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    • Home
    • Sponsors
    • Events
    • Royalty, Belles & Beaus
    • Entertainment
    • Applications
    • Payments
    • Photo Gallery
    • 2024 Festival Parade
    • Contest Winners
    • Melon Merchandise
    • Committee
    • History
    • Other Festivals

  • Home
  • Sponsors
  • Events
  • Royalty, Belles & Beaus
  • Entertainment
  • Applications
  • Payments
  • Photo Gallery
  • 2024 Festival Parade
  • Contest Winners
  • Melon Merchandise
  • Committee
  • History
  • Other Festivals

Melon Events Calendar

Saturday June 14

Saturday June 14

Saturday June 14

   5K Run


 8:00 am Hampton County Courthouse 

1 Elm St. West 

Hampton SC 29924


https://runsignup.com/Race/SC/Hampton/HamptonCountyWatermelonFestival5K


Children's Fun Run 9 am

see details below


Corn Hole Tournament

Registration: 9 am

Starts at 10 am

see details below


The Barn at Escondido Farms

** See Applications for more information **


Variety Show

Palmetto Theatre in Hampton  3 pm

see details below


Country Music Kick Off   7 pm

gate opens at 6 pm

General admission $10 cash (at gate)

beverages available with ID (21+)

see details below








Sunday June 15

Saturday June 14

Saturday June 14

 


Warren Peay Concert 7 pm


Will be held at the Lighthouse Church

 2435 Augusta Hwy, Hampton, SC 29924 

Monday June 16

Saturday June 14

Tuesday, June 17

   Youth Parade


Line up at 6 pm, Parade starts at 7 pm 

Held in Varnville


 Opening Ceremony


7:30 pm at the Varnville gazebo following the Youth Parade.  The Grand Marshals, Town Queens, and dignitaries will be present.  


 Taste of Hampton County

(a local food truck event)

Food trucks will be set up in Varnville 

near the Town Hall

Silver Bullet Cafe, Willie Grill Shak, Pork Skins, Dorothy Crum/Candles, 5 R Concession, Jordan Cuisine (seafood), CoCo Food Truck, Bullful by Tyger


This event will be from 11 am until 9 pm 

Tuesday, June 17

Wednesday, June 18

Tuesday, June 17

      

Taste of Hampton County

(a local food truck event)

Food trucks will be set up in Varnville 

near the Town Hall


This event will be from 11 am until 9 pm


Children's Day in the Park 

Two hours of fun filled entertainment specifically designed for young children up to 12 years of age.  There is face painting, games,  and other activities.  It's lots of fun and a great opportunity for kids to enjoy being part of the Watermelon Festival.  Come join other families at Lake Warren State Park from 10 am until 12 noon.


Tractor Driving Contest  4 pm


Held at Hampton County Clemson Extension Office 

(12 Walnut St E. Hampton SC)

Age requirement: 

14-18 High school students

See Applications page for additional info. on Tractor Driving Contest


Wednesday, June 18

Wednesday, June 18

Wednesday, June 18

Hampton County Watermelon Festival Fishing Tournament


Held at Lake Warren State Park

Begins at 6 am at Picnic Shelter #2.  

Registration for children 5 & under are free,

ages 6 & up will be $5


You may weigh your catch throughout the day.  

Please have your catch weighed in by 4 pm.


Trophies and door prizes following weigh in.


Also there will be a drawing to give away a lifetime hunting and fishing license to a child.  Ages 2-15 are eligible for the raffle.  They will receive a ticket during registration.  Must be present to win.  


 Pet Show

Held at Lake Warren State Park

starting at 6:00 pm



Jason Lee Cook Concert

8 pm

Town of Hampton Gazebo





Thursday, June 19

Wednesday, June 18

Wednesday, June 18

Battle of the Towns

see details below


Held at Hampton County High School football field

Begins at 7 pm

Admission $5 (children under 4 free)


There will also be some special events:

Baby Crawl

Official Melon Eating Contest


Arts and Crafts Vendors check-in

Begins after 5 pm -- Hampton Courthouse


Carnival

Held behind the Varnville Town Hall  6 pm


Friday, June 20

Saturday, June 21

Saturday, June 21

Friday, June 21st

    Arts & Crafts Vendors


Tee Shirt Sales


Food Vendors


Line Dance group

7 pm near main street in Hampton


Street Dance

performing live on the main street in Hampton

(see Entertainment for more information)


Carnival

Held behind the Varnville Town Hall  6 pm



Saturday, June 21

Saturday, June 21

Saturday, June 21

Watermelon Judging Contest

(held at the Hampton Town Gazebo --

Judging at 8:30 am

 Winners announced at 9 am)


Arts & Crafts & Food Vendors


Tee Shirt Sales

 

Parade

will be live streamed on YouTube by PRTC at 10:15 am

also live streamed on PRTC FB page. 

