Thank you for a great 2024 festival. Check back here for contest winners and photos of the festival.
Click Here Festival Profit/Loss report
Quilt Show Viewer's Choice Awards:
Class 1: Texas Themed Quilts - #101 "Texas Our Texas" by Aurora Ayala of Hempstead
Class 2: 0-3 Years Quilting Experience - #202 :Love My Trooper" by Laurie Bettis of Hempstead
Class 3: 4-10 Years Quilting Experience - #301 "Carpenter's Star" by Scheree Brown of Waller
Class 4: 11+ Years Quilting Experience - #4-9 " Hunter's Dream" by Dorothy Yeats of Hockley
Best of Show: Favorite of the the quilts chones by viewers was #409 "Hunter's Dream"
Thank you to everyone who entered. Hope to see you next year!
Watermelon Auction Huge Success
Both local commercial and home growers entered their best melons Saturday morning, July 18, to compete for top awards in the Hempstead Watermelon Festival Grower’s Contest while members of the community gathered together Saturday afternoon to exchange bids during the annual Watermelon Festival Auction.
Roberto Pablo Rivera took home the award for Grand Champion commercial melon with his 64 pound Jubilee. It was purchased by Diiorio Farms and Roadside Markets. The Reserve Champion commercial melon was awarded to Jonathon DiIorio with his 50 pound Cob Jim. It was purchased by Horsegate Ranch.
In other categories, Jonathon DiIorio took first place in the Black Diamond, and Yellow Meet categories. Craig Hood took first place in the Tom Watson and Carolina Cross categories.
In the home growers division, Angela Cavender had the smallest melon at 3.75 pounds. It sold to Wilbur Ellis during the auction.
The “Stars Over Hempstead” queen size quilt made by members of the Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild of Hempstead and donated to raise funds to support a 4-H Scholarship was purchased in the auction by Barry & Laurie Bettis.
Overall the auction was a huge success this year raising over $7,500 to support local growers, the Hempstead Volunteer Fire Department, the Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild and the Hempstead Chamber of Commerce.
The top five buyers for 2024 were Wilbur Ellis, Barry & Laurie Bettis, Brookshire Brothers, Knight Insurance, and DiIorio Farms & Roadside Markets. Other buyers for the day were Flooring Discounters, Horsegate Ranch, TADCO, Colt Haack, Knight Equine & Bovine Insurance, Eagle Technology, Waller County Paint & Body, Four County Auction, Roy & Marsha Weisner, Waller County Chiropractic, Effort Products, Logan Industries, Ricky Burch, Micro Machines, The Hotline Press, Todd DePenning, Georgia Gibbs, Hempstead Vet Clinic, Killian’s, Amigo’s and Six Shooter Junction.
Thank you to all the growers for participating, to Charlie Tiner and crew for conducting the auction and to all the buyers, and those who bid on items in the auction, for making this year a huge success.
We would like to thank everyone who came out to support the Watermelon Festival this year and look forward to seeing you again next year.
ALL VENDOR SPACES ARE FULL!!! You may request to be put on a waiting list if you wish.
We have 18 tickets available to our VIP area for Saturday evening's street dance. Tickets are $10.00.If you are interested call or e-mail the Chamber.
Car Show Flier
2015 Sponsorship form
2015 Sponsorship details
Quilt Show Information
Vendor rules and application
Vendor application
All vendor spaces are full.
Parade application
Kid's BBQ cook off info
Kid's BBQ cook off entry form
Fun Run application
Fun Run flier
cake decoration contest entry form
BBQ cook off forms
Dog show 2024
2015 Watermelon Festival Shirts are in!! Cost is $10.00, $12.00 for extended sizes. Purchase yours at The Hotline Press or Brookshire Brothers.