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.. Skip to content. See you all then! Hempstead Commerce & Civic Association 979.921.5095 202 Field Street, Center, Texas 75935 Family Fun - McDade Watermelon Festival 73rd McDade Watermelon Festival July 9, 2022 Nothing Comes Between Me & My Watermelon! Festival organizers said the money raised continues to help the local schools as well as youth programs, the food bank, library, and historical museum. It was held at the temporary school, the McCarty house. (ticket purchase required). Naples Watermelon Festival Texas Fairs/Events > Texas Fairs > Naples Watermelon Festival Naples Watermelon Festival Date: July 30, 2022 Location (s): Naples, TX Category (s): Texas Fairs Have a photo from this event? PTA President, Walter Kastner, Vice president Adeilne Eschberger & Secretary Ethel Field along with the Home Demonstration Club, noticed a contest in the Farmer-Stockman magazine, in cooperation with Texas A&M University, called "Neighborhood Progress Contest" offering a $1,000 prize to the winning organization or group. MAP Always the 2nd Saturday in July! Enjoy booths with fair food favorites, live music, and arts & craft vendors. My first event as National Watermelon Queen is March 5th through 11th and Ill be attending the North Carolina Watermelon Association Convention.. It has been noted that famed Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen had watermelon seeds buried in his tomb. 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. 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. As the National Watermelon Queen Im the promotional ambassador for the National Watermelon Association, said Johnson. The McDade school had burned down in 1940 & school was being held in temporary facilities while a new one was being erected. LULING WATERMELON THUMP JUNE 22-25, 2023 Always the LAST FULL weekend of June SINCE 1954 . rodeo. We've also helped our community food bank, Elgin library, historical museum & other local youth groups, including a scholarship fund for McDade students graduating HighSchool. Were so excited for this years festivities and cant wait to announce the official event schedule. July 15 - 16 Downtown Hempstead So,when you come to our Watermelon Festival, wewant to say THANK YOU! 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 . McDade Watermelon Festival All Rights Reserved, e'd like to invite you to the McDade Street Dance and we are kickin' our heels high & prep'n our giddy-up just for the occasion! Come on out & bring your 2step'n partner for some dancing fun with. 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. 00 Day 00 Hour 00 Minute To be in our 2022 Grande Parade. Wander back here for updates on the BBQ cookoff, live entertainment, watermelon contests and more. The idea was embraced enthusiastically by all and the McDade Watermelon Festival was created. For a complete schedule of events and other information, visit here. P.O. of . Texas . The modern version of this fruit is often fed to livestock. This year's Hempstead Watermelon Festival is gonna be one for the books! Website maintained by Vicki LeBlanc Media. Were accepting food and craft booths at this time, but please keep in mind space is limited and not guaranteed! Hempstead Commerce & Civic Association Street Dance July 8th. Box 16 | Hempstead, Texas 77445 | 979.921.5095 | howdy@growhempstead.com 2023 Hempstead Watermelon . Years later, the festival continues to bring the young and old to the town of about 700 people. Watermelon by the slice, live entertainment and an assortment of other activities will make you forget about that potential for third-degree burns. Phone: +1.512.736.4302. McDade Watermelon Festival Street Dance! All activities except the parade are held at the beautiful Stockdale city park. McDade Watermelon Festival . "Lots of my friends in high school, and when I was younger, liked to refer to me as the 'Watermelon Queen' and now I'm the National Watermelon . To accompany Queen Olivia on her journey, follow the National Watermelon Queen on Facebook and Instagram. 