Schedule of Events

39th Annual NC Watermelon Festival – Presented by Glover Construction

Wednesday, July 31, 2024 – Free Admission

4:00 PM
Chamber of Commerce Shrimp Dinner
6:00 PM
Festival Market and Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
Band of Oz, Jay Jenkins – Shaggin on the Beach
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Thursday, August 1, 2024 – Free Admission

6:00 PM
Festival Market and Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
Tim Clark Band
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Friday, August 2, 2024 – Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children freeĀ 

12:00 PM
Festival Market and Food Court Opens
4:30 PM
Entertainment TBD
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
The Wannabees
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Saturday, August 3, 2024 – Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children freeĀ 

10:00 AM
Festival Market and Food Court Open
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
David Richmond, DJ
11:00 AM
Opening Ceremony and Greetings
11:00 AM
11:30 AM
Little Miss Princess Contest
11:30 AM
Little Ms. and Mr. Farmer Contests
1:00 PM
Southern Misfits
2:30 PM
Watermelon Eating and Seed Spitting Contests
3:00 PM
Sophie Taylor
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
9:15 PM
Fireworks
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Tentative schedule of events. Schedule last updated May 22, 2024.

Activities and Contests

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 3 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

Application and additional details available from Patty Hale at (252) 398-7146 orĀ halep@chowan.edu.

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 3 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

Application and additional details available fromĀ Patty Hale at (252) 398-7146 orĀ halep@chowan.edu.

Advance registration is required. Ā Registration form available here. Ā Registration deadline: July 29, 2023.

Contestants should be rising Kindergartners for the school year beginning fall 2023.

Saturday, August 3

Main Street Murfreesboro – 10:00 AM

2024 Parade Entry Form

Event Information

Map and Parking

The main festival entrance is on Sycamore Street, just off of Main Street, behind Centura Bank. Parking is available along Main Street, in the lots, directly across from Sycamore Street, behind Maxway, and along other nearby streets.

Free watermelon samples!

Provided by Murfreesboro Farms, Inc.

Miss Haylee Davis was crowned as the 2024 North Carolina Watermelon Queen during the 41st Annual North Carolina Watermelon Association’s Convention held March 1-2, 2024 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.
Ā 
Haylee is the 21 year old daughter of Stephanie Davis and Adam Garner of Robbins, North Carolina. She is a student at North Carolina State University, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Agriculture Education with a horticulture concentration. She is a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and President of the NCSU FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter. Haylee served as the 2021-22 North Carolina FFA State Vice President and the 2022 National Association of Agriculture Educators, National Teach Ag Ambassador.
Ā 
After graduating, Haylee hopes to pursue a career teaching agriculture in a North Carolina high school, preferably teaching her favorite subject horticulture. She also wants to operate a small farm with cut flowers, fruits, vegetables, eggs and dairy products.
Watermelon Queen Haylee Davis

Festival Sponsors

Platinum Sponsorship

Gold Sponsorship

Silver Sponsorship

Murfreesboro Farms, Inc

NC Farm Bureau Insurance, Hertford County

Northampton Peanuts

Revelle and Lee Attorneys

WRB Rentals – Brown’s Mobile Home Sales

Business Patron
  • Benchmark Builders of NC

  • Bryant & Lassiter Septic Tank Service

  • Colonial Pharmacy

  • Edward’s Insurance

  • Garrett-Sykes Funeral Home

  • Hill Realty

  • John’s Seafood

  • Johnson and McLean

  • Napoli’s of Murfreesboro

  • NAPA Auto Parts – C & K of Murfreesboro

  • Nucor Steel Hertford County

  • Revelle Realty, Murfreesboro

  • Southern Bank

Individual Sponsorship
  • Charles and Dell Aycock

  • Tim and Lorrie Barnes

  • Hal and Kay Thomas

  • Lynette Bunch

  • Sandra Woodard

Vendor Information

Car Show

Contact the NC Watermelon Festival