Its part of The Takeouts 2023 Eats Calendar, a rundown of the years best events. Growers put a registered trademark stick on the watermelons that reads "Genuine Cave City Watermelon". Required fields are marked *. Apparently the Laman brothers bought large tracts of land in the Cave City area, built their business and encouraged other merchants to relocate at that place. From July 27-29 in Cave City, Arkansas, youll find a feast of watermelon courtesy of local growers; the website also notes that Catfish dinners, pancake breakfasts, talent shows, watermelon judging contests, 5K runs, ice cream making contests, car shows and local entertainment have filled the event calendar in previous years. This is unfair to the growers who, like the Johnsons, put hundreds of hours of work into their harvest, not to mention tens of thousands of dollars they have invested in the crops. Voters again reject proposed Highland School millage increase, Cave City athlete sets school and state indoor track record, Nashville Songwriter with local roots inks new songwriting contract, Arkansas States new Digital Technology and Design Program offers new emphasis areas, West Plains resident reflects on life-saving heart care received at Ozarks Healthcare. Copyright 2020 Newsup. In the early 1930, Hubert Carpenter purchased the cave properties. by Themeansar, Johnson Brothers For the love of watermelons, Sharp County public service entities receive nearly $1.36 million from American Rescue Plan, NO!! Weve gathered a list of some great stops along the way, so now its time for you to choose your own adventure. Held each year since 1980, Charles and Anita Landers have spearheaded this celebration of the town and its rich history of producing the world's best watermelons. BREAKING: Student arrested for crime involving explosives, Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs, Trip to Mr. Ts pays off for lucky lottery winner, Jonesboro police investigating 2 reported shootings. Digital Marketing and Design - The Richland Group. We dug holes, put water to make a sluice in the ground and then put the plant in. He said, I will let them sit there and rot before I take that. Phillip laughed, recalling the story, And thats exactly what happened. Their grandmothers family also grew melons and peddled them door to door after hauling them by wagon to Batesville. Note the stickers on the melons in the photo. At 5 p.m., the Prize Melon Auction to benefit Arkansas Children's Hospital will kick off . Phillip added, We are not just selling a product. Julie Kohl works from home as a writer and virtual assistant while raising her young son. My grower of choice is Johnson Brothers and I can find all of the latest information regarding availability right on their Facebook page. History lovers will enjoy driving past these historic homes. Watermelon growing is not a new thing in Cave City, however. The Cave City Watermelon Festival is, in many ways, the perfect summer celebration. Watermelon Festival The 2022 Cave City Watermelon Festival is sure to delight. 2023 Ozark Gateway. Heritage Bake Shoppe If you are looking for flavorful baked goods and deli sandwiches piled high with meat, cheese and all the toppings, swing by the Heritage Bake Shoppe. The seeds are started in the greenhouse in March. watermelon-growers games at 3 p.m., a . The park includes the Courthouse which was constructed in 1888 after the original courthouse burned down along with several historic structures. Gary laughed at his tenacity, admitting sometimes stubborn streaks arent all good. CAVE CITY, Ark. Brokers would stop and negotiate deals to purchase loads to sell elsewhere. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Today, people from around the world come to this small place each summer to help us do just that! But one common seed is the craving for the fruit of summer the watermelon. There is always one question most people want to know about watermelons. Travel east/northeast out of Cave City along AR-230 and AR-25. Between the time Arkansas became a state in 1836 and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, a migration of families moved into the area that was later to become Cave City. Saturday, Jul 30, 2022 at 7:00 a.m. Cave City Park. Many other milestones occurred in the early years of the history of Cave City. 20/07/2019 . About Arkansas Tourism Taking the stage at 6 p.m. is The Ellis Family, followed by Believers Worship Group at 7 p.m. and the Jordan Family Band at 8 p.m. Friday activities begin at 8 a.m. and last all day. The event has shrunk from 10 days down to just three this year (July 7-9), but thats plenty of time to eat your fill of local food. Julie Johnson, the committee member of the Watermelon Festival, said she is excited, but nervous as she has seen the increase in COVID cases statewide. Usually the famous watermelons are ready to go by July 4th but this year the crop is a little behind. That is what is so amazing, the last few years, people come to us and we dont take that for granted.. To contact our registered growers,. Activities include a childrens fishing derby, 5K run, car show, pancake breakfast, parade, school alumni reunion, speed eating contest, seed spitting contest, free watermelon feast, prize melon auction, incredible food, kids wet zone, and live music. Millies From fried catfish to grilled steak to a homemade casserole, you never know what you will find at Millies, but its guaranteed to be good eating! The Festival will happen at the Cave City Park. The fun filled event is packed full of live music, great food, old friends, and of course, WATERMELON! Were ready for everybody to come to Cave City.. In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. Wooldridge says even though COVID canceled the festival last year, it didnt cancel watermelon season, working from sunrise until sundown picking and selling watermelons. The Cave City Watermelon Festival Facebook page recently posted how to know if it's a genuine Cave City watermelon versus an imposter. The original church was located on the site of the current Hometown Market. You want the stem to be green with a white spot on the belly. Gary added, Some of the spots are also yellow to brown depending on the variety of melon., It hasnt always been easy. This line of the Laman family had settled on Curia Creek, about a mile south of present-day Cave City. WEATHERFORD, TEXAS - The north Texas city was once one of the state's biggest watermelon growers (not so much anymore) and once featured an oversized watermelon sculpture outside its courthouse. The Taste of Chicago has a pretty exhaustive Wikipedia page, which is a pretty