Watermelon Festivals in 2024: Where, When and More to Find a Watermelon Festival Near You!

Looking for a Watermelon festival in April 2024? There is no other listing as complete and current as this list, just updated! Watermelon festivals are held through the United States, Canada, Britain, and Australia and much of the world. All the Watermelon festivals we can find are listed on this page! If you love Blueberries, look for a festival near you below! And I'm 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. 

Especially this year, due to Coronavirus, be sure to click on the links (the blue, underlined name of the each festival) to confirm this year's dates on the website for each festival. 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!

Watermelon Festivals in 2024: Where, When and More to Find a Watermelon Festival Near You!

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.

[United States] [Canada] [Britain] [Australia] [Japan]

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United States

• Know of any others? Write me!

Alabama

• Franklin County Watermelon Festival -  the 3rd weekend of August
  103 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville, AL 35653. Phone: 256-332-1760. The Franklin County Watermelon Festival is held annually on the 3rd weekend of August. It started in 1981 and has grown significantly! In 2013, Franklin County was designated as the "Watermelon Capital of Alabama" through the Alabama Legislature. This two day festival is packed with various types of vendors & food! One staple of the Watermelon Festival is the Franklin County Cattlemen's Associations' Ribeye Steak Sandwiches! Another festival-goer favorite is the roasted corn! But you can't beat FREE watermelon slices during our Opening Ceremony & our Watermelon Contests! Along with vendors, the Watermelon Festival features a car show, character guests, 5K & 1 mile fun run! The Watermelon Pageant is held prior to the festival where queens in each age category will be crowned along with Miss Watermelon Queen. The Queens are presented at the Opening Ceremony on Friday night of the festival & Miss Watermelon Queen will ceremonially cut the first watermelon!  On both nights of the festival, guests can find live music on the Main Stage!We strive to find the perfect mixture of local favorites, tribute & cover bands, & nationally known artists! T-shirts & Post Cards are available as keepsakes for the Franklin County Watermelon Festival!  Vendor & Contact information can be found on our website: Franklin County Watermelon Festival Facebook page: Franklin County Watermelon FestivalInstagram: @fc_watermelon_festival  (UPDATED: July 25, 2023) (ADDED: July 29, 2013X)
• Grand Bay Watermelon Festival - July 3rd & 4th, 2018
  Grand Bay Odd Fellows Festival Park, 10327 Taylor F. Harper Blvd., Grand Bay, AL. Phone: 251-865-3456. Email: ptripp524@yahoo.com.  On July 3rd GATE OPENS from 3 pm to 7 pm - No Admission charged and NO free Watermelon. We will have Food, Arts & Crafts, & Ride vendors and other entertainment. On July 4th GATE OPENS 8 am to 4 pm to $5 Per Vehicle Admission - With the Vendors, Music, Games, all the Free Sliced Ice Cold Watermelon You Can Eat, Pretty Baby Contest, and Open Car Show, ONLY on July 4th!!! Family Event so NO Smoking and NO Pets allowed in Festival Area. No alcohol allowed in the Park.

Alaska

Arkansas

• Cave City Watermelon Festival - July
  City Park, 100 Park Street, Cave City, AR  72521. Phone: (870) 283-5301. Email: watermelonfestival@cavecity.us. The focus of the festival is still "The World's Sweetest Watermelons" and the businesses of Cave City. The festival has grown into a sort of homecoming. Family and class reunions are planned around the festivities and at any given time during the 3 days you will find old friends reunited once again. For three days every August, people from across the country come here to slow down and enjoy one of Arkansas' best festivals. If you've never been, or have been away too long, we invite you to grab a lawn chair and stay awhile.
  Hope Watermelon Festival - over 40 years running, AUGUST 5-7, 2021 BIGGER & BETTER THAN EVER , Thursday, August 5 - Noon - 8 Pm / Friday, August 6 - 10 Am - 9 Pm (You may choose to open earlier if you prefer.) Saturday, August 7 - 8 Am - 9 Pm or Until Concert Ends.
  Hope Fair Park, 800 Mockingbird Lane, Hope, AR 71801. Phone: 870-777-3640. Email: hopemelonfest@yahoo.com. Admission is Free. The Hope Watermelon festival features numerous activities including arts & crafts, food, entertainment and other family-oriented activities. Local civic clubs hold dinners featuring such down-home fare as locally grown smoked chicken and golden fried catfish. What else can you do at the festival? You can participate in a 5 k race, take in a dog show, enter the "Watermelon Idol" talent contest. The Urban Cowboy Reunion Tour staring Mickey Gilley & Johnny Lee will headline the Friday night concert in the park! Saturday night concert will see mark the return of gospel music...Gospel Fest!

