Annual Watermelon Festival Brings Household Fun To McDonald Farm

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Now in its third yr, the annual Watermelon Festival is ready to convey family-oriented enjoyable to Sale Creek at McDonald Farm for 2 full days, Saturday, August twenty second, and Sunday, August twenty third.

Each day is filled with all issues Watermelon, from watermelon-eating and rolling contests to watermelon-inspired dishes, tasty treats, desserts, drinks, and a lot extra.

The excellent occasion to chill people down throughout these scorching summer season days, the Watermelon Festival may also characteristic stay music from native Scenic City acts like The Briars, Bryanna Fuquea, Shani Palmer, and Corey James Clifton. There will likely be meals vehicles, a number of distributors, family-friendly actions, and a youngsters zone filled with inflatables, animal encounters, and “splash fun.”

Set at McDonald Farm towards a stupendous countryside backdrop, the competition is quickly turning into a late-summer staple within the area. Being open air on the farm additionally ties in Chattanooga’s identification as an outside metropolis, additional showcasing Shop the Market At’s affect in creating markets, occasions, and festivals that join communities whereas constructing traditions designed to final.

In talking with the founding father of the Watermelon Festival and Shop the Market At, Rob Davis, he detailed what people can anticipate which may not be listed on-line from the third annual competition.

“Being the third annual Watermelon Festival at McDonald Farm in Sale Creek, it’s actually thrilling for us to look again and see simply how a lot this occasion has grown for the reason that very first yr. We’ve added so many new actions, contests, distributors, and experiences, and a number of the additions we’re most enthusiastic about this yr are the Giant Watermelon Championship, the Hottest Hillbilly Contest, and our Watermelon Monarchy contests for Prince, Princess, King, and Queen.

We’ve additionally introduced in bounce, dunk, and slide inflatables together with Fun Train USA, which will likely be bringing an enormous 35-by-35-foot industrial misting tent standing 18 toes tall so households can cool off in the course of the competition. And that’s nonetheless solely a part of what we’ve got deliberate. There is a lot extra taking place this yr, and we actually really feel just like the Watermelon Festival has grown into one thing particular that households can come out, spend the day, and actually get pleasure from collectively.”

Davis went on to debate the affect that these festivals and markets have had on the Greater Chattanooga space, detailing how essential every vendor is, and the way they work to decide on venues that can generate sturdy foot visitors to attach extra prospects with these distributors’ merchandise.

“Vendors, farmers, artists, makers, and small companies are such an necessary a part of each occasion we produce, and we genuinely wish to see them do effectively. The fact is, with out our distributors, there could be no markets, festivals, or particular occasions. They are an enormous a part of what brings every occasion to life, and the creativity, merchandise, and power they convey right into a group are a giant motive these occasions proceed to develop and succeed.

Whenever doable, we select venues which can be already well-known or recognizable and which have the potential to convey sturdy foot visitors. Our hope is that every one of that work helps create an excellent stronger atmosphere for our distributors to attach with new prospects and develop their companies. We actually respect the distributors who select to be a part of our occasions, and we stay dedicated to discovering new methods to create larger and higher alternatives for them yr after yr.”

When requested about what course he sees the Watermelon Festival and Shop the Market At heading within the subsequent few years, he talked about development and aiming to proceed to construct on the markets and festivals they’ve already created, whereas teasing a serious alternative that they hope will take their occasions to a wholly new stage.

“We actually see the Watermelon Festival persevering with to develop yr after yr, and our objective is to maintain constructing on what we’ve created at McDonald Farm in Sale Creek, Tennessee. Beyond the Watermelon Festival, we even have some very thrilling plans for the longer term, together with exploring new areas and bigger alternatives for our occasions.

One alternative we’re particularly enthusiastic about includes working with a serious musical artist right here in Tennessee who additionally owns a number of companies. We’re not fairly able to share the small print but, however we’re hopeful this chance might assist take our occasions to a wholly new stage, and, most significantly, create even higher alternatives for the distributors and small companies who’re such an necessary a part of what we do.”

third Annual Watermelon Festival