good indication that the event is practically built into the citys DNA. Photo courtesy of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Watermelon is synonymous with Cave City, and while folks in my neck of the woods go bonkers when a pickup truck with a bed-full of [], Your email address will not be published. Cave City watermelons are so unparalleled that there is a list of registered growers who put stickers on their products so buyers know their watermelons are official Cave City Watermelons. Grab a cooler and gas up the tank because we are heading out in search of good eats, unique treasures and scenic vistas. Organizers and growers say theyve worked harder to prepare for this years festival. Phillip said before harvesting, they first thump, pat, roll and then finally cut them off the plant. Julie explained You want that melon to sound hollow. We made a little money and have been doing it ever since, Gary said. For a hillbilly like us to see all those hundreds of acres of beautiful watermelons all exactly the same size because they had all been transplanted on plastic was just amazing to us. Its likely festival goers will hear him play Watermelon Crawl, a fitting song to help celebrate this Cave City festival. Our trip starts in Cave City so whether you choose the route to Black Rock or the route to Mammoth Spring, there are a few places you need to check out before you leave town. As soon as the summer sun beams down on the South, families make their way to lakes and rivers to cool off. Tim Carter: I am a 4th generation watermelon farmer I cannot remember not being around watermelon farming. Phillip laughed recalling a story his mother told, They got married on March 30 and were in the watermelon fields on April 1. Their parents harvested melons until 1976 when Lester became ill. At the peak of watermelon production during the 1960s, the growers association that was established in 1938 had 127 members with over 1000 acres of melons planted. . Phillip went on to explain that in the early days it was hard to sell a watermelon. "We thought that we were going to be really late. locate They carry a little bit of everything from toys to farm supplies, hunting gear and more. Woodies Main Street Cafe This classic American restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday. The annual watermelon festival, which draws thousands to the town each year, is scheduled for July 26-28. Annual student art exhibition is Feb. 27-March 17 at Lyon College Kresge Gallery, reception is March 2, Works of Lyon College Professor of Art Dustyn Bork featured in two Batesville exhibitions, Jacksonport State Park to host dinner, mock trial based on historic events Trial based on actual 1885 events and trial, Bubble, Bubble, Toil & Trouble: A Soapmaking Workshop Saturday, February 25, 2023, 9:00am . From July 29-31, hundreds of people will flock to Cave City to attend the festival for the first time in over a year. The town celebration of the Fourth of July continued for many years, but fell out of favor in the last few decades. . For more information, visitwww.arkansas.com. Read more about how Powhatan is Frozen in Time. Visitors can also see remnants of the famous swinging bridge which spanned the Black River until it was dismantled in 1957. Their first attempt at utilizing the transplanting technique over seed planting was one of the many trial and error experiences from which the Johnsons have learned. Historical Marker An historical marker documenting the Civil War in Sharp County and the Sharp Family in the Civil War can be seen at the corner of West Main and Court Streets. Johnson said people passing off other watermelons as those from Cave City is not a new problem. For Food Vendor Inquiries call Andrea @ 870-283-5301, For Craft & Commercial Vendor Inquiries email Hana @ craftmelonvendor@yahoo.com, For Volunteer Opportunities call Robin @ 870-283-1195For Entertainment Inquiries call Tyler @ 870-283-4877, To become a sponsor call Julie @ 870-307-9631, Copyright 2022, Cave City Watermelon Festival. All rights reserved. Another point of interest was the cave which was located in the center of town, and from which the town received its name. He is excited to interact with people at the festival again. The cave supplied the drinking water for the local school, as well as serving as a veritable town refrigerator. Many families stored their milk, butter, and other produce in the cool cave to prevent them from spoiling. Thankfully, that changed once we finally shook winter and headed into May. The cave was both a great asset to the community and a source of mystery. Watermelon Farms in Cave City, AR About Search Results 1. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri. The fact is, growers begin working to bring the melons to the area months before with preparations long before the plants even go into the green-houses and eventually into the earth where they will grow. Julie said she credits their customers with being the main reason their business has remained successful. The Watermelon Growers Games will take place at 3 p.m. at the Orilla Vallie Stage followed by the Free Watermelon Feast at 4 p.m. behind the Orilla Valley Stage. It is something you are going to enjoy. Cave City seems in the middle of nowhere. "Whenever people buy the watermelon, they need to make sure it has the registered trademark sticker, because if it doesn't, it's not the real . Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs Cave City, Arkansas KAIT Region 8 News: It doesn't quite feel like summertime in Sharp County until the Cave City watermelons hit the stands and that happened this past week. The proverbial watermelon vine was planted when the mens grandfather, Washington Worsh Johnson, first grew melons and cotton on 135 acres at Cave City. The towns population began to be drawn to the larger area of Walnut Ridge and further declined when the highway was built 2 miles outside of town. In 2017, the Cave City Watermelon Festival was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Everything about this festival is a sheer delight, from the pickle juice drinking contest to the Lil Gherkins kids play zone. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year. Gather around for events such as the biggest happy hour of the summer and enjoy an all-you-can-eat barbecue brunch on Sunday. Years of hard work, dedication, innovation and building a brand has put them at the top of the crop in Cave City watermelon production for nearly a half century. The prize melon auction is at 5 p.m. and benefits Arkansas Childrens Hospital. 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