2022 Hempstead Watermelon Festival Schedule 2022 Watermelon Festival Schedule Keep checking back for details! Home Demonstration Agent Lena Sturges was formed to gather the information required and entered the contest. The festival kicks off with the Watermelon Festival Parade and spans throughout the day, offering a BBQ cook-off, art vendors and an auction. Since 1980, theyve invited the rest of the world to dispute or embrace the claim. You can also sign up for daily e-mail news delivered every morning to your inbox. South Florida Garlic Festival Feb 4-5, 2023 Wellington, FL . We invite you tobring the whole familyand come enjoy the simple things in life and be apart ofour small townfun! www.texasfarmersmarket.org. Annual Historical Festival in Hempstead Texas, known as the watermelon capital of Texas. Phone: +1.512.736.4302. Triple Nickel, with U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, is slated to open for the Bellamy Brothers, one of the most successful music acts from the 1970s and 1980s with hits such as Let Your Love Flow on Friday night. Shelby County Today News Online 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. Locals compete for prize melon status. The 42nd annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is slated to begin Thursday (July 28) and run through Saturday (July 30). With a crowd estimated at 1,000 the first Annual McDade Festival. They did raise money for the school chairs. 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 pageant is very much in a job interview format, you do a speech competition, an interview with a panel of judges, a video interview, an impromptu question, a promotional wear competition and then an evening gown competition, said Johnson. 6:30 PM Watermelon Festival 2022 - Watermelon Festival 37th ANNUAL WINTERVILLE Watermelon FESTIVAL About the Festival The legendary Winterville Watermelon Festival is a multi-day event featuring activities the whole family can enjoy. 2023 Vendor Applications are in the works! We began with a community need and continue to support our local area non-profit organizations with grants. Hempstead . We'd like to invite you to the McDade Street Dance and we are kickin' our heels high & prep'n our giddy-up just for the occasion! Come on out & bring your 2step'n partner for some dancing fun with Kenny Orts& NoChance! Singers Wade Hays and Mark Wills will round out the live music slate on Saturday night. The festival includes a grand parade featuring tractors, horses, classic cars, and some FOX 7 Austin favorites. This snack is $4.75. Thursday, March 23, 2023 Its believed that the African slave trade in the 1600s led to the fruit making its trans-Atlantic crossing into the Americas. This Years 19th Annual Festival will be held Sept. 14-16, 2023 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in beautiful Berryville Va. Free camping with ticket, kids 12 and under free. Public response was positive and spontaneous. 2023 Hempstead Watermelon Festival. 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. If you have questions about how you can get involved, want to know more about what you can expect when you come or somethin else entirely feel free to reach out. Many were excited about the new event this year, the Sweatin Melons 5K. What will ending the COVID-19 emergency look like in the US? 2023 Vendor Applications are in the works! The McDade Watermelon Festival Association, Inc. charter was filed with the State of Texas, July 3, 1950. Bill Clinton attended as the guest of honor. They did establish a community tradition that has withstood the changing demographics of McDade. 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. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________, Partnership Banquet Tickets Watermelon . She was accompanied by her father Shelby Johnson, mother Renee Johnson and her sister Jenny Johnson. Box 16 $50 per person, Rockin' at the Roxy with the KGB Family Fun. And you ask why we do it? What else can you do at the festival? When Cave City held its first festival, then Gov. The . 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. Naples Watermelon Festival | Naples TX A committee consisting of President: Walter Kastner, Vice President: Arthur Kastner Jr, Junior Vice Presidents: Morris Kastner & Ernestine Wolf, Secretary: Ethel Field, County Agent C.A.Stone. 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. 18 . Texas Farmers Market at Lakeline, 11200 Lakeline Drive, Cedar Park; Texas Farmers Market at Mueller, 2006 Philomena St., Austin. Hempstead, Texas 77445 Gallery; Schedule of Events; For Vendors; Parade; . You can hear local and nationally known music acts throughout the event. The Hope Watermelon festival features numerous activities including arts & crafts, food, entertainment and other family-oriented activities. Free. Box 16| Hempstead, Texas 77445 | 979.921.5095 | [emailprotected] Weknow you'll have a good time &enjoy small town fun with your family and friends. Hempstead . McDade Watermelon Festival . Great Food, Rides, Merchandise, Entertainment, and Tractor Pull! My dad definitely shed some tears when my name was announced, said Johnson. All Rights Reserved. The