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Schedule of Events

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 – Free Admission

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

Thursday, July 31, 2025- Free Admission

6:00 PM
Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Friday, August 1, 2025 – Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

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

Saturday, August 2, 2025 – Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

10:00 AM
Festival Market and Food Court Open
10:00 AM
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
12:00 PM
Peanut City Clogging
1:00 PM
2:30 PM
Watermelon Eating and Seed Spitting Contests
3:00 PM
Country Kickers Cloggers
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 7, 2025.

Activities and Contests

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 2 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 2 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 available here.  Registration deadline: July 23, 2025.

Contestants should be rising Kindergartners for the school year beginning Fall 2025.

Saturday, August 2

Main Street Murfreesboro – 10:00 AM

2025 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 Elizabeth Steinlage was crowned as the 2025 North Carolina Watermelon Queen during the 42nd Annual North Carolina Watermelon Association’s Convention held March 7 – 8, 2025, in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Elizabeth (Elle) is the twenty-year-old daughter of Joe and Ashley Steinlage of Morrisville, North Carolina. She is a student at North Carolina State University majoring in Agricultural Science.

Elle is a Student Ambassador at North Carolina State University, representing the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She attended the 2024 Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference. She participates in the Agricultural Communicators Program, Agriculture Business Management Club, Ducks Unlimited, and Delta Gamma’s State College Chapter. Elle made the Dean’s List for both spring and fall 2024.

Elle aims to build a career specializing in the use of pesticides and gene editing in plants. She also hopes to acquire land and establish her own homestead, where she can raise crops and livestock.

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