The Hope Lions Club heard a program from Kimberly McMahan, Administrative Assistant for the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Monday (7-20) about the 50th annual Hope Watermelon Festival which is set for August 6th, 7th, and 8th. There will be dozens of events at this year’s festival. They include the Beautiful Baby Contest, the Kiwanis Pulled Pork Dinner, the Watermelon Olympics, Rusty Wheels Antique Engine Show, the Dog Show, and the Lions Club Fish Fry. Other activities will include the “Melon Jams” Open Mic Night, the Washington Vintage Dancers, a Corn Hole Tournament, Softball Tournament, Watermelon 5K, and the Melon Mile. This year will also feature “Money in the Haystack”, the Watermelon Weigh-In, Junior Watermelon Olympics, Junior Watermelon Idol, a Duck Race, and an exhibition from the Hope Piranhas Swim Team. As always, there will be the Watermelon Idol contest, Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest, a Watermelon Eating Contest for 3 age groups, a Lifeshare Blood Drive, Arm Wrestling, Seed Spitting, and music from Jerome Underwood and the Nighthawk Band. The Kids Zone will be open all weekend and the Civitan Car Show will start Saturday (8-8) at 8am.
Watermelon by the slice will be available Thursday (8-6) after noon and Friday and Saturday (8-7 and 8-8) after 10am. A quarter-melon slice is $3 and a 1/8th melon slice is $2. Cash will not be accepted at the tent. Vouchers can be purchased at the festival office. Also Cash App, Debit Cards, and Credit Cards will be accepted.
Watermelon Festival t-shirts are now on sale. Youth sizes XS to Large are $15. Adult Small to Xtra Large are $20. Adult 2x and 3x are $22. They are available now at the Chamber office at Main & 2nd in downtown Hope.
The festival will wrap-up with a concert featuring Gretchen Wilson. The opening act will be Hope native and frequent Grand Ole Opry guest Mae Estes.
For more information, visit hopemelonfest.com or call the Chamber at 870-777-3640.
