The Hope Watermelon Festival will again feature the favorite, the fabulous and the fascinating as the 34th annual tribute to the fruit that made Hope famous kicks-off Thursday at Hope Fair Park.
Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mark Keith said Tuesday that he anticipates some 210 vendors and exhibits at this year's festivities.
“That is, of course, subject to fluctuation; and, they're coming in late,” Keith said. “They're coming in like it's a cooler year and that just interests me.”
While temperatures have hovered around the century mark in Southwest Arkansas since the first of the month, they have moderated some of late, but daily highs are expected to remain near 100 degrees through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
About 1,200 freshly-pulled watermelons were loaded into a refrigerated truck at Hope Fair Park early Wednesday morning to chill until the Chamber begins to sell slices just north of the Super 1 Foods tent Thursday.
The headliner concert for the festival features country artist Joe Nichols on the CMC Steel Products Stage on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance of the concert; $6 advance for children ages four to 10; and $20 adult and $6 children the day of the concert. Reserved seating is $40 per seat.
The Jason Helms Band, a Hope product, will open the concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by the winner of the Watermelon Idol contest at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at BancorpSouth, Diamond Bank, Summit Bank, Red River Credit Union, Super 1 Foods, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, Ivan Smith Furniture, the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commere, and the Hope Parks and Recreation Department in Hope; and, at Bank of Prescott and Bank of Delight in Prescott.
Festival events begin at noon Thursday with the opening of the arts and crafts midway.
The Hope Kiwanis Club will offer its famous barbecued chicken this year from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Fair Park Community Center. Sponsored in conjunction with Tyson Foods, the event raises funds for Kiwanis civic activities. Plates with all the trimmings are $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12.
Also Thursday, the Watermelon Dog Show fetches the spotlight at the BancorpSouth Stage at 6 p.m., sponsored by Stroderd Veterinary Clinic and Klipsch and Associates. And, after the doggie divas are finished, stroll on over to the coliseum for hand-dipped ice cream sold by Beta Sigma Phi.
Thurday entertainment venues include Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends from noon to 6 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage, and Breath at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage. Preliminaries of the Hope Watermelon Idol contest sponsored by the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope open at 6 p.m. on the McDonald's Stage in the Fair Park Coliseum; and, the Washington Vintage Dancers perform outside beginning at 7 p.m.
Events open at 9 a.m. on Friday, and later in the day, the Hope Lions Club cranks up the deep-fry line for its annual fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. at Fair Park Community Center. Plates are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and free for children under 4. Take-out orders are $10 each.
The Watermelon Festival Invitational Softball Tournament takes to the fields at Kelly Field and Legion Field beginning at 7 p.m., and you can cool off with hand-dipped ice cream back at the coliseum.
Friday's entertainment venues open at 10 a.m. with Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends; Rudy Preston at 2:30 p.m.; Cameron Stovall at 3:30 p.m.; Eddie Glidewell at 6 p.m.; the Dixie Melody Boys at 7 p.m.; and the Nighthawk Band at 8:15 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage.
Kosmic Girlz and the Kol Train Band will perform at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.The Southwest Arkansas Arts Council will be on stage from noon until 4 p.m. in the coliseum.Beta Sigma Phi brings its annual Watermelon Festival royalty pageants to the McDonald's Stage in the coliseum at 6 p.m.
The 13th annual Big Bass Classic wets a hook beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday at Yarborough Landing on Millwood Lake, while the Watermelon 5K Run/Walk sets the pace from the front gate at Fair Park at 7:30 a.m.; and, the Watermelon Festival Car Show cranks up at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. near the Fair Park Swimming Pool.
Arts and crafts venues open at 8 a.m., and the Youth Fishing Derby gets a line on the fish stocked at Lake Huckabee from 9 a.m. until noon. Kids to age 15 may participate and parents may assist, but cannot fish. Participants must provide their own bait and tackle.
Softball takes a swing at the plate beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kelly Field, and bingo marks the spot at 9 a.m. in the coliseum, just as the Melon Mile Kid's Fun Run trots off from the Fair Park Pool area.
ABATE cranks up its 16th annual motorcycle show at 10 a.m., and Hempstead County auctioneer extraordinare Don Worthey starts the bidding at the Big Melon Contest at the Super 1 Foods tent at 10 a.m., while lawnmower racing revs up in the Fair Park Rodeo Arena at 11 a.m.
Hope Vice Mayor David “D. J.” Johnson defends his crown in the Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest on the BancorpSouth Stage at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Hope Watermelon Festival World Championship Watermelon Eating Contest at noon, and the World Championship Seed Spitting Contest at 1 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
Southwest Arkansas Gymnastics will fly into action with a demonstration at 12:30 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage, and arm wrestlers get their opportunity to throw down at 2 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
The Brazzel Gospel hour opens the entertainment venues Saturday on the BancorpSouth Stage, sponsored by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home, and featuring the Har-Men-Izers of First Baptist Church, followed at 10 a.m. by the finals of the Watermelon Idol contest.
Gene Cagle and the 4As perform at 9 a.m. to open the First National Bank Stage venue, with the Hope High School Jazz Cats at 10 a.m. and Val Robinson, Hope's singing Wal-Mart manager, will perform at 11 a.m.
