What-A-Melon Festival Time! Opening Ceremonies at 5pm on Thursday, July 11, 2019. 

 

The 30th Annual What-A-Melon festival is rolling into downtown Center, Texas starting July 11th for 3 days of fun in the sun! The three days of festivities, July 11th, 12th, and 13th is looking for participants to join in and help make this the best What-A-Melon Festival ever. Platinum sponsors for the festival are Farmers State Bank, Toledo-Bend.com, and Shelby Savings Bank. 

 

Entry into the festival is $5 per button and admission buttons are good all three days of the festival. Children five and under get in free. Arm bands are available each night of the festival for rides and are $20. Arm band hours are Thursday 5:30pm to 10pm and Friday/Saturday 5:30pm to 10:30pm.

 

The What-A-Melon Festival's biggest attraction, the Largest Watermelon Contest, is Thursday evening and the winning melons will be on display for festival visitors to see and have photos made with this year's largest watermelons! The weigh-in will be July 11th at 5pm under the big tent immediately following opening ceremonies. Come see who will take home the big prize money!

 

The Pet Show will be held Friday, July 12th at 6pm. Sign up is at 5:30pm to enter your favorite pet. Be sure to wow the judges by adding a little watermelon style to your pet's stage presence.

Reed Barton, a singer/songwriter from Burleson, Texas will take to the stage Friday at 8:30pm. Come out and enjoy a finger lickin' mix of classic country and classic rock music and welcome Barton to the East Texas What-A-Melon Festival!

 

The What-A-Melon Fun Run/5K will jump-start Saturday's activities at 7am. Proceeds from the run will benefit the Shelby County Historical Society.

 

The fan favorites - Seed Spitting Contest and Speed Eating Contest is set for 3pm Saturday under the big tent! Come out and demonstrate your watermelon seed spitting skills along with who can down their melon slice the fastest! It's the best way to beat the heat with delicious watermelon. 

 

The What-A-Melon Pageant is Saturday evening from 5:30pm until 7:30pm.

The What-A-Melon Festival is hosted by the Center Rotary Club.

 

Proceeds raised from the What-A-Melon Festival by the Rotary Club of Center are donated back to various organizations in the community to help fight hunger, provide scholarships, support the youth, and more! Through the years the club has made pledges which have helped construct the John D. Windham Civic Center, the Center Baseball Park, and the Center Softball Park. This year the club has pledged to help with the Center Soccer Fields.