• Home
  • Sponsors
  • Events
  • Entertainment
  • Royalty & Belles
  • Applications
  • Contest Winners
  • Photo Gallery
  • Melon Merchandise
  • Committee
  • History
  • Other Festivals
  • More
    • Home
    • Sponsors
    • Events
    • Entertainment
    • Royalty & Belles
    • Applications
    • Contest Winners
    • Photo Gallery
    • Melon Merchandise
    • Committee
    • History
    • Other Festivals
  • Home
  • Sponsors
  • Events
  • Entertainment
  • Royalty & Belles
  • Applications
  • Contest Winners
  • Photo Gallery
  • Melon Merchandise
  • Committee
  • History
  • Other Festivals

2022 June 20-25 Watermelon Festival

2022 June 20-25 Watermelon Festival 2022 June 20-25 Watermelon Festival 2022 June 20-25 Watermelon Festival

ENJOY ALL THE FESTIVITIES


PHOTO GALLERY for pictures

EVENTS for daily opportunities

PARADE LINEUP below



Festival History

History Highlights

  

Going back to the earliest celebrations, among the best attended attractions is always Friday night’s street dance in Hampton. But the crowning event of every Watermelon Festival, of course, is the Miss Coastal Empire pageant. Many a Palmetto State beauty has added to the scenery, including the late U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond’s wife, who came as Miss South Carolina (Nancy Moore of Aiken) in 1966, to the 24th Watermelon Festival.

In 1993...

the festival expanded to eight days, “Sunday to Sunday.” Opening ceremonies were coupled with a new event called “Festival Family Fun Day,” sponsored by the Hampton County Chamber of Commerce and held at Lake Warren State Park. The expansion made the Watermelon Festival the third longest festival in the state.
 

A new beauty is picked to be queen of the Coastal Empire every summer, while the same old King Watermelon reigns in glory! 

Excerpts from "The World’s Original Watermelon Festival" By Martha Bee Anderson

  

Hampton County is the home of the world’s original Watermelon Festival. Since 1939, the Hampton County Watermelon Festival has grown to become South Carolina’s oldest continuing festival. From the beginning, it has been a celebration of, for, and by the people of this friendly Lowcountry County, timed to the melon harvest every summer. The tradition was interrupted only twice, first during World War II (1943—45) and again during the Korean War (1951).

2022 Festival Parade

Honoring Our Health Care Heroes

2022 Festival Parade lineup

2019 Melon Contest

GRAND CHAMPION

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

BEST CRIMSON SWEET

Carter Parnell

 CRIMSON SWEET 47.6 lbs.

BEST CRIMSON SWEET

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

BEST CRIMSON SWEET

Carter Parnell

 47.6 lbs.

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

Jenny Parnell

 33.0 lbs. 

HEAVIEST MELON

BEST JUBILEE MELON

BEST CHARLESTON GRAY

Morgan Parnell

 Jubilee 53.2 lbs. 

BEST JUBILEE MELON

BEST JUBILEE MELON

BEST JUBILEE MELON

Jane Youmans

 46.2 lbs. 

BEST OTHER MELON

BEST JUBILEE MELON

BEST JUBILEE MELON

Sara Beth Thomas

 Starbrite Variety 49.8 lbs.

2019 Craft Contest and Display

    2019 Business & Home Decoration Winners

    Business 1st Place

    Business 1st Place

    Business 1st Place

    Tompkins Original

    Business 2nd Place

    Business 1st Place

    Business 1st Place

    Veteran Owned Real Estate


    Business 3rd Place

    Business 1st Place

    Business 3rd Place

    Dunamis Karate

    Home 1st Place

    Home 1st Place

    Business 3rd Place

    Picture To Be Displayed (TBDisplayed)

      Joyce Horres 

    Home 2nd Place

    Home 1st Place

    Home 2nd Place

     Nancy Brenner 

    Home 3rd Place

    Home 1st Place

    Home 2nd Place

    Picture To Be Displayed (TBDisplayed)

     Gordan Rhoden 

    2019 Battle of the Towns

      Get Festival Updates

      Email us to be added to our updated events list next year.

      Share comments and ideas to help us enhance our festival

      This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

      Copyright © 2020 Hampton County Watermelon Festival - All Rights Reserved.

      Powered by GoDaddy