The 50th annual Hope Watermelon Festival has begun in Hope, Arkansas, at Hope Fair Park. The three-day festival, which runs through Saturday, is hosted by the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce and marks five decades of community tradition and agricultural heritage.
Festival Activities
Organizers expect tens of thousands of guests to visit the grounds over the weekend. The festival features nearly 300 vendor booths, an arts and crafts market, a car show, a 5K race, and a dog show. Festivalgoers can also participate in seed-spitting contests, watermelon eating competitions, and the Watermelon Olympics.
Slices of ice-cold Hope watermelon will be available for attendees throughout the weekend. Local farmers will also showcase giant watermelons grown across Hempstead County. Multiple stages will host live music throughout the event, with country music star Gretchen Wilson headlining the grand finale concert Saturday evening at Hope Fair Park.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
