Every year it is the same tradition.  It starts with the Memorial Day weekend, signaling the unofficial start of summer.  People are heading off in different directions.  Kids are out of school and the fun begins.  But the hot (and this Summer has been a HOT one) days of summer give way to the one event that the people of Oklahoma and elsewhere look forward to the second weekend in August.  The Rush Springs Watermelon Festival.

This year due to the lack of rain and the excessive heat, the crop was on the down side, but the melons presented both for judging and for consumption were fantastic!  And early on the melons were cold and juicy.  Just ask my son Kaleb.  He got it all over him.

Of course every festival has all of the vendors you can put in one small area to satisfy the desires of any and all who come from near and far to enjoy the fruits of the day.

If you want to get on the wild side,  walk to the west side of Jeff Davis Park.  The carnival rides are going as fast as they can with screams emitting from each and every corner of the park.  Cotton candy, corn dogs, elephant ears, popcorn and of course watermelon.  Plenty of people wait until the free feed at 4pm.  We decided to go at it early to "maybe" get some of the best they had to offer.

The Queen's booth displayed the best of the best from Black Diamond to Royal Sweet and Yellow Meated treats that were the pride of all who grew them.

 

 

This small town of about 1,500 people swells each year to about 30,000 people as the Pride of their labor is presented.

One word can sum it up.  Delicious.

 

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