Melon Fest

A Celebration of Watermelon & Community 

Join us for the sweetest event of the summer—Melon Fest returns to downtown Hermiston on Saturday, August 16 from 9am to 3pm. This year’s festival is bigger, better, and more Melony than ever!

Celebrate our world-famous Hermiston watermelons with free slices, live music, local vendors, and crowd-favorite contests:

• Watermelon Costume Contest | 10:30am – Prizes: $300, $200, $100
• Seed Spitting Contest | 11:00am
• Watermelon Eating Contest | 12:00pm
• Bathtub Races | 1:00pm

Come for the melons, stay for the fun. Vendor registration is open through August 9.
Contest sign-ups and full schedule: bit.ly/hermistonrecreation

Bring your friends, your appetite, and your best melon gear—let’s make this Melon Fest the best one yet!

Melon Fest Bathtub Races!

Sign up now to reserve your spot in the race!

The Melon Fest Bathtub Races are a high-energy relay where teams of three—one rider and two pushers—race wheeled bathtubs down Festival Street. The first round features head-to-head sprints to record the fastest times. The top teams advance into a tournament-style bracket, leading to a championship showdown. Prizes are awarded for 1st Place and Best Dressed Team. Get ready for speed, style, and plenty of laughs!