The opening ceremonies for the 26^th annual What-A-Melon Festival, sponsored by the Center Rotary Club will be held at 5 o'clock this afternoon, as local dignataries, along with event organizers and the community gather under the big tent on the downtown Center square to officially "cut the melon" on the three day event.

 

Rotary Club festival chairman J.J. Ford invites everyone out to get a "free slice" of goodness.

 

She said vendor booths and carnival rides will also get underway at this time. Tonight there's live entertainment starting at 5:30 featuring several church groups and individuals.

 

Festival gates open at 3 p.m. Friday, with sign up of for the pet show at 5:30.

 

Saturday is the big day with the What-A-Melon Crawl 5K Run and Walk starting at 7 a.m. with carnival rides opening at 3, followed by the seed spitting and speed eating at 4 p.m., and a highlight event of the festival, the What-A-Melon weigh-in at 5. The pageant begins at 6 p.m.

 

Ms. Ford says the festival will again offer a good number of vendors.

 

Admission to the What-A-Melon Festival is a one-time fee of $4 for a button, and free for kids 5 and under. Also, the carnival armbands are $20 for all-u-can ride tonight, Friday night from 5:30 to 10 p.m., and Saturday night from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.

 

By the way, the specially designed What-A-Melon t-shirts are 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.

 

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