Oregon Watermelon Fests and Recipes

With summer upon us and more of us moving our families outdoors for meals, what's a picnic without the sweet, juicy taste of watermelon? When I was young, in addition to big slices of melon, my Grandma always put homemade watermelon rind pickles on the picnic table. The National Watermelon Promotion Board says that even the first cookbook published in America in 1796 featured a recipe for watermelon rind pickles. Watermelon is also a great way to add many nutrients to your fanily's diet. In addition to the water and fiber (which are lacking in many of our meals, watermelon is rich in Vitamins A and C and Lycopene. Scientists indicate that Lycopene, found in vegetables like tomatoes, is essential to healing.

While the U.S. is the number four country in the world in production of watermelons (behind China, Turkey, and Iran), Oregon is fairly low on the list of producer states. Most of the states that grow watermelons are in the south because they require a fairly long, warm growing season, and most of our state's climate just isn't suited. A couple of spots do have the right amount of heat, light, and length of season and each of them has an annual festival that you'll absolutely have to attend!

Irrigon is in the Northeastern part of the state, near Hermiston and the Irrigon Watermelon Festival will be held on July 29th in Irrigon, Oregon from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Marina Park. The schedule includes:

• 6:30-9:30 am - Breakfast
• 7 am - Softball Tournament
• 10 am - Parade
• 9 pm - midnight - Street Dance & Light Show

In addition, there will be a car show, games, sale booths, bingo, music all day, a talent Show/Lip sync, Hispanic dancing, food stands and a Seed Spitting Contest. Slices of watermelon will be available for 25 cents each! For more information, call 541-922-3386


Winston is on the southern coast of Oregon, near Roseburg and the 33rd Annual Winston-Dillard Melon Festival will be held on September 7, 8, and 9, 2001 in Riverbend Park. As you can see, the harvest is much later here, where it is cooler than Hermiston. For Information call (541) 679-1299. In addition to the Melon Festival there will be parades, booths, dancing, talent show, kid games and much more!

This recipe is from the The National Watermelon Promotion Board and is one of my favorite ways to seve melon.

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