California

• Click here for California watermelon festivals

Colorado

• Arkansas Valley Fair Watermelon Day - over 140 years running, Saturday, in August
  Rocky Ford Fairgrounds, 800 North 9th Street, Rocky Ford, Colorado 81067. Phone: 719-254-7723. Email: avf@arkvalleyfair.com. Dogs, Cats & other PETS are NOT permitted on the Fairgrounds during Fair Week, unless they are essential aids to people with disabilities.

Connecticut

Florida

• Click here for Florida watermelon festivals

Georgia

• Cordele Watermelon Festival - late June
   Cordele, GA. Phone: 229-273-3102. June, 2018 will mark Cordele's 69th year celebrating the bountiful summer harvest with the "Watermelon Days Festival". A month chock full of good, clean, watermelon FUN! Visitors come from near and far to enjoy events such as the 4H Dog Show, Seed Spitting Contest, Watermelon Horseshoe Tournament, Fishing Rodeo, Watermelon Decorating Contest, "Wedding Game", Watermelon Chunking Contest, Gospel Singing and much, much more. If you happen to be one of those visitors, be sure to take a ride on the SAM shortline excursion train where the vintage 1949 air conditioned cars take you back in time to the very first year Cordele hosted the Watermelon Days Festival. Depending on which day you choose to take the 45 mile trip from Cordele to Archer, stops may include the Georgia Veteran's State Park at Lake Blackshear, Leslie, Americus and/or Plains, home of President Jimmy Carter. For a detailed schedule of all of the events of this year's Festival, including the grand finale celebration of July 4 fireworks on the beautiful Flint River, click on the link above. See you there!

Illinois

Indiana

• Jackson County Rock the Rind Watermelon Festival – First weekend in August
  Downtown Square, Brownstown, IN. Join us on the square for a weekend full of live music, great food, and tons of events!  From the - Watermelon Patch - a family friendly area jam packed with kid activities, to seed spitting, the watermelon steal, and more. The Jackson County Watermelon Festival is home to ALL THINGS WATERMELON!
• Knox County Watermelon Festival - Saturday, August , 8 am to 8 pm (EST)
  Patrick Henry Square, Vincennes, Indiana. Email: info@knoxcountychamber.com. Directions: Located on the Historical George Roger's Clark Memorial Site.
  Knox County Chamber Of Commerce facebook page.
  Schedule of Events:
  8:00 5K Run-Sponsored by Old National
  9:30 Baby/Toddler Contest-Sponsored by WZDM
  1:00-3:00 FREE CONCERT
  3:00 Seed Spitting/Watermelon Eating Contest-Sponsored by Willow Manor
  4:00 Cutest Pet Contest-Sponsored by Humane Society
  6:00 Miss Watermelon Pageant- Sponsored by WFML
  Great American Grill Out (Sponsored by AT & T)
  7am Kids Games, Tasty Food Booths, Crafts and Flea Market
  FREE WATERMELON by Nowaskie Melons.  (ADDED: July 29, 2013X)
• Owensville Watermelon Festival - late August
  Owensville, IN. Email: owensvillewatermelon@gmail.com. Come join us for the festivities including rides, games, food, pageants, talent show, run/walk, and parade!
  

Iowa

• Click here for Iowa watermelon festivals

Kansas

• Click here for Kansas watermelon festivals

Kentucky

• Monroe County Watermelon Festival - Saturday - August ; held annually on the Saturday prior to Labor Day
  downtown, Tompkinsville, KY. Phone: 270-487-5504. Email: susan.turner@uky.edu. Join about 10,000 other folks for the FREE 34th Annual Monroe County Watermelon Festival. The festivities include 150 vendors selling arts and crafts, commercial items and food, parade, quilt show, car show, and antique tractors, and more. (ADDED: July 29, 2013X)

Louisiana

• Click here for Louisiana watermelon festivals

Maryland

• La Platta Watermelon Bash - July 4th from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM
  Town Hall, La Platta, MAryland. Celebrate the 4th of July at Town Hall. Join us for hot dogs, water slides, and plenty of watermelon.
• Mardela Springs Annual Watermelon Festival - 17 years running, late July
  Wright's Market, 9300 Old Railroad Road Rt. 50, Mardela Springs, Maryland 21837. Phone: (410) 742-8845. Annual Watermelon Festival providing fun for the entire family. Watermelon Seed Spit & Eating Contest, Watermelon Bowling, Little Miss Watermelon Princess Contest, FREE Firetruck Rides, Car Show, Tractor Show, Live Music with Barren Creek, Games, Crafts and much more. FREE watermelon slices and corn on the cob provided by Wright's Market. Delmar VFW and Delmar Lions Club will prepare BBQ chicken, Hamburger and Hotdogs to raise money for their cause. Northwestern's Relay For Life Team will be selling drinks and sno-cones for the American Cancer Society.

