Schedule of Events

37th Annual NC Watermelon Festival - Presented by Glover Construction

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 - Free Admission

4:00 PM
Chamber of Commerce Shrimp Dinner
6:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Thursday, August 4, 2022 - Free Admission

4:00 PM
Murfreesboro Rotary Club Dinner
6:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
Commercial Ready Mix Products Presents: Local Band Showcase Night
6:30 PM
Martin Terry Band
8:15PM
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Friday, August 5, 2022 - Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

12:00 PM
Festival Market Opens
12:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Saturday, August 6, 2022 - Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

10:00 AM
Festival Market and Food Court Open
10:00 AM
10:00 AM
NC Watermelon Festival Parade (Main Street)
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Car Show - Murfree Center Lot
3:00 PM
4:30 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Tentative schedule of events. Schedule last updated May 16, 2022.

Activities and Contests

 

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 6 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

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

 

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 7 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

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

Advance registration is required.  Registration form will be posted soon.  Registration deadline: July 29, 2022.

Contestants should be rising Kindergartners for the school year beginning fall 2022.

Saturday, August 6

Main Street Murfreesboro – 10:00 AM

Saturday, August 6, 2022 – 10:00 AM

Race begins at 10 AM sharp. Course closes at 11 AM.

Cost is $25 before August 6, $30 on race day. Race day registration and pre-registered number pick-up begins at 8:45 AM on the lawn of Murfreesboro Baptist Church (200 W. Main St.). Register Online.

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 Emory New was crowned as the 2022 North Carolina Watermelon Queen during the North Carolina Watermelon Association’s Convention held March 11 and 12, 2022 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Emory is the 21 year old daughter of Marshall and Paige New of Nashville, NC. She is currently a student at North Carolina State University majoring in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. At North Carolina State University she is involved with many campus clubs including serving as president of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Young Farmers & Ranchers and Alpha Epsilon Honor Society of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering.

Emory feels giving back to others is very important. She is a Goodnight Scholars Program Mentor, Bio & Ag Engineering Ambassador, and NCSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Pack Chat Mentor. Some of her honors at NCSU include being in the Goodnight & University Scholars Program, serving a as Chancellors Aide, and being on the Deans List. Her future goals include starting her own engineering consulting firm where she hopes to work directly with producers to help them plan, design, and implement solutions to positively impact their families and communities.

Festival Sponsors

Platinum Sponsorship

Gold Sponsorship

Silver Sponsorship
  • Murfreesboro Farms, Inc

  • NC Farm Bureau Insurance, Hertford County
Business Patron
  • Ace Hardware Murfreesboro

  • Bryant & Lassiter Septic Tank Service

  • Commercial Ready Mix Products

  • Garrett-Sykes Funeral Home

  • Hill Realty

  • Hunter’s Funeral Home

  • Logan’s Roadhouse, Roanoke Rapids

  • Nucor Steel Hertford

  • Revelle and Lee Attorneys

  • Revelle Realty, Murfreesboro

  • WRB Rentals – Brown’s Mobile Home Sales

Vendor Information

Car Show

Contact the NC Watermelon Festival