Watermelon Festival Schedule
Thursday, August 7
12:00 pm – Watermelon Festival Ribbon Cutting with 2025 Watermelon Pageant Winners (Coliseum)
12:00 pm – Festival Opens (Vendors: Outdoor/Coliseum/Horticulture Building/Covered Pavilion, Concessions: Outdoor)
12:00 pm – River Valley Tractor Kidz Zone Opens (GellyBall, Bungee Trampoline, Sone Cones)
12:00 pm – Rusty Wheels Engine Show Opens (Glen Scroggins)
12:00 pm to 4:30 pm – Beautiful Baby Contest Display (Coliseum)
12:00 pm to 4:30 pm – LifeShare Blood Drive
12:00 pm – Watermelon by the Slice Opens (Big Tent)
4:30 pm to 7:00 pm – Kiwanis Pulled Pork Dinner (Community Center)
6:00 pm – Watermelon Olympics (City of Hope Parks & Recreation – Legion Field)
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Living Proof Band (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)
7:00 pm – Dog Show – City of Hope Animal Shelter/Hope for Paws (Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center Stage)
Friday, August 8
9:00 am – Festival Opens (Vendors: Outdoor/Coliseum/Horticulture Building/Covered Pavilion, Concessions: Outdoor)
9:00 am – River Valley Tractor Kidz Zone Opens (Inflatables, GellyBall, Bungee Trampoline, Pony Rides, Camel Rides, Sone Cones)
9:00 am – Rusty Wheels Engine Show Opens (Glen Scroggins)
10:00 am – Watermelon by the Slice Opens (Big Tent)
11:30 am to 4:00 pm – LifeShare Blood Drive
2:00 pm – Carl Jackson (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)
4:00 pm – Hometown Strangers (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)
4:30 pm to 7:00 pm – Lion’s Club Fish Fry (Community Center)
6:00 pm – Melon Mayhem Wrestling (Hype & Glory – Rodeo Arena)
6:00 pm – Melon Jams Open Mic Night (Farmers Bank & Trust Stage)
6:00 pm – Washington Vintage Dancers (In front of Coliseum)
6:00 pm – Cornhole Tournament (City of Hope Parks & Recreation – Legion Field)
7:00 pm – Watermelon Festival Softball Tournament Begins (City of Hope Parks & Recreation – Kelly Fields)
Saturday, August 9
7:30 am – Watermelon 5K (Don Still)
8:30 am – Melon Mile (Don Still)
8:00 am – Civitan Car Show (Behind Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center Stage)
9:00 am – Festival Opens (Vendors: Outdoor/Coliseum/Horticulture Building/Covered Pavilion, Concessions: Outdoor)
9:00 am – River Valley Tractor Kidz Zone Opens (Inflatables, GellyBall, Bungee Trampoline, Pony Rides, Camel Rides, Sone Cones)
9:00 am – Fishing Derby (City of Hope Parks & Recreation – Huckabee Lake)
9:00 am – Rusty Wheels Engine Show Opens (Glen Scroggins)
9:00 am – Rusty Relics Antique Tractor Club (Roger White)
9:30 am – Money In the Haystack (River Valley Tractor Kidz Zone)
10:00 am – Watermelon by the Slice Opens (Big Tent)
10:00 am – Junior Watermelon Olympics (River Valley Tractor Kidz Zone)
10:00 am – Watermelon Waddle Duck Races (Hope Piranhas Swim Team – Hope Fair Park Swimming Pool)
11:00 am — Hope Piranhas Swim Team Exhibition
Hope Fair Park Swimming Pool
11:00 am — Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest
Hosted by UAHT – Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center Stage
12:00 pm — Watermelon Eating Contest for All Ages
Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center Stage
11:30 am – 4:00 pm — LifeShare Blood Drive
1:00 pm — Junior Watermelon Idol
Hosted by Arnetta Bradford – Farmers Bank & Trust Stage
1:30 pm — Seed Spitting Competition
Hosted by Dave Phillips — Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center Stage
3:00 pm — Watermelon Idol
Hosted by Arnetta Bradford – Farmers Bank & Trust Stage
5:00 pm — Nighthawk Band
Farmers Bank & Trust Stage
6:00 pm — THE LEAD SINGERS OF CLASSIC ROCK
Legion Field — Gates open
6:30 pm — 2025 Junior Watermelon Idol & 2025 Watermelon Idol
7:00 pm — Buzz Andrews Band
8:00 pm — The Lead Singers of Classic Rock
The Watermelon Festival will end at the conclusion of the concert.
Throughout the Watermelon Festival listen to your favorite tunes through Jubilee Speakers in the Klipsch Korner!
Visit www.hopewatermelonfest.com for more information or to register for any festival events.
To purchase The Lead Singers of Classic Rock tickets, visit the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber Office or buy online at hopewatermelonfest.com
If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at (870) 777-3640