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  • Festival Cancelled
  • TEE-SHIRTS
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2021 June 19-27 Watermelon Festival cancelled

2021 June 19-27 Watermelon Festival cancelled2021 June 19-27 Watermelon Festival cancelled2021 June 19-27 Watermelon Festival cancelled

No festival in 2021 --

See APPLICATIONS for contests 

See FESTIVAL CANCELLED 

TEE-SHIRTS can be purchased

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).

2019 Festival Parade

How Sweet It Is

2019 Miss/Master Pageant

    2019 Kiddie Parade & Children's Day

      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 Taste of Hampton

        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

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