Classic Rockers and Watermelons Galore at 49th Annual Hope Festival

One of the South's premier festivals, the 49th Annual Hope Watermelon Festival is slated for August 7-9, 2025, at Hope Fair Park. This year, the theme of the Hope Watermelon Festival is named "Melonpalooza."

The Lead Singers of Classic Rock

The Hope Watermelon Festival will feature two legendary singers of classic rock, Jason Scheff, longtime lead singer of the band Chicago, and Tommy DeCarlo, former lead singer of the band Boston.

Get ready for an unforgettable night featuring tribute music from the 1970s to the 1990s, along with other notable musicians performing in this electrifying concert on Saturday, August 9. Purchase tickets here.

Things to See And Do

There will be plenty of things to see and do at the Hope Watermelon Festival, including arts and crafts vendors, a 5k race, Watermelon Idol, the Watermelon Olympics, a seed-spitting contest, and a Watermelon eating contest. And don't forget about all the carnival-type food and tasty treats at the festival, including a pulled pork supper and fish fry. Visitors can also purchase a whole watermelon or buy an ice-cold slice of watermelon to help cool off from the summer heat.

Additionally, other attractions include a car show, kidz zone play area, dog show, kids fishing derby, and the first-ever Melon Mayhem featuring wrestling matches from Hype and Glory.

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History: The Watermelon Festival

The festival dates back to the mid-20s when the Chamber of Commerce threw a one-day event. Hope, Arkansas, has always been known for producing the World's Largest Watermelons. Travelers who passed through this small southwestern town by train in the 20s were treated to ice-cold watermelons. The festivals came to an end in 1931 when the city suffered the effects of the great depression and could no longer accommodate the crowds.

The festival was revived in 1975 during its centennial and was such a huge success that it was officially brought back to life in 1977 by C.M. "Pod" Rogers, a local newspaperman. The rest is history, as they say. The Hope Watermelon Festival has attracted more than 20,000 visitors to Hope during its three-day festival period.

For a complete list of everything happening at this year's Hope Watermelon Festival, please visit their website or Facebook page for updates.