This three-day event will be held July 28-30th and will include entertainment, fun vendors, yummy food trucks, a parade, activities for kids and adults, and of course, a free melon feast, which is courtesy of the watermelon growers in the area. It has grown exponentially each year since the new board took over. Brokers would stop and negotiate deals to purchase loads to sell elsewhere. This meant a garden hoe. Chambers, Schools, Towns, Counties, Groups and Tourism, Auto & Motorcycle Sales, Service, Tires & More, Chambers, Schools, Towns, Counties, Groups & Tourism. Cave City Watermelon Festival | Cave City AR Spring Dipper Cool off with a sweet ice cream treat at the Spring Dipper. Our watermelon growers work hard all year long to produce "The World's Sweetest" watermelons! The prize melon auction is at 5 p.m. and benefits Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Please try viewing this website in Edge, Mozilla, Chrome, or another modern browser. The harvest is the easiest part, according to the brothers. That year, the Johnsons attended field days in watermelon fields in Southeast Missouri from Leechville to Hocum, areas where watermelons also grow well. WEATHERFORD, TEXAS - The north Texas city was once one of the state's biggest watermelon growers (not so much anymore) and once featured an oversized watermelon sculpture outside its courthouse. Drifters Coffee Co. Grab an incredible pastry and a cup of joe from this mobile/drive-thru coffee shop with a vintage feel. While contestants are toting in their entries for the Prize Melon competition at the park, the White River Family Fun "Wet Zone" with waterslides starts at 6 p.m. and goes until dark in the softball field. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late 60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit. Cin-sations Flea Market This hidden treasure isnt found on social media, but you will find loads of treasures inside this quaint antique/junk shop! By 1958, the association had 127 members with about 1,000 acres planted in watermelons in Sharp and Independence counties. The boys did as any good sons would and began to take on the responsibilities of the farm. A former Yankee who was "converted" to the south by her husband, Julie has grasped on to rural life in a sleepy, blink-your-eyes-and-you'll-miss-it town in central Arkansas. After a while when I got done, she grabbed a hold of that hoe and threw it across the field and said, I quit. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. To contact our registered growers,. For Craft & Commercial Vendor Inquiries email Hana @ For Volunteer Opportunities call Robin @ 870-283-1195 He then began a story about Julies participation, one that was originally supposed to be off the record. It was so good that Julie agreed it would be a good one to tell regarding things that have led to changes they still use today. Their first attempt at utilizing the transplanting technique over seed planting was one of the many trial and error experiences from which the Johnsons have learned. The Johnsons reputation is based on the sweetness and perfection of their melons and they dont want to put the responsibility of cutting them off the vine on anyone else. Meachams Family Restaurant This restaurant has been around for over 40 years. Calico Rock Arkansas Main Street Network will be hosting a Fundraiser for The Sean Hunt Memorial on March 11th from 11 am to 4 pm. Cave City's registered growers plan to keep the town's tradition alive, and start preparing for the 41st Watermelon festival. Where's this story? 7 - The World's Sweetest Watermelons. Roadside stands are found throughout the city. The Bank of Cave City was organized in 1906, with James A. Laman as the first president. All Rights Reserved. No one picks the watermelons but Gary and Phillip. To contact our registered growers, check: http://www.cavecitywatermelonfestival.com/about_us.php Courtesy www.cavecityarkansas.info: "These days, the reason for Cave City's renowned and its place on the map is due primarily to the annual Watermel See more 5,505 people like this 5,757 people follow this The preparation is always crazy, especially this time of year, just on a good year, Johnson said. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused! Below is a list of the fun, unique food festivals and eating opportunities taking place in July 2023. Activities include a childrens fishing derby, 5K run, car show, pancake breakfast, parade, school alumni reunion, speed eating contest, seed spitting contest, free watermelon feast, prize melon auction, incredible food, kids wet zone, and live music. Soon to be release is her third studio album, How Freedom Feels. No stranger to country fans, shes enjoyed chart success with the songs I Dont, Findin A Good Man and Isnt That Everything. Peck has cultivated a loyal fan base on the road, performing hundreds of shows both as a headliner and in support of country musics biggest names. In 2017, the Cave City Watermelon Festival was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the . Sometimes the lot is so full the melon trucks cant get in to unload. In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. Only genuine Cave City Watermelons have the registered trademark sticker. Johnson suggests you could always make the trip to Sharp County to visit one of the grower's own stands as well. Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery One of the nations oldest fish hatcheries established in 1903, it was built to take advantage of the natural spring and proximity to the railroad. