The Center Rotary Club's 26th annual What-A-Melon Festival will get underway for its three-day run with the opening ceremony and official watermelon cutting by local dignitaries at 5 p.m. Thursday.

 

The festival includes a carnival, vendor booths, a pet show, pageant, a seed spitting and speed eating contest, plus the always popular largest watermelon weigh-in.

 

The carnival rides and vendors will be open Thursday evening. Arm bands are available for each night of the festival for $20, and can be purchased Thursday & Friday from 5:30 p.m. till 10 p.m. and Saturday, 5:30 till 10:30 p.m.

 

What-A-Melon Festival gates open at 3 p.m. Friday, with local entertainment at 5:30 p.m. and the pet show at 6 p.m.

 

Saturday begins with the What-A-Melon 5K/Walk at 7 a.m. and the rides and vendors opening at 3 p.m. Several crowd favorites begin at 4 p.m. with the seed spitting and speed eating contest, followed by the largest watermelon weigh-in at 5 p.m. and the What-A-Melon pageant at 6 p.m. Saturday.

 

What-A-Melon Festival entry buttons will be available at the festival entry gates Thursday evening. Buttons are $4 and are good for entry to the festival for all three days. Children five and under get in free. 

 

You can be official at the What-A-Melon Festival with a specially designed t-shirt, available for purchase at Farmers State Bank on the Square, Shelby Savings Bank at the corner of Selma Street and Shelbyville Street, and at the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce office. T-Shirts are $15 for adult sizes and $12 for children sizes. Shirts will be available at each location until Friday at which time the shirts will only be available for purchase at the festival. 

 

By the way, you can still register for the What-A-Melon 5K/Walk. Each year Center Rotary Club donates a major portion of the events funds to a local non-profit organization. This year’s funds go to Shelby County Outreach Ministries. The 5K/Walk will be held on the Center Square, with the fun run at 7 a.m. and the 5K at 7:30 a.m. Both events are for people of all ages. You can walk or run either event. Strollers are acceptable. Registration forms are available at Shelby Savings Bank, All Hours Fitness and Shelby County Outreach Ministries. 

 

2015 What-A-Melon Festival

Sponsored by Center Rotary Club

 

Thursday, July 9th

5:00pm - Opening Ceremony (Official Watermelon Cutting)

Rides Open and Vendors Open

10pm - Festival Closes 

 

Friday, July 10th

3:00pm - Rides Open and Vendors Open

5:30pm - Local Entertainment

5:30pm - Sign up for Pet Show (No farm animals, pets only)

6:00pm - WAM Pet Show

10pm - Festival Closes 

 

Saturday, July 11th

7:00am - WAM Fun Run

7:30am - WAM 5K Run/Walk benefiting Shelby Co. Outreach Ministries

3:00pm - Rides Open and Vendors Open

4-5 pm - Seed Spitting Contest and Speed Eating Contest

5:00pm - WAM Largest Watermelon Weigh-in

6:00pm - WAM Pageant

10:30pm - Festival Shuts Down 

 

Arm bands will be available for each night of the festival for the rides and are $20.00. Armbands can be purchased Thursday & Friday from 5:30 till 10:00 and Saturday 5:30 till 10:30. Admission buttons are good for entry to the festival or all three days.  Adult buttons are $4 each. Children five and under get in free.