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The 43rd annual Hope Watermelon Festival is set for Thursday August 8th through Saturday August 10th. All of the official festival events will take place at Hope’s Fair Park over the three day period. Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Director Beckie Moore says, “The Hope-Hempstead County Chamber is looking forward to the 43rd Annual Hope Watermelon Festival. Without volunteers, sponsors, festival chairs, board members and ambassadors, the festival would not be possible. Based on calls, interviews, festival marketing and the fact that hotels are booked, we feel this year’s festival will draw thousands upon thousands of tourists to Hope and Hempstead County. All who join us this year, will see quite a few new activities, events, vendors and concessions. Here’s to #43! May we be blessed with nice weather and a wonderful weekend of fun!”
The festival officially opens at noon on August 8th. The concession, vendors, exhibitors, Verizon Village, and Kidz Zone all open. There will be photo-op cutouts in the Kidz Zone and vendors in the coliseum Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The kick-off celebration starts at 12:30pm on the 8th on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. Entertainment continues that evening from 3pm to 4pm on the BancorpSouth Stage. The Watermelon Idol talent contest will be held at 4:30pm August 8th on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. From 4:30pm to 7pm the Kiwanis Bar B Que Chicken Dinner will be held in the Fair Park Community Center. ice-cold Watermelon by the slice will be available from 5pm to 9pm at the Big Tent. A Taekwondo Demonstration is scheduled for the BancorpSouth Stage at 6pm. The annual Dog Show will be held at 6pm at the Swine Barn. The Washington Vintage Dancers will dance near the coliseum at 7pm and at 7pm in the rodeo arena will be Global 1 Pro Wrestling. The festival opens Friday August 9th at 9am. In addition to the Kidz Zone, there will be a “Tyke Town” for youngsters aged 1 to 5. Other activities will include camel rides, petting zoo, pony rides, HPSD Paint the Bus with Verizon, Inflatable Obstacle Course, Jousting, Laser Tag, Gyroscope, face painting, taekwondo demonstration, and Fun & Games with Cricket Wireless and Rehab Specialists. Watermelon by the slice will be available from 10am until 9pm at the big tent. At 11am music from Piano Man will be offered on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. The Night Hawk Band performs at 12:30pm to 2pm on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. A Baggo Tournament is set for 2pm to 4pm on the baseball field. Music from “Monster Boy” is scheduled for 3pm on the BancorpSouth Stage. The Business/Industry Watermelon Olympics are set for 4pm to 5:30pm around the car show area. From 4:30pm to 7pm will be the Lions Club Fish Fry in the Fair Park Community Center. Lions Club To-Go orders will be at the 7th Street Entrance Gate. From 5:30pm to 8:30pmwill be DJ Justino Cardona on the BancorpSouth Stage and the musical group “Firewater” wraps up the entertainment Friday from 8:30pm to 10pm on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage.
Saturday August 10th offers a full day of family fun at the Watermelon Festival. The 5k Run/Walk is set for 7:30am and the Melon Mile will follow for the kids. For info on the 5k, contact Don Still at 777-1917. The Civitan Antique & Classic Ar Show is set for 8am til 2pm behind the BancorpSouth Stage. At 9am the Rusty Wheels Antique Engine display opens in the area west of the swimming pool. Vendors and concession open at 9am on Saturday with additional Saturday only vendors in the coliseum at 9am. Also inside the coliseum, the Beautiful Baby Pageant Results will be unveiled at 9am. Also starting at 9am and continuing until 3pm is the CMA Motorcycle Show on the north side of the park just inside the front gate. A fishing derby is set for 9am until 11am at Lake Huckabee. In addition to the Kidz Zone and Tyke Town events opening at 9am, the Junior Auxiliary Bubble College will open at 9am. The Arkansas Game & Fish Aquarium returns to the festival at 9am near the Kidz Zone. From 9am until 10am you can meed Mickey Mouse and Elmo & Marshall from Paw Patrol at the BancorpSouth Stage. “Money in the Haystack” is scheduled for 10amnear the Big Tent. Cheridy Adams will perform at 10am on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. Watermelon by the slice will be available from 10am until 8pm. The “Politically Correct” Watermelon Eating Contest is set for 10:30am on the BancorpSouth Stage. The Watermelon Weigh-Off is set for 11am under the big tent. Piano Man performs from 11:30am until 12:30pm on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. The Watermelon Eating Contest is set for noon at the BancorpSouth Stage. The “Endurance Competition” is set for 1pm to 3pm on the BancorpSouth Stage and Seed-Spitting is set for 1pm to 3pm on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. From 2pm to 3pm the Watermelon Waddle Duck Races are set for the Fair Park Pool. The Hope Piranhas Swim Team has a swim exhibition at the Fair Park Pool at 3pm. Carl Jackson offers classic country music from 3:30pm to 4pm on the Farmers Bank & Trust Stage. The gates open to Legion Field for the headline concert at 6pm. Watermelon Idol finals are set for 6:05pm. Wyatt Putman performs at 7:30pm on the CMC Steel Products Stage and Diamond Rio performs at 8:30pm. Registration for the 5K, Melon Mile, Watermelon Idol, Baggo Tournament, and Car Show can be done online at hopemelonfest.com. Watermelon Olympics and Baggo Tournament forms are available at the Chamber office at Main & 2nd downtown. Diamond Rio Tickets are available online at uacch.edu and can be purchased at the Chamber office. Advance Diamond Rio general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for youth 4 to 10. These tickets are $20 on Saturday August 10th. Reserved seats are $40. Global 1 Pro Wrestling tickets are available at the Chamber office or at the gate. These tickets are $15 in advance or $20 day of event for adults. Children 12 and under get in for $6.
If you have questions on any festival activities, phone the Chamber of Commerce at 777-3640.
