Franklin County Watermelon Festival
August 14 @ 6:00 PM - August 15 @ 10:00 PM
Free
When: 3rd Weekend in August
Friday, August 14 & Saturday, August 15, 2026
Downtown Russellville is home of the Franklin County Watermelon Festival. It’s a time for a lot of good fun and of course, juicy watermelons that can cool a hot summer day in the South. It began in 1981 and has become a must-do event for thousands. This spectacular family event offers two days of non-stop music, contests and entertainment, as well as, a pageant (held in July), arts & crafts, 5k run, antique car & truck show, tasty festival foods, tractor show, and lots of free watermelon. Watermelon contests include the largest melon, seed spitting, best tasting melon, best dressed melon, and the most unusual melon.
Visit our Franklin County Watermelon Festival page for more information!
ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP
Friday, August 14th, 2026
6:30 PM | Opening Ceremony, National Anthem: TBD
7:00 PM | TBD
8:30 PM | TBD
Saturday, August 15th, 2026
6:00 PM | TBD
7:00 PM | TBD
8:30 PM | TBD
FREE WATERMELON SLICES:
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Friday, August 15th, 2025:
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6:30 PM | Opening Ceremony | Beside Stage
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Saturday, August 16th, 2025:
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11 AM – 1 PM | Watermelon Contests | Russellville First Baptist Church Park
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6:00 PM | Kick off Live Entertainment | Beside Stage
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