The 63rd Annual Panhandle Watermelon Festival is next weekend in Chipley, Fla., and Gadsden County residents are invited!
The June 23 event is free and locals can represent their hometown by submitting a watermelon for the festival’s highly anticipated “Big Melon Contest.”
Event organizers are requesting both homeowner and commercially grown melons. Entries must be brought to the Washington County
Agricultural Center, 1424 Jackson Ave., Chipley, no later than 3:30 p.m., Friday, June 22.
Winners of the contest will be announced prior to the auction at 12 p.m.; winning melons will subsequently be auctioned off along with all other melon entries.
Champion, Reserve Champion and individual class winners will receive a monetary premium courtesy of the Panhandle Watermelon Festival committee.
To assist with contest organization, please call or email with your varieties and total number of melons you plan to submit, prior to submitting.
For more information about the melon contest, contact Matthew Orwat, mjorwat@ufl.edu or (850) 638-6180.
Visit www.panhandlewatermelon.com for more info.
Special to The Herald
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