FRANKLIN COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL 2025

August 15 & 16, 2025

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Festival Hours:

Friday, August 15: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, August 16: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, August 15, 2025
6:00 PM – Festival Begins
6:30 PM – Opening Ceremony, Main Stage
7:00 PM – Coming soon!
8:30 PM – Coming soon!

Saturday, August 16, 2025
7:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Car & Truck Show 
7:30 AM – Watermelon 5K Begins (1 Mile Fun Run immediately after)
10:00 AM – Festival Begins
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Character Guests, in front of Valley State Bank
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – Watermelon Contests, Russellville First Baptist Church Park
6:00 PM – Coming soon!
7:00 PM – Coming soon!
8:30 PM – Coming soon!
10:00 PM – Festival Ends

Attendance Rules

Watermelon Festival Vendor Information

2025 Vendor Applications will be available in April/May. Please complete our vendor inquiry survey to be added to our 2025 list to receive a vendor application:
I want to be a vendor at the Franklin County Watermelon Festival.

“Early Bird” Discount Deadline
TBD
Vendor Application Deadline
TBD

Check-In & Set Up Times:
FOOD VENDORS – 10:00 AM
ALL OTHER VENDORS – 2:00 PM
*Vendors must check-in at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce to receive their booth assignment*
ALL VENDORS MUST BE IN THEIR DESIGNATED SPACE AND READY FOR THE FESTIVAL TO BEGIN AT 5:00 PM FRIDAY AND 9:00 AM SATURDAY.

Food Vendor Rules & Regulations | Non-Food Vendor Rules & Regulations

Watermelon in the Park – Cutting & Contests

Russellville First Baptist Church Park
201 Washington Ave NW, Russellville, AL 35653

10 AM – Registration
11 AM – Weighing & Judging Starts
12 PM – Winners Announced

Watermelon Contests Categories:

Largest Weighing Watermelon from Franklin County
Largest Weighing Watermelon (outside Franklin County)
Most Unusual Watermelon
Best Tasting Watermelon
Best Dressed Watermelon
Seed Spitting Contest

Watermelon Festival Contest Rules

Watermelon Pageant Information

2025 Franklin County Watermelon Pageant
Saturday, July 19, 2025

Applications for the 2025 Watermelon Pageant will be available in May.
You can find more information about the Watermelon Pageant by visiting our Watermelon Pageant page here.

2025 Franklin County Watermelon Festival Pageant Queens

Queens will be presented at the Watermelon Festival Opening Ceremony on August 15th. The Watermelon Festival Queen (Age 18-21) will also be responsible for cutting the first watermelon at the Opening Ceremony, awarding prizes at the Watermelon Festival, riding in the Franklin County Chamber Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 5, 2025 and crowning at the 2026 Watermelon Pageant. 

2024 Miss Watermelon Festival Queen:
Miss Annie Willis

Watermelon Festival T-shirts!

Watermelon Festival T-shirts will be available soon with new colors!
Our Watermelon Festival cap is ready to purchase!
Sizes and prices are as follows:

Infant- $15
6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 3T, 4T

Youth – $20
XS, S, M, L, XL

Adult – $20
S, M, L, XL

Adult – $25
2XL, 3XL, 4XL

Adult Long Sleeve – $25
S, M, L, XL, 2XL

Embroidered Watermelon Caps – $25

Watermelon Run 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run

5K and 1 Mile Fun Run!

Saturday, August 16, 2025
Russellville High School Field House
Race Day Registration begins at 6:00 AM

5K begins at 7:30 AM with the 1 Mile Fun Run beginning immediately after.

For more information & online registration: https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Russellville/WatermelonFestival5KAL

*Presented by the Russellville High School Cross Country Team*

Watermelon Festival Car & Truck Show

The Car & Truck Show is held on Saturday of the Franklin County Watermelon Festival. 

Saturday, August 16, 2025

7:00 AM – noon

Watermelon Festival Car & Truck Show:
For information about the Car & Truck show, please call:
Brandi McKellar
256-443-5919

**Presented by the Russellville High School Marching Hundred Band Parent Association**

Main Stage Entertainment Line Up

Friday (8/15)

6:30 PM – Opening Ceremony
National Anthem: Coming soon!

7:00 PM – Coming soon!

8:30 PM – Coming soon!

Saturday (8/16) 

6:00 PM – Coming soon!

7:00 PM – Coming soon!

8:30 PM – Coming soon!

2024 Franklin County Watermelon Festival Sponsors

Contact our office for information about Franklin County Watermelon Festival Sponsorship.
[email protected]
256-332-1760

American Champion Sponsors

Royal Jubilee Sponsors

Senator Larry Stutts

Representative Jamie Kiel

Legacy Sponsors

Crimson Sweet Sponsors

Liberty Sponsors

Harmony Sponsors

Voted Best of the Best 2021, 2022, 2023, & 2024!

Franklin County Watermelon Festival
Voted Best Adults and Children’s Events in the Tennessee Valley

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival began in 1981 and is the largest festival in Franklin County.

This spectacular family event offers two days of non-stop music, contests and entertainment, as well as, a pageant, arts & crafts, 5k run, antique car & truck show, tasty festival foods, tractor show, and a slice of FREE watermelon!

Franklin County Declared the
Watermelon Capital of Alabama

In 2013, Senator Roger Bedford and Representative Johnny Mack Morrow were successful in passing a resolution in the Alabama Legislature declaring Franklin County the “Watermelon Capital of Alabama”.

From Left to Right: Representative Johnny Mack Morrow, Senator Roger Bedford, Bobby Bolton originator of the annual Watermelon Festival, Cassie Medley, Franklin County Executive Director, Russellville Mayor David Grissom, Kreg Kennedy, District Field Representative for U. S. Senator Robert Aderholt, Franklin County Probate Judge Barry Moore, Franklin County Chamber of Commerce President (2013) Mike Shewbart.