The prize melon auction is at 5 p.m. and benefits Arkansas Children's Hospital. Some of these were Hickory Valley, Sandtown, Curia, Clarkson, Reeds Creek/Fairview, Maxville, Emery, Mobley, Flat Rock, Cedar Grove, and Loyal. Little Rock, Conway, Searcy, Benton, Heber Springs, Fayetteville, Bentonville, Springdale, Fort Smith, Jonesboro, West Memphis, Batesville, Mountain View, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Arkadelphia. Woods Riverbend Restaurant If you love waterfront dining you are in for a treat at Woods. Today, people from around the world come to this small place each summer to help us do just that! CAVE CITY Cave City bills itself as having the "world's sweetest watermelons." Find out for yourself July 29-31 during the 41st annual Watermelon Festival, which offers three days packed The event has shrunk from 10 days down to just three this year (July 7-9), but thats plenty of time to eat your fill of local food. There were days when the brokers would buy them and we would load five or six trailer loads that would go out to Chicago and lots of other places. Gary explained. We try really hard to produce a great product. Julie Johnson, the committee member of the Watermelon Festival, said she is excited, but nervous as she has seen the increase in COVID cases statewide. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In earlier years, before the creation of the town, the cave had belonged to the Horn family, and was known as Horns Cave. . To contact our registered growers, check: http://www.cavecitywatermelonfestival.com/about_us.php Courtesy www.cavecityarkansas.info: "These days, the reason for Cave City's renowned and its place on the map is due primarily to the annual Watermel See more 5,505 people like this 5,757 people follow this Be sure to stop by on a Friday and order the catfish. This included transplanting. The 41st Cave City Watermelon Festival is set for July 29-31th. This involves discing, cultivating, fertilizing and planting that typically begins in April. If it doesnt have the sticker, its not an official Cave City watermelon. Before implementing irrigation, Phillip explained, We spent lots of quality time with that garden hoe. He admitted he was very picky about how it was done. Johnson suggests you could always make the trip to Sharp County to visit one of the grower's own stands as well. Julie is one of the only growers who began utilizing social media to promote their products and she feels the videos she posts have helped more than anything. Dear Crossing If there is a Hot Wheels or Matchbox lover in your crew this shop is a must-see! While watermelons are still at the center of our celebration, we also celebrate the people and businesses that make the Cave City area one of the greatest places in Arkansas! 4,446 were here. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We select one featured photo per week, but we show many more in our gallery. Perkey Farms is a family owned and operating watermelon farm. Cave City has held the tradition of celebrating the "world's sweetest watermelons" by holding a watermelon festival every summer since 1980. CAVE CITY, AR (KAIT) - It doesn't quite feel like summertime in Sharp County until the Cave City watermelons hit the stands and that happened this past week. It has grown exponentially each year since the new board took over. They proudly stand behind every melon they sell. It is in honor of a grower who died unexpectedly last June. The prize melon auction is at 5 p.m. and benefits Arkansas Childrens Hospital. The Johnson watermelon vine continued to spread, and Phillips parents, Lester and Verba Lee, eventually inherited the seed. While Johnson says weather pushed back the start of the season, she said that hasnt stopped people from selling out the stands. | Privacy Policy This site is paid for with a combination of state funds and private regional association funds. BREAKING: Student arrested for crime involving explosives, Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs, Trip to Mr. Ts pays off for lucky lottery winner, Jonesboro police investigating 2 reported shootings. Note the stickers on the melons in the photo. Right now, everything is on track for the festival to start Thursday. After a while when I got done, she grabbed a hold of that hoe and threw it across the field and said, I quit. Another point of interest was the cave which was located in the center of town, and from which the town received its name. Heritage Bake Shoppe If you are looking for flavorful baked goods and deli sandwiches piled high with meat, cheese and all the toppings, swing by the Heritage Bake Shoppe. The 42nd annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is slated to begin Thursday (July 28) and run through Saturday (July 30). Gather around for events such as the biggest happy hour of the summer and enjoy an all-you-can-eat barbecue brunch on Sunday. It should be about enjoyment, about having a good time about being with people," said Phillip Johnson, "I'm proud to be apart of that, you know we need a lot more joy in the . CAVE CITY, Ark. Check out the photo gallery and tell us that doesnt look like a great time. Johnson Brothers was established in 1976. Millies From fried catfish to grilled steak to a homemade casserole, you never know what you will find at Millies, but its guaranteed to be good eating! One of the most favorite and anticipated of these camp meetings was the holiness camp meeting held every year at