North Carolina Watermelon Festival
The North Carolina Watermelon Festival is an annual celebration of the watermelon started in 1957 in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1985 it was relocated to Murfreesboro, North Carolina. The festival features a seed-spitting contest, the crowning of a "Miss Watermelon" and an award for the best/biggest melons.
There'll be no celebration planned in 2020.
Winners
Watermelon grower
- 1970 - Ed Weeks, 118 lb (53.52 kg; 8.43 st)
- 2004 - Adam Worley, 195.5 lb (88.68 kg; 13.96 st)
Miss Watermelon / Watermelon Queen
- 1966 Eleanor Brantley
- 1986 Whitney Cuthbertson
- 2003 Tracy Lynn Register
- 2009 Kensley Leonard
- 2014 Breanna Williams
Seed spitting
- 1963 - Wally Ausley - 35 ft 06 in (10.82 m)*
- 1970 - John "Speedy" Adams - 29 ft (8.84 m)
- 2004 - Kristin Cucci
* World Record
Activities
The four-day event now includes:
- a parade
- musical performances
- food festival
- carnival rides
- craft sales
- 5 km run
- watermelon-seed spitting contest
- crowning of the Watermelon Princesses
- a visit from the North Carolina Watermelon Queen
References
- ^ "118 Pound Melon". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. 25 July 1970. p. 6D. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Ives, Millard K. (1 August 2004). "Minding Melons". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. p. 1B. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Cool and Refreshing". Kentucky New Era. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Associated Press. 13 July 1966. p. Front Page. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ Bryant, Cal (29 July 2013). "Watermelon Festival begins Wednesday". Suffolk News-Herald. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "NC Watermelon Festival opens Wednesday". Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. 29 July 2003. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Watermelon Day at the State Farmers Market Thursday, Aug. 6". In the Field. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Watermelon Queen 2014 Breanna Williams". North Carolina Watermelon Festival. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "No Melon, No Spit-Off". The Dispatch. Lexington, North Carolina. United Press International. 14 September 1963. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
External links
Official website 36°26′34″N 77°05′56″W / 36.44281°N 77.09900°W