North Carolina Watermelon Festival
The North Carolina Watermelon Festival is an annual celebration of the watermelon started in 1957 in Raleigh, North Carolina.[1] 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[]
Miss Watermelon / Watermelon Queen[]
- 1966 Eleanor Brantley[3]
- 1986 Whitney Cuthbertson[4]
- 2003 Tracy Lynn Register[5]
- 2009 Kensley Leonard[6]
- 2014 Breanna Williams[7]
Seed spitting[]
- 1963 - Wally Ausley - 35 ft 06 in (10.82 m)*[8]
- 1970 - John "Speedy" Adams - 29 ft (8.84 m)[1]
- 2004 - Kristin Cucci[2]
* 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[]
- ^ a b c Associated Press (25 July 1970). "118 Pound Melon". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. p. 6D. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ a b 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 Coordinates: 36°26′34″N 77°05′56″W / 36.44281°N 77.09900°W
Categories:
- Festivals in North Carolina
- Tourist attractions in Hertford County, North Carolina
- Watermelons
- Murfreesboro, North Carolina
- Food and drink festivals in the United States
- 1957 establishments in North Carolina
- Festivals established in 1957