August is National Watermelon Month
There’s no better emblem of summer than the watermelon. There are festivals celebrating the iconic fruit throughout the United States this month.
Carytown, Virginia, celebrates its 28th annual Watermelon Festival August 7, 2011.
The 35th annual Watermelon Festival takes place August 11, 12 and 13, 2011, in Hope Arkansas — the home of former president Bill Clinton, former Governor Mike Huckabee — and the “world’s largest” watermelons.
Cave City, Arkansas (home of the “sweetest watermelons”), stages its 32nd annual Watermelon Festival on the same dates.
It’s the 50th year for the annual Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival, to be held August 12, 13 and 14, 2011, in Sunland Park, 8651 Foothill Boulevard, Sunland, California. There’s a food court and carnival rides, clowns and pony rides — but the best part for Road Trips Foodies? Free watermelon!
It’s the 31st year for the Watermelon Festival in Russellville, Alabama, set for August 19 and 20, 2011.
The 26th annual Winterville Watermelon Festival takes place August 25, 26 and 27, 2011, in Winterville, North Carolina. There’s a watermelon spitting contest, a watermelon rolling contest but the most fun for spectators is the watermelon eating contest at 11 a.m. August 26.
Of course, watermelon festivals take place next month, too. Some of them are the Monroe County Watermelon Festival in Tomkinsville, Kentucky (September 3, 2011); Clyde, Kansas (September 3-5, 2011), Pardeeville (Wisconsin) Watermelon Festival (September 10, 2011) and Green River, Utah (September 16-17, 2011)
According to the Watermelon Promotion Board, more than 1,200 varieties of watermelon are grown in 96 countries worldwide.
(Photo courtesy of Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival)