It can be shared with others once it starts


  Carnival

Held behind the VarnvilleTown Hall




 

 

Watermelon Festival Happenings

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Event Descriptions

Parade

Opening Ceremony

Street Dance

Our parade is known as the longest in the state of South Carolina. 3.2 miles, beginning in the Town of Varnville ending in the Town of Hampton. We can knock on wood because since our festival's inception in 1939, the Watermelon Festival has never been rained out. That's pretty amazing for 76 years.   

Queens, floats, state and local dignitaries are just a few of our festival's highlights. We also display bands like the Marine band, local homemade floats and decorated vehicles and horses. Remember, our parade is always during the summer so make sure you find some shade (unless you're looking to get a tan). Bring plenty of water to drink or keep an eye out for water being handed out and/or surprise mists of water during the parade. The parade starts at 9:45 a.m.

Street Dance

Opening Ceremony

Street Dance

Our Festival Street Dance is the 2nd largest event of the Festival each year (the Parade being the largest in attendance). Lee Ave., in Downtown Hampton, is designated to the street dance on the Friday before the parade and the night is filled with music and old fashioned family fun! See old friends and make new friends. Who knows, many girls and guys may meet their future husband or wife on our special night.   On the courthouse end of the street you'll find one genre of live band entertainment, carefully and thoughtfully selected by the festival committee...on the other end of the street you'll find and entirely different genre of music to cater to the differences of many.   

As always, the Street Dance will feature a two great bands.  One of the best things about the Street Dance is that it's FREE and there's plenty of food just across the street near the Courthouse Square if you get hungry. Pick up some great crafts and souvenirs while you're there. 

Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony

 Presentation of the committee chair and co-chair  


Presentation of the grand marshal, speaker, and Melon Belles and Beaus  


Free watermelon slices will be served

Taste of Hampton

Battle of the Towns

Opening Ceremony

Many local food vendors will be available Monday and Tuesday afternoon around the Varnville Town Hall area:


Sugar Shack

5 R Concessions

Willie Grill Shak

Silver Bullet Cafe

Pork Skins

Willie Rakes Cafe

Big Ram's Boiled Peanuts

Juanda with J's Rainbow Italian Ice

Fishing Contest

Battle of the Towns

Battle of the Towns

The Festival Fishing Contest is one of the Watermelon Festival's oldest events with all-day fishing out at Lake Warren State Park for ages young and old. There are lots of free giveaways and trophies for several species of fish. If you have a boat, bring it. If you don't have a boat, then take advantage of the dam, spillway, gazebo or pier. Don't forget your bait and you may want to bring some sunscreen and bug repellant along with something to drink, but remember no alcohol! Registration for the contest is inside the Lake Warren State Park gate at Picnic Shelter #2 and starts at 6 a.m. Bring the whole family and catch a mess of fish. Who knows maybe you'll win a prize while you're there! 

Battle of the Towns

Battle of the Towns

Battle of the Towns

 The Battle of the Towns has been around for 39 years with teams from several of the towns and communities of Hampton County competing for bragging rights as well as the Hampton County shaped trophy that the winning team keeps for a year. Each team participates in what may be some of the wackiest races and competitions that you will ever see. The Festival Committee sponsors the event on the Wade Hampton Football Field and always manages to come up with the craziest, most off-the-wall ideas imaginable. The event is family-friendly and even includes a "baby crawl" competition to determine who the fastest youngin' on all fours is. Concessions are always available at this event. Bring the whole family out for a night of excitement and silliness. .

Youth Parade

Watermelon Judging Contest

Children's Day

Yes, the kids in Hampton County have their own parade, too! Each year the Festival Youth Parade draws a huge crowd to the town of Varnville and features the amazing ingenuity that these kids are  known for when it comes to decorating for this event. Baby carriages, strollers, wagons and golf carts are all decked out in the year's Festival theme with the parade beginning at the Varnville Baptist Church and ending at the Varnville Gazebo. Following the parade, trophies are awarded for each classification and then it's free watermelon slice time! 

Children's Day

Watermelon Judging Contest

Children's Day

 "Children's Day in the Park" is two hours of fun-filled entertainment specifically designed for the younger youngsters. There's everything from face painting, sidewalk chalk, contests, games of chance and even a water slide and bounce house. While you and the kids are there you can enjoy entertainment performed by local talents in the field of dance and music. It's lots of fun and a great opportunity for the kids to get out and enjoy being part of the Watermelon Festival. Make sure your babies wear sunscreen and get plenty of fluids because it's probably going to be hot. 

Watermelon Judging Contest

Watermelon Judging Contest

Watermelon Judging Contest

The Watermelon Judging Contest will be held on Saturday, June 21st at 8:30 am at the Hampton town Gazebo.  Winners will be announced at 9 am.

Thanks to all supporting the 83rd Annual Watermelon Festival



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

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