Franklin County Watermelon Festival began in 1981 and is the largest festival in Franklin County. Contact the HCCA with questions regarding the 2022 Hempstead Watermelon Festival, and we'll reach back out to you as soon as possible! Send an email to info@franklincountychamber.org to be added to our application list!Check-In & Set Up Times:FOOD VENDORS 12:30 PMALL OTHER VENDORS 2:30 PM*Vendors must check-in at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce to receive their booth assignment*ALL VENDORS MUST BE IN THEIR DESIGNATED SPACE AND READY FOR THE FESTIVAL TO BEGIN AT 5:00 PM FRIDAY AND 9:00 AM SATURDAY. We applaud our teachers and give them a big "thank you" for all they do including volunteering their time at the McDade Watermelon Festival. Johnson is now a Senior Nutrition Major at Texas A&M, and after graduation she hopes to work in the watermelon industry. They did create a tradition of community spirit with the first festival that is still shared by their heirs, relatives, friends and the people of McDade community today. Please read the vendor guidelines prior to submission. 547 were here. We welcome you back for 2022 and look forward to sharing another great year! . One event she mentioned being on her schedule is Nascar, because the watermelon industry has a spokesperson who represents watermelon at the Nascar level. Get Involved as a Watermelon Festival Vendor A family-friendly event, the Hempstead Watermelon Festival invites folks from all over Texas (and beyond) to take part in sharing their food, products, crafts or services with our great small town. Genetic tests show that watermelons originated in Sudan in Africa. 2022 Hempstead Watermelon Festival. Prices increase This watermelon festival does just the trick to keep the heat at bay for the average melon-head. June . And finally, we end the "eats" portion at Florida Fresh with the NEW Florida Strawberry Shortcake! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Phone: 936-591-9334 or 936-332-4845 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. For nearly half a century, Cave City residents in Sharp County have claimed that the sweetest watermelons are grown in and around their hometown. "There's just some of the best watermelon in the world, I usually eat two or three maybe more slices," Duggan said. How the McDade Watermelon Festival beganThe McDade Watermelon Festival is one of the most successful & longest running festivals in the State of Texas.World War II was over and the soldiers came home to the little town McDade. . Always the LAST FULL weekend of June SINCE 1954. 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. "It's important, it kind of puts our name on the map, it gets people out," McDade Watermelon Festival 5K chairperson Amanda Miller said. Deep down South in Alamo, Texas, cool, juicy slices of watermelon aim to slay the scorching Texan sun. Not only was there competition, but Johnson shares that a sisterhood was developed amongst those who participated in this challenge. Queens will be presented at the Watermelon Festival Opening Ceremony on August 19th. Website maintained by Vicki LeBlanc Media. 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. CLICK HERE. Kick up your heels & have a good time. Franklin County || Chamber of Commerce uses Accessibility Checker to monitor our website's accessibility. Watermelon . Need ideas? Hundreds gathered Saturday for one of the longest running festivals in Texas, the 73rd Annual McDade Watermelon Festival. 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. McDade Watermelon Festival is74years old but due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the festival experienced it's first ever cancelation in history! 2023 Hempstead Watermelon Festival. 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. & Civic Association We are back in the saddle and excited to be hosting the 18th annual Fest at the Clarke County Fairgrounds in 2022. watermelon festival events in McDade The 1st McDade Watermelon Festival was held on Thursday, July 1, 1948. Queen Olivia Johnson is the 21-year-old daughter of Mr. Shelby and Renee Johnson, and in her lifetime she has been rooted in the watermelon industry through the sixth generation farm family of which she is a part. "Yes, it's a little hot, but Texans and McDade folks are tough," 423rd District Court Judge Chris Duggan said. & bring your 2step ' n partner for some dancing fun with wait to announce the official Schedule... The & quot ; portion at Florida Fresh with the KGB Family fun through 11th and watermelon festival texas 2022! 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