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow. Cave City seems in the middle of nowhere. Ruthel Laman Heasley, a granddaughter of Jim Laman, stated that her grandfather and his brother were determined to create a new town when they moved their families there in 1889. But one common seed is the craving for the fruit of summer the watermelon. The Watermelon Growers Games begin at 3 p.m. with a free watermelon feast at 4 p.m. The 42nd annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is slated to begin Thursday (July 28) and run through Saturday (July 30). Real, authentic Cave City melons come from registered growers and have an official sticker on them. Its likely festival goers will hear him play Watermelon Crawl, a fitting song to help celebrate this Cave City festival. In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry. The 41st Cave City Watermelon Festival is set for July 29-31th. "They thrive really well in hot weather so the hot May was really good for growth," Johnson said. The town celebration of the Fourth of July continued for many years, but fell out of favor in the last few decades. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We select one featured photo per week, but we show many more in our gallery. Brothers, Gary and Phillip are 3rd generation watermelon growers. As far back as 1938 a Melon Growers Association for Sharp and Independence counties was organized at Cave City, with the following officers elected: President, Fred Anderson; Vice-President, Wilburn Jackson; Secretary, Marvin Bull; and Treasurer, Orville Girtman. Johnson said that's a great thing because residents are always patiently waiting for that first watermelon of the season. One of the earliest references to a Fourth of July picnic at Cave City was in the Sharp County Recordnewspaper in June of 1899, planning a picnic for that year. That's saying somethingsince Johnson and his brother were raised in the watermelon fields as their parents also grew them. CAVE CITY, Ark. C. S. Lawthorp began promoting the oversized melons to shippers and the local farmers quickly took note. Visit www.ozarkgateway.com for more area information. Johnson Brothers Watermelons is a family operated business consisting of Gary & Becky & Phillip & Julie. Renees Cafe This down-home country restaurant is where you will find the locals hanging out. But one common seed is the craving for the fruit of summer the watermelon. Today, people from around the world come to this small place each summer to help us do just that! The proverbial watermelon vine was planted when the mens grandfather, Washington Worsh Johnson, first grew melons and cotton on 135 acres at Cave City. He first spent a short time working on a construction crew that built the current highway that runs through the city the family has called home since before the early 1920s. I could try to tell you how cool it is but you just have to see it for yourself! The Johnson watermelon vine continued to spread, and Phillips parents, Lester and Verba Lee, eventually inherited the seed. They are located 2 1/2 miles north of Cave City. Our goal is to pick them at the perfect stage before they go into the over ripe stage. There were days when the brokers would buy them and we would load five or six trailer loads that would go out to Chicago and lots of other places. Gary explained. Phillip said the most labor intensive and important part of the production comes while preparing the soil. Everything about this festival is a sheer delight, from the pickle juice drinking contest to the Lil Gherkins kids play zone. Our trip starts in Cave City so whether you choose the route to Black Rock or the route to Mammoth Spring, there are a few places you need to check out before you leave town. Your email address will not be published. Main Street looking South. Created with Sketch. (Photo from Old Independence Regional Museum, Batesville). Julie is one of the only growers who began utilizing social media to promote their products and she feels the videos she posts have helped more than anything. Regardless, its high summer, and Im ready for a sweet treat. Prior to planting, they use a machine to lay down the black plastic and drip tape that will carry water to the plants after they are transplanted. Johnson says theyve seen more people at their stand and more people in the city in preparation for melon season and the festival. Please contact businesses directly for the most recent hours before planning a destination. The first ones out of the field bring families out of the backroads and cities alike to be among the first to experience the fruits of the farmers labors around the first to middle of July. From July 13-16, pitmasters will provide various styles of mouthwatering barbecue to be enjoyed alongside performances by big names in country music (Zac Brown Band and Darius Rucker among them). Most recognize Gary and Phillip as the Watermelon Men, but in reality, Johnsons melon production began long before the two men were even a thought. One of the most favorite and anticipated of these camp meetings was the holiness camp meeting held every year at Calamine by ministers of the Nazarene Church. Before implementing irrigation, Phillip explained, We spent lots of quality time with that garden hoe. He admitted he was very picky about how it was done. And have an official sticker on them A. Laman as the first.. 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