Hope Lions Hear About “Homegrown Happiness” Watermelon Festival
The Hope Lions Club heard about the 48th Annual Hope Watermelon Festival on Monday (7-15). The festival is set for August 8th through 10th in Hope’s Fair Park. Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Christy Burns brought the program and was joined at Lions by Chamber Membership Director Angelica Manzanares.
The Watermelon Festival parade kicks off the event with the Festival Parade Monday August 5th at 6pm. On Tuesday the Watermelon Festival Pageant will be held. The festival will officially open at noon Thursday August 8th with a ribbon-cutting at Fair Park.
Burns said the Kidz Zone opens Thursday with games, sno-cones, and inflatables. Thursday evening will be the Kiwanis Club’s pulled pork dinner and the Watermelon Olympics. Registration for the Watermelon Olympics can be handled at hopemelonfest.com or by calling the Chamber at 870-777-3640. The dog show is also set for Thursday evening. It will be staged by Hope for Paws and the Hope Animal Shelter. The Rafter J “Living Proof” Band will perform Thursday night on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage.
Events Friday will include the addition of camel and pony rides at the Kids Zone. Burns said there will be a couple of more additions to the Kidz Zone as well. Popular Hope country singer Carl Jackson is set to perform on Friday. The Lions Club Fish Fry is set for Friday from 4:30pm to 7pm at the Fair Park Community Center. The drive-thru for the fish dinner will be near the gate behind the swimming pool and those getting “to-go” orders won’t even have to enter the park. Tickets for the fish fry are $15 per plate. Another Friday event is the “Open Mic” night Friday at 7pm. All local singers, dancers, and performers are invited and will get in free. The Washington Vintage Dancers will perform Friday night and the Corn Hole Tournament will be on Legion Field Friday night. The Softball Tournament starts Friday at Kelly Fields.
Saturday is the busiest day at the festival according to Burns. She said they star at 7:30am Saturday with the 5K and the Melon Mile at the front gate to Fair Park. The Civitan Car show will be on Saturday. The Fishing Derby is also set for Saturday at Lake Huckabee. Danctastics students will perform Saturday and Heather Doucet will sponsor “Money in the Haystack” Saturday morning. Kids participating will get to keep any money they find during the “Money in the Haystack” event. A Junior Watermelon Olympics sponsored by Farm Bureau is also set for Saturday morning. The Hope Piranhas Swim Team will also have an exhibition at the Fair Park Pool Saturday. Prior to that the Piranhas will hold the “Watermelon Waddle” Duck Races. Ducks are still available for $5. The “Politically Correct Watermelon Eating” contest starts at 11am followed by the general watermelon eating contest and the seed-spitting contest. Entertainment that day will include the Night Hawk Band on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. The Watermelon Idol Preliminaries are set for Saturday evening and the winner will perform after the opening act at the concert. The opening act for the concert will be “Lil’ Skinny” and the headliner will be Rodney Atkins. Atkins should take the stage at 8pm. VIP reserved tickets for Atkins are $45 with advance general admission tickets $25 and general admission tickets on Saturday at $25. Children aged 4 to 10 get in the concert for $10.
Burns said they have 19 concessions set for the festival and over 100 vendors so far. Burns says they will have watermelon by the slice each day available when the festival is open. Other attractions will include the Rusty Wheels Antique Engine Show in the northwest corner of the park.
The Watermelon Festival t-shirts are now on sale. Burns said they are $20 for adults and $15 for youth.
Parking will be $5 per vehicle. Parking is a fundraiser for the Chamber and other organizations.
Everyone is invited out to enjoy “Homegrown Happiness” at the 48th Annual Hope Watermelon Festival. For info visit hopemelonfest.com