• Chamber of Commerce

  • 26th Annual Watermelon Festival

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    Name: 26th Annual Watermelon Festival
    Date: July 17, 2024 - July 18, 2024
    2015 Festival T-shirt
    Event Description:
    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.

     
    Event Media:
    Event Sponsors:
    • The City of Hempstead
    • NewWave Communications
    • Trustmark Bank
    • Edmond's Insurance
    • Adams Tree Service Inc.
    • Brookshire Brothers
    • The Hotline Press
    • King Insurance Agency
    • Styers Realty
    • Pizza Hut
    • Di Iorio Farms & Roadside Market
    • Prosperity Bank
    • First Baptist Church
    • San Bernard Electric Co-Op, Inc.
    Location:
    The Festival is held in Hempstead Gazebo Park and the surrounding streets. The park is located behind Hempstead City Hall on Austin St.(business 290).

    Check out our article in the 2024 "Food & Wine " issue of PRIME Living magazine.
    http://www.PRIME-living.com
     
    Date/Time Information:

    26th Annual Watermelon Festival/Schedule of Events

    Thursday, July 16, 2024



    Carnival opens 5:00 pm

    Friday, July 17, 2024

    BBQ Cook-off-all day

    5:00 pm - Carnival

    6:00 pm - Cody the Magicode

    6:30 pm - Watermelon Cake Decorating Contest

    6:30 pm - Kid's Championship Cook off

    7:00 pm - Wine Tasting

    7:30 pm - Dogs on Parade

    Depot Park Street Dance

    7:00 pm - performance by Abigail Taylor

    8:00 - 11:00 pm - performance by The Risky Liver Band

    Saturday, July 18, 2024

    7:00 am - Fun Run

    8:45 am - Classic Car Parade & Show

    9:00 am - Watermelon Festival Parade

    9:00 am - Quilt Show opens

    9:00 am-12:00 am - Carnival

    11:30 am - BBQ Judging

    1:00 pm - Car Show Awards

    1:30 pm - Classic Movie Showing

    Gazebo Park

    9:45 am or upon conclusion of the Parade-Opening Ceremonies/Queen Coronation/Parade

    awards

    11:45 am - Coloring Contest Awards/Garden Club Sunbonnet Contest Awards

    12:00 noon - performance by Angela Hardy

    1:30 pm - Watermelon Eating & Seed Spitting Contests

    2:30 pm- Watermelon/Quilt Auction

    5:00 pm - BBQ Cook-Off awards

    Depot Park-Street Dance

    8:00-11:00 pm - performance by The Original Triumphs

    Fees/Admission:
    The festival is free. Parking is free where ever you can find space on a side street.

    Carnival info:
    Armbands are available this year. A 1 day Thursday pass is $15. 
    Mega pass for Thursday, Friday and Saturday is $50. 
    At the gate prices are: Thursday $20. Friday & Saturday $25 each. 
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