Every year, the Friday evening before the Watermelon Festival, McDade closes off the Main Street {Old Hwy 20 between Waco St & Bastrop St. in the Historical District} to hold a community dance that brings everyone together. Hundreds gathered for one of the longest running festivals in Texas. Contact the HCCA with questions regarding the 2022 Hempstead Watermelon Festival, and we'll reach back out to you as soon as possible! Saturday night's four new queens (starting second from left) Sage Bell, Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival Outstanding Teen; Miss Belle of the D'Arbonne Outstanding Teen Sachiri Henderson; Anna Claire Lemoine, Miss Belle of the D'Arbonne; Jourdan Waddell, Miss Louisiana Watermelon Festival 2022, pose for a photo with pageant directors Darra Jung (far left . Locals compete for prize melon status. Hempstead Commerce The Hempstead Watermelon festival is a wholesome summer festival fit for the entire family. To accompany Queen Olivia on her journey, follow the National Watermelon Queen on Facebook and Instagram. March 1, 2023 - Shelby Countys own Olivia Johnson has received a national title as she was crowned the National Watermelon Queen at the 108th Annual National Watermelon Convention in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday, February 25, 2023. They did raise money for the school chairs. Talk Business & Politics is a news website that covers business, politics and culture in Arkansas. Phone: +1.512.736.4302. Watermelon by the slice, live entertainment and an assortment of other activities will make you forget about that potential for third-degree burns. The contest was to be of one that would benefit & interest to the whole community. 29 . watermelon festival events in McDade Need ideas? Now that Johnsonhas earned the national title, she has a list of additional responsibilities to the watermelon industry, through the National Watermelon Association, for which she is proud to represent. You can also sign up for daily e-mail news delivered every morning to your inbox. 2023 Hempstead Watermelon Festival. Click the button below to fill out an application, or submit the print application to [emailprotected]. It was widely grown throughout the country and especially in the South. When Cave City held its first festival, then Gov. Box 16| Hempstead, Texas 77445 | 979.921.5095 | [emailprotected] All set about cleaning up McDade like never before and readying themselves to show off their town and the area's principal crop, watermelon.Thursday, July 1, 1948, marks the day of the 1st McDade Watermelon Festival. Texas Farmers Market is hosting a watermelon festival at its Lakeline (Aug. 7) and Mueller (Aug. 8) locations. Lots of my friends in high school, and when I was younger, liked to refer to me as the Watermelon Queen and now Im the National Watermelon Queen. With a crowd estimated at 1,000 the first Annual McDade Festival was deemed a success.The festival has grown, changed & evolved through the years. The first McDade Watermelon Festival was held in 1948 to raise money for the McDade school that burned down. Its ancestors had a white flesh and were not very sweet, according to Live Science. Phone: 956.787.6622. "This is a perfect, if you will, example of wonderful small town Texas," Duggan said. Live musicians such as Luke Stroud, the Farris Family Quartet, Legacy Five, Shane Thornton, and others will perform Thursday and Friday. We are back in the saddle and excited to be hosting the 18th annual Fest at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in 2022. Family Fun - McDade Watermelon Festival 73rd McDade Watermelon Festival July 9, 2022 Nothing Comes Between Me & My Watermelon! But, as in the 71 year history of the Festival, there have been no rainout! Given that I have worked at my familys local produce stand, Johnson Produce in Center Texas, since I was five years old and that I was the East Texas Watermelon Queen in 2018, and then Texas Watermelon Queen in 2022, this is just a great opportunity to promote an industry that means so much to my family and I, said Johnson. Community involvement, benefits, festival. . www.texasfarmersmarket.org. 1980 was one of driest years ever on record in Arkansas and most area growers didnt have any watermelons left when the festival was held, according to the Cave City Watermelon Festival website. The sharpness of the onions and balsamic was tempered by the lightness of the watermelon, and all of the ingredients really came together with the feta cheese. The Watermelon Festival Queen (Age 18-21) will also be responsible for cutting the first watermelon at the Opening Ceremony, awarding prizes at the Watermelon Festival, riding in the Russellville Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 1, 2022 and crowning at the 2023 Watermelon Pageant. All activities except the parade are held at the beautiful Stockdale city park. Shepherds Ford Productions has produced 25 family friendly music festivals since 2004. They were all so thrilled with Queen Olivias achievement. Saturday, March 11, 2023, Daylight Savings Time Begins Since 1980, they've invited the rest of the world to dispute or embrace the claim. 