North Carolina Watermelon Festival Explained
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 - 35feet*[8]
- 1970 - John "Speedy" Adams - 292NaN2[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
External links
36.4428°N -77.099°W
Notes and References
- News: Associated Press. 118 Pound Melon. 9 April 2015. Daytona Beach Morning Journal. 25 July 1970. 6D.
- News: Ives. Millard K.. Minding Melons. 9 April 2015. Star-News. 1 August 2004. Wilmington, North Carolina. 1B.
- News: Cool and Refreshing. 9 April 2015. Associated Press. Kentucky New Era. 13 July 1966. Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Front Page.
- News: Suffolk News-Herald. Bryant. Cal. Watermelon Festival begins Wednesday. 9 April 2015. 29 July 2013.
- News: Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. NC Watermelon Festival opens Wednesday. 9 April 2015. 29 July 2003.
- Web site: Watermelon Day at the State Farmers Market Thursday, Aug. 6. In the Field. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 9 April 2015.
- Web site: Watermelon Queen 2014 Breanna Williams. North Carolina Watermelon Festival. 9 April 2015.
- News: No Melon, No Spit-Off. 9 April 2015. United Press International. The Dispatch. 14 September 1963. Lexington, North Carolina.
