Well, it’s watermelon time. I’m out to find myself a Cave City watermelon; I’ve been craving that sweet goodness all summer.

Advertisement

This is the weekend of the big competing watermelon festivals. It’s already officially started in Hope, where the melons have already been brought out and the first slices consumed at the rate of $1 or $1.50 a slice, depending on size. Over the next few days there will be arm wrestling, softball, mini drag races, pickle juice, quilts and other craziness. You have to pay for your melon in Hope, but there’s a lot going on over several days.

The big deal in Cave City is also underway — but you have to wait until Saturday afternoon for the ice cold melon. At a set time in the afternoon, all the local growers will start pulling their donated melons out of a refrigerated truck and start slicing it up and giving it away — for free. There’s a lot of music in Cave City, with gospel and folk, bluegrass and Southern rock represented in City Park.

Advertisement

Do you have a melon preference? Do you believe in the power of the gigantic Hope melons, or would you rather sink your teeth into Cave City’s sweeter options?

Arkansas Times: Your voice in the fight

Are you tired of watered-down news and biased reporting? The Arkansas Times has been fighting for truth and justice for 50 years. As an alternative newspaper in Little Rock, we are tough, determined, and unafraid to take on powerful forces. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, we are making a difference. But we can't do it without you. Join the 3,400 paid subscribers who support our great journalism and help us hire more writers. Sign up for a subscription today or make a donation of as little as $1 and help keep the Arkansas Times feisty for years to come.

Previous article IRS issues lottery $99,673.29 penalty Next article What a day