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”.

WF Capital

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.