FRANKLIN COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL 2024
August 16 & 17, 2024
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Festival Hours:
Friday, August 16: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, August 17: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, August 16, 2024
6:00 PM – Festival Begins
6:30 PM – Opening Ceremony, Main Stage
7:00 PM – Tremayne
8:30 PM – LOVER: An Eras Tour Experience
Saturday, August 17, 2024
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 – Rewind of the Shoals
7:00 PM – Austin Bohannon
8:30 PM – Colin Stough
10:00 PM – Festival Ends
Attendance Rules
Watermelon Festival Vendor Information
2024 Vendor Applications are now closed. 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
Friday, May 10, 2024
Vendor Application Deadline
Friday, June 14, 2024
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
2024 Franklin County Watermelon Pageant
Applications for the 2024 Watermelon Pageant are now closed.
You can find more information about the Watermelon Pageant by visiting our Watermelon Pageant page here.
2024 Franklin County Watermelon Festival Pageant Queens
Queens will be presented at the Watermelon Festival Opening Ceremony on August 18th. 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 Russellville Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 7, 2023 and crowning at the 2024 Watermelon Pageant.
2024 Miss Watermelon Festival Queen:
Miss Annie Willis
Watermelon Festival T-shirts!
Watermelon Festival T-shirts are on sale now!
We have Sapphire, Light Pink, Electric Green, Violet, and Graphite!
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 17, 2024
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 17, 2024
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 (8/16)
6:30 PM – Opening Ceremony
National Anthem: Tara Greenhill
7:00 PM – Tremayne
8:30 PM – LOVER: An Eras Tour Experience
Saturday (8/17) 
6:00 PM – Rewind of the Shoals
7:00 PM – Austin Bohannon
8:30 PM – Colin Stough
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
Community Spirit Bank
Country Cottage Assisted Living
First Metro Bank
Franklin County Commission
Franklin County Times
Happy Hollow Outdoors
Russellville Florist & Gifts
Tennessee Valley Pediatrics
Tri-Green Equipment | Leighton
Valley Credit Union
Vulcan
Wood-Thompson Insurance
Liberty Sponsors
Clark Pulley
G&G Steel
Green’s Dependable Hardware
Northwest Shoals Community College
Strickland & Barksdale, CPAs
Town of Hodges
Harmony Sponsors
Eye Care Professionals
Franklin Electric
J.T. Ray, Inc.
Northwest Alabama Mountain Ride
Red Bay Civitan
Russellville Water & Sewer Board
Sinclair Lawrence & Associates Insurance
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”.