Massachusetts

Maine

Michigan

• Howell Melon Festival - August
  200 E. Grand River Avenue , Howell, MI 48843. Phone: 517-546-0693. Email: melonfest@howellrecreation.org. Melons, food, artists, vendors, run, race, more: Annual Howell Melon Run200 E. Grand River Avenue, Doc May Memorial Melon bike Ride on Saturday, August 15  9 am to 11 am. This ride has become a Melon Festival Tradition and is our way of celebrating the life and work of Dr. Pat May. The course is 15 miles and highlights historic neighborhoods, the McPherson Park Bike Path, Crosstown Trail, Howell City Park and Lakeview Cemetery. The ride ends back at the Courthouse where melon ice cream will be served. All Riders will receive a route map and commemorative t-shirt.  Annual Howell Melon Run on August 14. This is one of the most scenic and beautiful run/walks through residential streets, historic Lakeview Cemetery, and Howell City Park. The race starts and finishes in downtown Howell. Click here for a link to our Facebook page. (ADDED: May 09, 2015, JBS)

Minnesota

• Click here for Minnesota watermelon festivals

Mississippi

• Click here for Mississippi watermelon festivals

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

• Thurston Watermelon Days - September
  Thurston, NE. There are vendors, entertainment, and events that will be taking place. Tune into "Y101.3" in September for news about Watermelon Days. Make sure to verify out our local businesses as well as our Area Business Sponsors. Thank you to everyone who has added us on Facebook Tune into Channel 9.1 and 9.2 in September to see our television ads.

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

• Harbes Family Farm and Orchard Watermelon Festival- Saturday and Sunday in August
  5698 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901. Phone: 631-298-0800. Alternate Phone: 631-298-0700. Fax: 631-298-1332. Email: harbesfamilyfarm@gmail.com. Open: see their website for the dates of this year's festival; normal  hours are early September to October 31 on weekends from 9 am to 6 pm (Corn Maze open 7 pm to 10 pm). Click here for current open hours, days and dates. Directions: Take the LIE (495) east to exit 71. Make a left onto Edwards Avenue and continue north for 4 miles. Make a right on Sound Avenue. Continue East on Sound Avenue for 8.6 miles. The farm is on the north side (left) of the road. The orchard is 1 mile west of Harbes Family Farm and Vineyard. Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, only. Celebrate the sweetest festival in town at Harbes Farm & Vineyard's Annual Watermelon Festival oin us for two Watermelon Eating Contests daily at 2:30 & 4:30. There will also be watermelon games, pig races, hayrides, live music, @harbesvineyard wines, and, of course, fresh delicious watermelon! Hours: 10-7.*Watermelon Eating Contests require Barnyard admission. You can't miss participating in one of our FREE fun-filled watermelon eating contests for all ages! Farmer Fred will be emceeing what has become one of Harbes Farm & Vineyard's most anticipated summer events. We will be holding three contests daily in our courtyard area. Seating is limited so be sure to arrive early! Farmer Fred will be hosting exciting watermelon games for the kids throughout the day! They will have tons of fun taking part in our watermelon rolling races and seed spitting challenges. Mom and dad will have fun cheering them on. FREE LIVE MUSIC will be available to enjoy in our courtyard/picnic area both days from 1 pm to 5 pm.  .Harbes u- pick orchard also features an evening spooky walk corn maze.  (UPDATED: September 6, 2023, JBS)

 

North Carolina

• Click here for North Carolina watermelon festivals

Ohio

• Dresden Melon Festival - August
  Dresden, OH 43821. Phone: 740-754-3151. Alternate phone: 740-252-2651. Email: abbytig@gmail.com. A family friendly event for all ages, celebrating Dresden's melon-growing heritage, set on the banks of the scenic Muskingum River. Events include live music, 5K, kids games, family puppet show, petting zoo, cruise-in, tractor pull, melon growing contest, melon derby race, archery lessons, fishing tournament, food, and beer garden. Free parking at Tri-Valley High School, shuttle provided. Melon Growing Contest: Cash Prizes for heaviest watermelon, largest cantaloupe, and sweetest cantaloupe, start planning now!!