'Tis the season for juicy watermelon that's celebrated at the annual festival featuring this favorite summery fruit. Sunday, March 12, 2023, Franklin County Partnership Awards Banquet rodeo. As National Watermelon Queen you get to meet with so many different companies, whether those are packers, or farms, feed companies and so you get a lot of job opportunities as National Watermelon Queen, said Johnson. Alamo Central Park, Alamo, TX 78516. Free. Johnson described the conventions as a gathering of all the association members, which also will include their own pageants to crown their new state queens. 2022 Hempstead Watermelon Festival. Texas Citrus Fiesta Jan 28-29, 2023 Mission, TX. It was held at the temporary school, the McCarty house. "I get to eat watermelon," McDade Watermelon Festival Tiny Tot Queen Coral Miller said. See you all then! Its a seed-spittin, melon-eatin, small-town celebratin kind of weekend and its a whole lot of fun, too. A.W. Local civic clubs hold dinners featuring such down-home fare as locally grown smoked chicken and golden fried catfish. There will be slices of watermelon, there will also be a watermelon-eating contest, a seed-spitting contest, kiddie rides, food and craft vendors, a beer garden, the famous BBQ Cook-Off and live music. You can hear local and nationally known music acts throughout the event. The 42nd annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is slated to begin Thursday (July 28) and run through Saturday (July 30). Always the LAST FULL weekend of June SINCE 1954. News? Phone: +1.512.736.4302. It was held at the temporary school, the McCarty house. Website maintained by Vicki LeBlanc Media. This snack is $4.75. Vendor applications for 2023 will be on the website in February, 2023 Admission: $5 - $25 Days/Hours Open: Thu 5pm12 midnight, Fri 5pm12 midnight, Sat 11am12 midnight, Sun 9am6pm Address: 421 E. Davis Street, Luling, TX 78648 Entertainment: 3 stages - National, Regional. Interested in being a sponsor for the 2023 Franklin County Watermelon Festival? A host of other events will be held Saturday including the Melon Dash 5-K, the Cave City Cruisers Car Show, Watermelon Parade, Watermelon Growers Games, and many other activities are slated. The traveling is pretty consistent, but at each event it can go from a three day event, a one day event, I get to attend many different things that I have sponsorship for, said Johnson. Fax: 936-598-5032. This watermelon festival does just the trick to keep the heat at bay for the average melon-head. Franklin County || Chamber of Commerce uses Accessibility Checker to monitor our website's accessibility. The 42nd annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is slated to begin Thursday (July 28) and run through Saturday (July 30). Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Sparklight. The McDade school had burned down in 1940 & school was being held in temporary facilities while a new one was being erected. She was a Biology major when she became the Texas Watermelon Queen, and after visiting with her advisor and industry members, she says she learned nutrition would be the best major for her to eventually work in the watermelon industry. contact us. P.O. At Wildwood Landscape we believe that our work is to be practiced with the same care, thought and skill as other fine art forms. There was one problem, however. Watermelon Festival Celebrating the huge watermelon industry in Knox County with some summertime fun - the 2022 Watermelon Festival will be on Friday, August 5 & Saturday, August 6 in Vincennes, IN. We began with a community need and continue to support our local area non-profit organizations with grants. 00 Day 00 Hour 00 Minute McDade. Other watermelon varieties were developed through the years and it became a popular fruit in Africa and parts of Asia. Box 16| Hempstead, Texas 77445 | 979.921.5095 | [emailprotected] We do it for the BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY! The modern version of this fruit is often fed to livestock. Deep down South in Alamo, Texas, cool, juicy slices of watermelon aim to slay the scorching Texan sun. One grower, Herschel Runsick, planted his crop in the Strawberry River bottoms and he grew just enough watermelons to make the first festival a success. McDade Watermelon Festival All Rights Reserved. the 73rd Annual McDade Watermelon Festival. P.O. Gallery; Schedule of Events; For Vendors; Parade; . Watermelon . fair. MAP Always the 2nd Saturday in July! The air was full of high community spirit, a few clouds in the sky and a little sprinkle. We invite you tobring the whole familyand come enjoy the simple things in life and be apart ofour small townfun! Wander back here for updates on the BBQ cookoff, live entertainment, watermelon contests and more. Texas . Phone: 936-591-9334 or 936-332-4845 And finally, we end the "eats" portion at Florida Fresh with the NEW Florida Strawberry Shortcake! Upload it here! After June 15, and no later than July 8, booth prices increase by $50. . I educate the public on watermelons health, value and versatility benefits.. 42 were here. Many were excited about the new event this year, the Sweatin Melons 5K. Im going to love it, I loved my time as Texas Queen and now I just get to do it even more as National Queen, said Johnson. . Join us July (to be announced) for a family-friendly event that's got something for absolutely everyone. 143 Bastrop St McDade TX 78650. Family Fun. 