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The Hope Watermelon Festival will again feature the favorite, the fabulous and the fascinating as the 34th annual tribute to the fruit that made Hope famous kicks-off Thursday at Hope Fair Park.
Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mark Keith said Tuesday that he anticipates some 210 vendors and exhibits at this year's festivities.
“That is, of course, subject to fluctuation; and, they're coming in late,” Keith said. “They're coming in like it's a cooler year and that just interests me.”
While temperatures have hovered around the century mark in Southwest Arkansas since the first of the month, they have moderated some of late, but daily highs are expected to remain near 100 degrees through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
About 1,200 freshly-pulled watermelons were loaded into a refrigerated truck at Hope Fair Park early Wednesday morning to chill until the Chamber begins to sell slices just north of the Super 1 Foods tent Thursday.
The headliner concert for the festival features country artist Joe Nichols on the CMC Steel Products Stage on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance of the concert; $6 advance for children ages four to 10; and $20 adult and $6 children the day of the concert. Reserved seating is $40 per seat.
The Jason Helms Band, a Hope product, will open the concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by the winner of the Watermelon Idol contest at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at BancorpSouth, Diamond Bank, Summit Bank, Red River Credit Union, Super 1 Foods, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope, Ivan Smith Furniture, the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commere, and the Hope Parks and Recreation Department in Hope; and, at Bank of Prescott and Bank of Delight in Prescott.
Festival events begin at noon Thursday with the opening of the arts and crafts midway.
The Hope Kiwanis Club will offer its famous barbecued chicken this year from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Fair Park Community Center. Sponsored in conjunction with Tyson Foods, the event raises funds for Kiwanis civic activities. Plates with all the trimmings are $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12.
Also Thursday, the Watermelon Dog Show fetches the spotlight at the BancorpSouth Stage at 6 p.m., sponsored by Stroderd Veterinary Clinic and Klipsch and Associates. And, after the doggie divas are finished, stroll on over to the coliseum for hand-dipped ice cream sold by Beta Sigma Phi.
Thurday entertainment venues include Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends from noon to 6 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage, and Breath at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage. Preliminaries of the Hope Watermelon Idol contest sponsored by the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope open at 6 p.m. on the McDonald's Stage in the Fair Park Coliseum; and, the Washington Vintage Dancers perform outside beginning at 7 p.m.
Events open at 9 a.m. on Friday, and later in the day, the Hope Lions Club cranks up the deep-fry line for its annual fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. at Fair Park Community Center. Plates are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12, and free for children under 4. Take-out orders are $10 each.
The Watermelon Festival Invitational Softball Tournament takes to the fields at Kelly Field and Legion Field beginning at 7 p.m., and you can cool off with hand-dipped ice cream back at the coliseum.
Friday's entertainment venues open at 10 a.m. with Jim “Bear” Barentine and Friends; Rudy Preston at 2:30 p.m.; Cameron Stovall at 3:30 p.m.; Eddie Glidewell at 6 p.m.; the Dixie Melody Boys at 7 p.m.; and the Nighthawk Band at 8:15 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage.
Kosmic Girlz and the Kol Train Band will perform at 7 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.The Southwest Arkansas Arts Council will be on stage from noon until 4 p.m. in the coliseum.Beta Sigma Phi brings its annual Watermelon Festival royalty pageants to the McDonald's Stage in the coliseum at 6 p.m.
The 13th annual Big Bass Classic wets a hook beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday at Yarborough Landing on Millwood Lake, while the Watermelon 5K Run/Walk sets the pace from the front gate at Fair Park at 7:30 a.m.; and, the Watermelon Festival Car Show cranks up at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. near the Fair Park Swimming Pool.
Arts and crafts venues open at 8 a.m., and the Youth Fishing Derby gets a line on the fish stocked at Lake Huckabee from 9 a.m. until noon. Kids to age 15 may participate and parents may assist, but cannot fish. Participants must provide their own bait and tackle.
Softball takes a swing at the plate beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kelly Field, and bingo marks the spot at 9 a.m. in the coliseum, just as the Melon Mile Kid's Fun Run trots off from the Fair Park Pool area.
ABATE cranks up its 16th annual motorcycle show at 10 a.m., and Hempstead County auctioneer extraordinare Don Worthey starts the bidding at the Big Melon Contest at the Super 1 Foods tent at 10 a.m., while lawnmower racing revs up in the Fair Park Rodeo Arena at 11 a.m.
Hope Vice Mayor David “D. J.” Johnson defends his crown in the Politically Correct Watermelon Eating Contest on the BancorpSouth Stage at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the Hope Watermelon Festival World Championship Watermelon Eating Contest at noon, and the World Championship Seed Spitting Contest at 1 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
Southwest Arkansas Gymnastics will fly into action with a demonstration at 12:30 p.m. on the BancorpSouth Stage, and arm wrestlers get their opportunity to throw down at 2 p.m. on the First National Bank Stage.
The Brazzel Gospel hour opens the entertainment venues Saturday on the BancorpSouth Stage, sponsored by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home, and featuring the Har-Men-Izers of First Baptist Church, followed at 10 a.m. by the finals of the Watermelon Idol contest.
Gene Cagle and the 4As perform at 9 a.m. to open the First National Bank Stage venue, with the Hope High School Jazz Cats at 10 a.m. and Val Robinson, Hope's singing Wal-Mart manager, will perform at 11 a.m.
