Schedule of Events

38th Annual NC Watermelon Festival - Presented by Glover Construction

Wednesday, August 2, 2023 - Free Admission

4:00 PM
Chamber of Commerce Shrimp Dinner
6:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Thursday, August 3, 2023 - Free Admission

4:00 PM
Murfreesboro Rotary Club Dinner
6:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
6:00 PM
6:00 PM
Local Band Showcase Night
7:00 PM
10:30 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Friday, August 4, 2023 - Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

12:00 PM
Festival Food Court Opens
4:00 PM
Festival Market Opens
4:30 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Saturday, August 5, 2023 - Free entry before 4PM, After 4PM: $5 adults (18+), children free 

10:00 AM
Festival Market and Food Court Open
10:00 AM

Murfreesboro Rotary Club Watermelon 5K  Cancelled

10:00 AM
11:30 AM
Little Miss Princess Contest
11:30 AM
Little Ms. and Mr. Farmer Contests
1:00 PM
Peanut City Cloggers
2:00 PM
RT Johnson Acoustic
2:30 PM
Watermelon Eating and Seed Spitting Contests
4:00 PM
Sophie Taylor
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
9:15 PM
Fireworks
11:00 PM
Watermelon Festival Closes

Tentative schedule of events. Schedule last updated July 27, 2023.

Activities and Contests

 

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 6 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

Application and additional details available from Patty Hale at (252) 398-7146 or halep@chowan.edu.

 

Open to 4-5 year olds. Contestants will ride in the Festival Parade on Saturday, August 7 at 10:00 and the contest will follow.

Application and additional details available from Patty Hale at (252) 398-7146 or halep@chowan.edu.

Advance registration is required.  Registration form available here.  Registration deadline: July 29, 2023.

Contestants should be rising Kindergartners for the school year beginning fall 2023.

Saturday, August 6

Main Street Murfreesboro – 10:00 AM

Saturday, August 6, 2022 – 10:00 AM

Race begins at 10 AM sharp. Course closes at 11 AM.

Cost is $25 before August 6, $30 on race day. Race day registration and pre-registered number pick-up begins at 8:45 AM on the lawn of Murfreesboro Baptist Church (200 W. Main St.). Register Online.

Event Information

Map and Parking

The main festival entrance is on Sycamore Street, just off of Main Street, behind Centura Bank. Parking is available along Main Street, in the lots, directly across from Sycamore Street, behind Maxway, and along other nearby streets.

Free watermelon samples!

Provided by Murfreesboro Farms, Inc.

Miss Gracy Peterson was crowned as the 2023 North Carolina Watermelon Queen during the 40th Annual North Carolina Watermelon Association’s Convention held March 10 and 11, 2023 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Gracy is the 21-year-old daughter of Greg & Linda Peterson of Garland, North Carolina. She is a junior at North Carolina State University majoring in Agricultural Business Management and minoring in Spanish, Biology and Poultry Science. Gracy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, canning, and helping out on the family farm.

She currently serves as the Director of the Traditions Committee in the Alumni Association Student Ambassador Program at NC State University. She is also an active member of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers group. Aside from Gracy’s extracurricular activities she also works part-time at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Office of Stewardship and Advancement.

Gracy attended Harrells Christian Academy from Kindergarten until graduation. While there was very active in FFA, holding many officer positions in her school’s chapter and also serving the Southeast Region as Secretary. Gracy received her state FFA degree in 2020. She was a member of the Spanish Honors Society, played varsity soccer and was involved in the National Beta Club. In Beta club she competed in speech and woodworking competitions and won first place in both. She has also been a recipient of the House of Raeford Academic Scholarship for the past three years of her academic studies.

 

Festival Sponsors

Platinum Sponsorship

Gold Sponsorship

Silver Sponsorship

Murfreesboro Farms, Inc

NC Farm Bureau Insurance, Hertford County

Northampton Peanuts

Revelle and Lee Attorneys

WRB Rentals – Brown’s Mobile Home Sales

Business Patron
  • Benchmark Builders of NC

  • Bryant & Lassiter Septic Tank Service

  • Colonial Pharmacy

  • Edward’s Insurance

  • Garrett-Sykes Funeral Home

  • Hill Realty

  • John’s Seafood

  • Johnson and McLean

  • Napoli’s of Murfreesboro

  • NAPA Auto Parts – C & K of Murfreesboro

  • Nucor Steel Hertford County

  • Revelle Realty, Murfreesboro

  • Southern Bank

Individual Sponsorship
  • Charles and Dell Aycock

  • Tim and Lorrie Barnes

  • Hal and Kay Thomas

  • Lynette Bunch

  • Sandra Woodard

Vendor Information

Car Show

Contact the NC Watermelon Festival