds! Join a seed spitting contest or try your luck at the raffle. You could win prizes, cash, and more at the evening drawings. Clothing, jewelry, gifts, arts & crafts, face painting, palm and card reading, and more! Great bands from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. You've heard their songs on commercials, radio, television and movies now come see them perform live. Details to come! Check back to find out which great bands will be in the line-up for your enjoyment. From originals to covers, Click here to see our entertainment lineup. Fun for the Kids: Animals for kids to pet and story telling from The Village Poets.
  Does your youngster love animals? They can play with animals that you probably wouldn't find in the neighborhood. We've got goats, sheep, and more. There will also be story telling, clowns, funny balloons and special entertainers just for the kids. The little ones will be sure to love all our games, prizes, foods, snacks, deserts, face painting and more! And tons of contests for tons of talent. We've got tons of fun contests each and every year at the Watermelon Festival. There is something for everyone s talents Recipe Contests, Poetry Contests, Watermelon Eating Contests, Watermelon Carving Contests, Seed Spitting Contests, and more. Be sure to view our contests page to learn more about this year s competitions. 

Farm Watermelon Festivals

In addition to community and church festivals, some private farms have their own Watermelon festivals.  See each farm for this year's dates (they often do not announce them until the end of May). They usually have PYO strawberries then, too.  Also, scroll down to see the links to recipes, freezing, canning and jam making directions at the bottom of the page.

Shasta County

• Hawes Farms -  Saturday typically in late July. 11am-11pm first annual Watermelon Festival
  21923 Dersch Road, Anderson, CA 96007. Phone: 530-365-2332. Fax: 530-365-6313. Email: lhawes@hawesfarms.com. Pick your own melon patch, 4 live bands, food trucks, craft vendors, watermelon margaritas, contests, rides and more. Directions: Take I - 5 to Anderson, take the Deschutes Road exit. Head northeast on Deschutes road 4.5 miles farm is on right at the intersection of Dersch and Deschutes road in Anderson. Click here for a map and directions. Crops are usually available in October. Open: September 29 - October 31st Saturday and Sundays 10am to 11pm, Monday to Thursday, 9am to 7pm, Friday 9 am to 11pm Payment: Cash, Check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AmEx.They also have corn (sweet), flowers, pumpkins, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, face painting, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours.
  Hawes Farms Facebook page
  (ADDED: June 02, 2023)
  

 

•  Please write me, if you know of any to add!

Related Watermelon Information: Watermelon jelly and Pickled watermelon rinds

Besides eating them fresh, watermelons make two great preserves which are really easy to make with these illustrated, step-by-step instructions:

• Pickled watermelon rinds are sweet and delicious!. See this page for the easy recipe).
• Easy watermelon jelly recipe.

 

For other fruit and vegetable festivals, see this page!