Oklahoma

• Click here for Oklahoma watermelon festivals

Oregon

• Irrigon Watermelon Festival - held annually in July.
  Irrigon Marinara Park, Irrigon, Oregon 97844. Join us in Irrigon for the anual Irrigon Watermelon Festival! Food-Fun-Games and Entertainment all day long! And Bellinger Farms Watermelons! We will have a Life Flight chopper coming in to land on our baseball field at 12:30, be sure to sign up for their valuable service while there. We have a car show too, in the shade by the river, so if you have a nice ride or a classic car you like to show off, come on down!!! A 5k color fun-run supporting Grid Kids of Irrigon! Lots of local vendors, sure to be something for everyone! Our flyer (on their Facebook page) says it all. See ya'll there!!
• Winston-Dillard Melon Festival - 50 years running, mid September, 3 days, weekend
  Riverbend Park,  Winston, Oregon. Come on Down and have a good time at Melon Festival! We will have 3 on 3 basketball, mud volley ball, competitions like men's knees comp., dog comp. chilli cook off, don't forget the vendors, and our annual raffle we have lots of great prizes to give away. Bring your kids to we will have games, crafts for them to enjoy and lots for them to see during the parade on Saturday, at 11 am. We have live music for your entertainment so come listen while you enjoy one of our delicious BBQ dinners on Saturday and Sunday! Are you brave enough to get up on stage? If so don't forget to sign up for the talent show being held on Sunday!

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

• Click here for South Carolina watermelon festivals

Tennessee

• Click here for Tennessee watermelon festivals

Texas

• Click here for Texas watermelon festivals

Utah

• Green River Watermelon Festival Melon Days - September
  OK Anderson Green River City Park, Green River, UT 84525. Phone: (435) 820-0592. Email: grmelondays@yahoo.com.. Melon Queen and Princess Pageants. Melon Cruise Car Show. The car show will also be the weekend prior to Melon Days.. Community Day at OK Anderson City Park, 6 pm - This is a activity for the residents of Green River. There will be a meal provided by one of our local food establishments and games for the kids. The carnival and bounce houses also open
  3-Man Scramble Tournament, Concert Friday night at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum. Melon Run Saturday. Scout Pancake Breakfast; The local Boy Scout Patrol 289 is again doing their Pancake breakfast at OK Anderson Park at the pavilion (in the middle of town). Saturday during Melon Days, Starting at 7am to 9am.
  Melon Days Parade - The parade will be on Saturday morning starting on or around 10am. The parade lineup will be at the City Maintenance Building (545 West Main) across from NAPA and will end at the Book Cliff Lodge (735 East Main). Please line up by 9:30. Melon Queens and Princesses PerformThe Melon Queens and Princesses will perform their talents at the city park at noon on Saturday. Melon Days Fun Shoot Saturday, starts at noon at Green River Shooting Range. Softball Tournament
  Men's & Coed. Square Dancing Friday 7-10pm and Saturday 8-10:30pm; $6 per person per dance. Raffle, door prizes and lots of fun. Melon Games & Melon Carving Contest.

Vermont

Virginia

• Carytown Watermelon Festival - Sunday, August 12, 2019
  Carytown, Virginia. .115,000 people, over 3000 watermelons and you! With 80 musicians, over 100 exhibitors, one of the largest kids areas of any festival on the east coast and all of the great Carytown style, the Carytown Watermelon Festival presented by Martin's has become the largest one day festival in the state of Virginia. Click here for a link to our Facebook page.

Washington, D.C.

Washington State

West Virginia

Wisconsin

• Pardeeville Watermelon Festival - Always the first Saturday after Labor Day, Saturday, September
  Chandler Park, Pardeeville, WII 53954. Phone: 608-514-1926. Email: info@pardeevillewatermelonfestival.com. Festival hosted by the United States Watermelon Speed-Eating & Seed Spitting Championships, Inc. A staple of our free festival, is the open air market. Our market showcases art and craft vendors from all over the area, plus a flea market and commercial vendors such Avon, Scentsy, and Tupperware. The fair opens at 10 am until about 3 pm. The last few years, we've had between 20 and 40 vendors spread out around the event grounds.
• Stanley Watermelon Festival - held on the Last Sunday in July;
  Chapman Park, Stanley, WI.  Annual Stanley Lions Watermelon Festival held at Chapman Park. Flea Market starts at 8 a.m. Charcoal Chicken serving starts at 10:30 am Car Show 10 a.m. Children's Games 3 p.m. Free watermelon starting at 11 a.m. Raffle on grounds. Contact Information: (715) 644-3638 (General Info), (715) 644-5298 (Flea Market) and (715) 644-5376 (Car Show).

 

• Know of any? Write me!

 

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Canada

British Columbia

Manitoba

Nova Scotia

Ontario

• Straffordville Watermelon Festival - August
  Straffordville, Ontario, Canada. Watermelon Fest Straffordville Firehall Pancake breakfast 7am, parade at 10am, Silent Auction at the community centre, free admission to enjoy food booths, craft vendors, musical entertainment, games & activities for all ages and family movie in the park at dusk...bring your blankets and lawn chairs!
   

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Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)

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Australia

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Italy

Japan

(English websites)