The Return Of The Original Watermelon Festival At Downtown Wichita Falls Original Farmers Market

A year, or so, ago, a dispute at the downtown Wichita Falls Farmers Market caused a rogue group to split from the existing Farmers Market to start up a new Farmers Market a few blocks north of the original Farmers Market.

The rogue Farmers Market is not in a nice facility, with an outdoor plaza, such as exists at the original Wichita Falls Farmers Market. 

Last week this town's only newspaper, the Wichita Falls Times News Record had a headline saying Watermelon Festival returns to Wichita Falls Farmers Market.

The Watermelon Festival is the funnest festival I've experienced in this town. So, seeing that headline made me happy.

And then I read the article.

The Watermelon Festival took place this past Saturday at the rogue Farmers Market, not the original Farmers Market.

So, I did not go get myself some watermelon on Saturday.

Then yesterday I got an email which included that graphic you see above. Make note of "The Original" part of the graphic.

Here is the text from the Watermelon Festival email...

12th Annual Watermelon Fest

The Original Watermelon Fest returns to the Downtown Wichita Falls Farmers Market on Saturday, July 29th from 9am - 1pm, hosted by the Board of Directors of Downtown Wichita Falls Development.

Entertainment:

FREE Watermelon Slices - 10AM - 1PM or until we run out

Melon Bar

Seed Spitting Contest - 11AM

Watermelon Eating Contest - 12PM

Fruit Carving by Earl Carter

Watermelon volcanoes and Mini Catapults by CrashWorks

Live Music by TriFikeda

Shopping:

Watermelon margaritas by the Traveling Tavern

Frozen watermelon wine drinks by OG Cellars

Watermelon pie by Pies on the Side

Watermelon soap by The Front Porch Farm

Watermelon earrings by Wildflower Clay Co.

and more watermelon inspired handmade goods!

_____________________

Watermelon pie? That does not sound good to me. Watermelon margaritas and frozen watermelon wine drinks might be tasty.

COVID killed the Watermelon Festival, along with other festivals, like the Blackberry Festival, which was another fun one, with real tasty blackberry cobbler.

The watermelon seed spitting contest is amusing. I do not remember seeing a watermelon eating contest at the previous Watermelon Festivals I've been to. I have zero clue was a watermelon volcano might be, or mini catapults.

Next Saturday is currently scheduled to be HOT, over 100. If I remember correctly the interior space at the Farmers Market is air conditioned. That or it has multiple ceiling fans. 

This Year's Wichita Falls Watermelon Festival Lacked Something

This last Saturday of July the 2017 version  of the Wichita Falls Watermelon Festival took place in downtown Wichita Falls at the Farmers Market.

I greatly enjoyed last year's Watermelon Festival, particularly the amusing Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest.

This year I left about the time the first round of watermelon seeds were being readied for spitting.

Last year upon arrival I soon found myself being handed Bell Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. This year I found no ice cream being handed out. I did find a lot of watermelon. Sweet, tasty, perfect watermelon, in copious amounts.

I had myself a lot of watermelon today. As did a lot of other festival goers.

The crowd seemed larger than last year. A lot larger.

A large supply of watermelon and watermelon suppliers were seen in various Watermelon Festival locations in the Farmers Market zone.

And inside the Farmers Market building, as one joined the milling throng, one came upon various tasty samples of watermelon iterations, such as the cubed version you see below, with a tasty jalapeno salsa kick installed.

But.

Last year the Watermelon Festival seemed much more festive,  much more lively, much noisier.

Last year a band provided background sound, which added to the festive atmosphere.

This year the Watermelon Festival seemed quiet.

Extremely quiet.

Last year an excellent sound system was used to inform the festival goers about what they could be doing, or expecting. Such as registering for the Seed Spitting Contest. This year there was no sound system.

When the time came for the Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest many of the festival goers had no idea this was happening. People leaving the festival was quite noticeable,  even as the Seed Spitting Contest officiators were trying to get the seeds into spitting mode.

Above you see the first group of Watermelon Seed Spitters, waiting. The young group goes first. Last year this seemed well organized. And last year the emcee was amusingly talented. This year there was no emcee, no sound system, nothing that let the few remaining festival goers know what was happening.

I left soon after the above picture was taken, with the kids seeming to grow impatient, with no one seeming to know what to do.

What happened to the well run machine which ran last year's well run Wichita  Falls Watermelon Festival?

Sad.

But, the watermelon was good....

Spitting Seeds At The Wichita Falls Watermelon Festival

This last Saturday of July of 2016 I had myself a mighty fine time at the best watermelon festival I have ever been to.

The Wichita Falls Watermelon Festival.

The Watermelon Festival takes place in downtown Wichita Falls at the Farmers Market, with this being the biggest event of the year at the Farmers Market.

I knew going in that free slices of watermelon was part of the festival. I did not know that free cups of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream was also part of the festival.

I had myself many slices of watermelon, but I passed my cup of Bell Bell to a fellow festival goer.

There were a lot of Wichita Fallers in attendance today, making for the best people watching I have had the pleasure of watching in a long  time.

The most entertaining part of today was something I did not think I would find all that entertaining.

That being the Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest. It was very amusing. But, before we get to that, let's look at some other Wichita Falls Watermelon Festival scenes.

As you can see, watermelons were not the only melons at today's festival. The Farmers Market has all sorts of produce available, and other stuff of the crafty arts genre. The large crowd and all that produce gave today, at this location in Wichita Falls, a sort of a Seattle Pike Place Market feel.

The lady above seems to be pondering with extreme gravity the array of vegetables confronting her.

I have seen pumpkins carved artfully before, but never have I seen other fruits and vegetables carved as artfully as this lady was carving.

Well, it is almost time for the Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest.

But, before the spitting can start the above lady and her melons needs to move out of the designated spitting zone.

Each spitter gets three seeds to spit. First up was this guy, spitting the first distance to beat. If I remember right the next up ended up being the winner in the 14 and under category.

This kid was extremely animated with his watermelon seed spitting.

And then we move on to the 15 and above category with this lady who became the distance to beat, spitting, if I remember right, well over 20 feet.

This lady also did a good job of seed spitting. She also got praise for her watermelon themed outfit.

And then we had the winner.

The Master of Ceremonies informed us that this guy won his first watermelon seed spitting contest when he was a fifth grader. When he spit out his first seed it was all over. That seed sailed so far it took awhile, and several seed spotters, to spot it.

44 feet 7 inches.

At the award ceremony the above winner was asked what the secret was of his astounding spitting ability.

Extra hot air was his answer....