2023 Franklin County Watermelon Festival
August 18-19, 2023
Welcome to the Watermelon Capital of Alabama!
The Watermelon Festival started in 1981 and has grown into the largest festival in Franklin County!
This two day festival is FREE to attend! We have food and craft vendors, live music, watermelon contests, 5K and Fun Run, car shows, and FREE watermelon!
Attendance Rules
WATERMELON T-SHIRTS
Mr. Ant & his famous Watermelon T-shirts have returned with NEW colors in 2023!
2023 Watermelon Festival T-shirts come in the following colors:
Navy, Tropical Blue, Safety Pink, Kiwi, & Sports Grey.
Official Watermelon Festival shirts can only be purchased at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce (103 Jackson Ave N, Russellville, AL 35653)
Sizes & Pricing are as follows: 
Infant – $10
– 6 months
– 12 months
– 18 months
– 2T
– 3T
– 4T
Youth – $15
– XS
– S
– M
– L
– XL
Adult – $15
– S
– M
– L
– XL
– 2XL ($18)
– 3XL ($18)
– 4XL ($18)
Long Sleeve – $20
– S
– M
– L
– XL
– 2XL
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Festival Hours
Friday, August 18: 5:45 PM – 10 PM
Saturday, August 19: 10 AM – 10 PM
Friday, August 18 (5:45 PM – 10:00 PM)
5:45 PM – Opening Ceremony (FREE WATERMELON)
National Anthem – Coming Soon!
7:00 PM – Tremayne
8:30 PM – Velcro Pygmies
Saturday, August 19 (10:00 AM – 10:00 PM)
7:00 AM – Car & Truck Show
7:30 AM – Watermelon 5k and Fun Run
10:00 AM – Character Guests (until noon)
10:00 AM – Watermelon in the Park – Cutting & Contests (FREE WATERMELON)
11:00 AM – Judging & Entertainment for Co
ntests
12:00 PM – Winners Announced for Contests
5:30 PM – FREE WATERMELON (beside Main Stage)
6:00 PM – Light Up the Night Car Show
6:00 PM – Rewind of the Shoals
7:00 PM – Austin Bohannon
8:30 PM – Colt Ford
Information & Registration for the Watermelon 5K & Fun Run: https://watermelonfestival5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=6063
Call Bart Bolton (256-668-3542) or Nicole Stancil (256-412-5724) for information about the Car & Truck Show or the Light Up the Night Car Show.
Watermelon in the Park – Cutting & Contests
Russellville First Baptist Church Park
201 Washington Ave N, Russellville, AL 35653
Saturday, August 20, 2022
10:00 AM – Registration
11:00 AM – Judging & Entertainment
12:00 PM – Winners Announced
Watermelon Contest Categories:
Largest Watermelon (from Franklin County)
Largest Watermelon (from anywhere)
Best Tasting Watermelon
Best Dressed Watermelon
Most Unusual Watermelon
Watermelon Seed Spitting
Watermelon Festival Contest Rules
2023 WATERMELON FESTIVAL SPONSORS
Information for 2023 Franklin County Watermelon Festival Sponsorship can be found here.
info@frankincountychamber.org
256-332-1760
American Champion Sponsors
Royal Jubilee Sponsors
Legacy Sponsors
