The California Watermelon Festival returns to SoCal on June 7 & June 8 at the Hansen Dam recreation area soccer fields.

A southland tradition, the California Watermelon Festival offers “a sweet slice of California” and celebrates the beginning of summer with a vibrant California harvest.

The California Watermelon Festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; tickets are available online so people can skip the line at the gate! Visit https://watermelonfest.org/.

The California Watermelon Festival has recently undergone major expansion both in size and variety. This year’s festival will feature, unique and gastronomically adventurous watermelon-inspired dishes and an enhanced bigger, better, “funner” Kids’ Zone. 

The Kids’ Zone includes an arts & crafts area where kids can make watermelon themed friendship bracelets. There will also be a kids watermelon eating contest and kids watermelon costume contest, kids bubble show, kids face painting and kids slime plus carnival rides and an agriculture area with a petting zoo. There will be a live exotic animal show and toy cow roping and pony rides. A Kids Got Talent show will feature entertainment by talented youth; sign up at: https://watermelonfest.org/fun/kids-got-talent-registration/. To see a full Kids’ Zone schedule, visit https://watermelonfest.org/fun/#kids.

The event will feature live bands and DJs, as well as demonstrations from graffiti artists. There will be watermelon carving stations and a car show. For social media influencers, there will be a variety of signage, watermelon-themed cutouts, the mascot Wedgie Watermelon, and an assortment of watermelon-themed props that will enhance the social media experience.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a big appetite to enjoy unique watermelon-inspired dishes created by some of today’s most adventurous chefs experimenting with the many flavors of summer.

Whole fresh watermelons will be available for purchase and sliced watermelon, either plain or with chamoy, will be on sale at the event.

“We’ve gone all out to make this year’s Watermelon Festival not only fun for the whole family, but we want you and your family to come back each year,” said Edward Campos, Festival owner. “We’re making the Watermelon Festival Southern California’s launch into summer fun for generations to come.” 

California Ford, Corona Beer, Imagination Works Graphics and Printing, Los Tóxicos Mariscos, Montage at Mission Hills, Party City, Telemundo 52, T Mobil, Tajin, and Vallarta Super Markets sponsor the fair.

Safety rules apply; see https://watermelonfest.org/faq/ for details.