by Marylin Butorac, Community Correspondent
Following a year off due to COVID-19, the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival is back on track. The only other time in its 76 years of operation that the festival was cancelled was during World War ll when it was put on hold for 5 years due to the war effort.
You won’t want to miss this year as the annual Rush Springs Watermelon Festival at Jeff Davis Park is back in full swing with it’s many activities.
This family-friendly event, hosted by the Rush Springs Lions Club celebrates seasonal watermelons with a variety of watermelon-themed activities.
Twenty to thirty thousand visitors are expected to crowd Jeff Davis Park, located on East Main Street in Rush Springs. The Rush Springs Watermelon festival has been taking place on the 2nd Saturday in August since 1948. The first festival was held in 1940.
There is also a rodeo that will take place August 12-13 with a Rodeo Parade on Friday the 13th at 5 pm.
There will be many watermelon themed activities for families to enjoy, including largest melon showcase, a seed-spitting contest, an arts and craft fair with over 100 vendors, carnival rides, live entertainment, food vendors, a classic auto show, and more.
Watermelon Festival Schedule
7:30 am – 5K Run – Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/OK/RushSprings/RS5kwatermelonrun?fbclid=IwAR1YNKEFdOXYnzDpIt4VKFJ7jxsvhF4rZFBYPNyraQXMz7_4geA2_hHjjvo
9:00 am – Opening Ceremonies
9:30 am – Tiny Tots contest to select Little Mr. & Miss Rush Springs – local residents only
11:00 am – registration for seed spitting begins
11:45 pm- Announce Tiny Tot Winners
12 noon – Seed Spitting contest
1:00 pm- Entertainment Morgan White
1:45 pm- Blue Grass Danny Glover & Caleb Glover
2:30 pm- Rush Springs Opry
3:30 pm- Jessica Farmer
4:00pm- Rush Springs Opry
4:00 pm – Free watermelon slices served ($1/slice prior to this time)
5:00 pm – Prize melon auction
5:30 pm – John Bomboy & the Underscores
7:00 pm – Watermelon Queen coronation
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