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Mayberry offers bill to address child care center, workforce shortages, Retailer survey highlights final-mile shipping challenges, tech solutions, The Supply Side: Walmart, Sams Club battle for business customers, The Supply Side: More retailers focusing on healthcare in 2023, P.A.M. revenue rises, earnings fall in fourth quarter, Ruling could come soon in Fort Smith recycling lawsuit, Small museum grants handed out to 10 across state. Wander back here for updates on the BBQ cookoff, live entertainment, watermelon contests and more. June . "Whats your favorite part of the festival?" Prices increase city . 202 Field Street, Center, Texas 75935 Not only was there competition, but Johnson shares that a sisterhood was developed amongst those who participated in this challenge. The 2023 Hempstead Watermelon Festival is two days of festivities in honor of the crop that made our town famous! - Follow Upload Fan Image Report Image Plan Your Festival Airbnbs & Hotels Book Room RVs & Campers Book an RV About This Festival Previous Location Come join us, we're sure you'll have a great time! Hempstead Watermelon Festival. The 1st McDade Watermelon Festival was held on Thursday, July 1, 1948. The Austin Police Department (APD) is asking for the community's help identifying suspects and vehicles involved in the citywide reckless driving "street takeover" incidents on Feb. 18. We are back in the saddle and excited to be hosting the 18th annual Fest at the Clarke . What will ending the COVID-19 emergency look like in the US? This years Hempstead Watermelon Festival is gonna be one for the books! This spectacular family event offers two days of non-stop music, contests and entertainment, as well as, a pageant, arts & crafts, 5k run, antique car & truck show, tasty festival foods, tractor show, and a slice of, https://watermelonfestival5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=6063. Arkansas headlines delivered to you on demand. McDade Watermelon Festival is74years old but due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the festival experienced it's first ever cancelation in history! They did establish a tradition that has out lived watermelons as a prize cash crop. Johnson is now a Senior Nutrition Major at Texas A&M, and after graduation she hopes to work in the watermelon industry. March 1, 2023 - Shelby County's own Olivia Johnson has received a national title as she was crowned the National Watermelon Queen at the 108th Annual National Watermelon Convention in Asheville, North Carolina on Saturday, February 25, 2023. To the left are 2018-2020 school years Teachers who received grants. On the grounds, there are vendor booths, live music, a watermelon eating contest, seed spitting contest, washer tournament, bingo, and tons of watermelon. Money was needed to furnish with metal chars. The De Leon Peach and Melon Festival is one of the oldest Festivals in Texas! The farmers market organization will share recipes for using watermelons leading up to the event, and visitors get a free slice of Texas-grown watermelon the day of the event. Skip to content. Naples Watermelon Festival | Naples TX Hempstead Commerce & Civic Association It's antique cars and old-time parades. Interested in being a sponsor for the 2023 Franklin County Watermelon Festival?Contact us today to learn which sponsorship is right for you!info@franklincountychamber.org256-332-1760. (ticket purchase required). 2022. Info? I truly enjoy meeting the different growers, educating consumers and getting to travel and meet with different people that are part of the watermelon industry.. For nearly half a century, Cave City residents in Sharp County have claimed that the sweetest watermelons are grown in and around their hometown. McDade Watermelon Festival Street Dance! 979.921.5095 Always the third weekend in June, the Jubilee is a refreshing slice of summer time fun. P.O. She explained that as watermelon queen she will participate in promotions and events anywhere watermelon is featured which can include media, schools, festivals, parades, tours and other state conventions. The Watermelon Festival Queen (Age 18-21) will also be responsible for cutting the first watermelon at the Opening Ceremony, awarding prizes at the Watermelon Festival, riding in the Russellville Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 1, 2022 and crowning at the 2023 Watermelon Pageant. Queen Olivia was one of seven contestants vying for the title of National Watermelon Queen. Were so excited for this years festivities and cant wait to announce the official event schedule. To be in our 2022 Grande Parade. 18 . She was accompanied by her father Shelby Johnson, mother Renee Johnson and her sister Jenny Johnson. Bill Clinton attended as the guest of honor. 200 N LaSalle St Ste 1540 Chicago, IL 60601 The past national queen, she did over 100 promotions and got to travel all the states that grow watermelons, she also got to go to California, said Johnson. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________, Partnership Banquet Tickets We applaud our teachers and give them a big "thank you" for all they do including volunteering their time at the McDade Watermelon Festival. Some history thatwas written in 1998for our 50th Anniversary on the Watermelon Festival in McDade. First celebrated in 1937, the Stockdale Watermelon Jubilee is one of the oldest watermelon festivals in Texas. Some BBQ Cook-Off Teams May Begin Setting Up, Street Dance with the Original Triumphs Band. 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