Get ready for a mouthwatering day of fun at the Enterprise Farmers Market on Saturday, June 24 for the annual Watermelon Day.

The market opens at 7 a.m. with produce and arts and crafts vendors ready to greet customers.  The watermelon festivities will start at 8 a.m. with a welcome by Enterprise City Councilman Eugene Goolsby.

“Whether at a backyard cookout or a beach picnic, nothing says fun like watermelon season in the South,” Special Projects Coordinator Kay Kirkland said.  “Come and compete in and/or watch the Largest Watermelon, Watermelon Eating, Seed Spitting, and Rolling contests.”

Local queens will be on hand at the welcome with a special guest, Gulf Coast Watermelon Queen runner-up Ruby Garcia. Everyone will have a wonderful opportunity to meet Miss Garcia, hear her talk about the benefits of watermelon to health and agriculture. She will also be helping to serve free samples of watermelon slices and award some door prizes throughout the morning.

Farmers or backyard gardeners who want to enter their contenders in the Biggest Watermelon Contest are invited to be at the market by 8 a.m. for the contest at 8:30. A prize will be awarded to the watermelon that weighs in the heaviest.

The Seed-Spitting Contest starts at 9 a.m. In the past, winners have made their mark with spits as long as 28 to 30 feet. The Watermelon Rolling Contest begins at 10 a.m. and the Watermelon Eating Contest begins at 11 a.m. 

“This is one of the most anticipated events of the year, so we invite you to come and participate and, at the very least, enjoy the entertainment of the contest,” Kirkland said.