Calamine by ministers of the Nazarene Church. Our watermelon growers work hard all year long to produce "The World's Sweetest" watermelons! Copyright 2021 KAIT. No one picks the watermelons but Gary and Phillip. The first post master at Cave City was Thomas J. Wooldridge, whose term began December 16, 1892. Daily Deals This salvage grocery and general merchandise store is one of a kind! Head due north out of Cave City for a beautiful trip that will take you through Evening Shade, Ash Flat, Hardy and Mammoth Spring. You can also learn more about her writing on her site Seek Adventures Media. Maybe you can show them how to tie a cherry stem with ones tongue? document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Only in Arkansas. Watermelon is synonymous with Cave City, and while folks in my neck of the woods go bonkers when a pickup truck with a bed-full of [], Your email address will not be published. Spring Dipper Cool off with a sweet ice cream treat at the Spring Dipper. Usually the Cave City Watermelon Festival is held the week after the Hope Watermelon Festival, but this year they were held concurrently. Older Post Cave City watermelon growers warn against knockoffs. They platted off the town and reportedly gave land to other churches and for the establishment of a school. For a hillbilly like us to see all those hundreds of acres of beautiful watermelons all exactly the same size because they had all been transplanted on plastic was just amazing to us. For the town that boasts. It is about an event, about happiness. The cave supplied the drinking water for the local school, as well as serving as a veritable town refrigerator. Many families stored their milk, butter, and other produce in the cool cave to prevent them from spoiling. Source: http://www.kait8.com/story/38582549/cave-city-watermelon-growers-warn-against-knockoffs Share Julie said, There are no female melons, laughing in anticipation of the question, but stating it is one so many people ask. In 2017, the Cave City Watermelon Festival was inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame by the . On her blog, Seek Adventures, Julie shares about the outdoor and travel adventures of her family as they camp and standup paddleboard across the South. We worked our tails off all day, did it in cold ground, poured cold water in it, packed them in. Phillip added, We are not just selling a product. The division manages 14 Arkansas Welcome Centers and employs more than 60 staff members across The Natural State. file size: 5 MB. Real, authentic Cave City melons come from registered growers and have an official sticker on them. This three-day event will include entertainment, a 5K run, pancake breakfast, parade, activities for kids and adults, and of course, a free melon feast, courtesy of the registered watermelon growers. Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. The Cave City Watermelon Festival is held every July over three days. We love to get the people in here, love to see where everybody comes from for the festival and the watermelons, he said. The Johnsons reputation is based on the sweetness and perfection of their melons and they dont want to put the responsibility of cutting them off the vine on anyone else. Crystal Bridges 2023 Exhibitions Unveiled, Visiting Poinsett, Cross and Mississippi Counties, Things To Do In Independence and Stone Counties, An Afternoon in Cave City - Only In Arkansas, An Afternoon in Cave City Only In Arkansas Only in Arkansas Ferry St. BREAKING: Student arrested for crime involving explosives, Growers prepare for Cave City Watermelon Festival, Trip to Mr. Ts pays off for lucky lottery winner, Jonesboro police investigating 2 reported shootings, Plans for new Sikeston fire station moving forward, Buddhist monks to create mandala sand painting at Lyon College. Published: Jul. Historic Downtown Hardy Loaded with unique shops and restaurants, downtown Hardy is a postcard community nestled along the Spring River. Perhaps Oscar Wilde said it best Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The round Genuine Cave City Watermelon sticker, designating the brand is sometimes counterfeited. They offer indoor and outdoor dining and a menu that includes a little bit of everything. When a watermelon is cut off the vine, it is as good as it ever will be, it wont keep ripening, Gary explained. The annual watermelon festival, which draws thousands to the town each year, is scheduled for July 26-28. Julie said she credits their customers with being the main reason their business has remained successful. This often makes others think all Cave City melons are priced as high as that of the resellers who are selling them out of town. Prior to that, Phillip said, We just trusted in the Lord and the weather. Rainfall or lack thereof is detrimental to the production of watermelons. Music starts at 6 p.m. with Erin Walters, followed y MaryBeth Byrd and Danielle Peck. Johnson Brothers Watermelons is a family operated business consisting of Gary & Becky & Phillip & Julie. The nearest post office, which had been located at Loyal, was physically moved to the new town of Cave City in 1892. Drifters Coffee Co. Grab an incredible pastry and a cup of joe from this mobile/drive-thru coffee shop with a vintage feel. The three-day festival will take place on July 28-30. The icy water makes for excellent trout fishing and a beautiful floating opportunity. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri. Regardless, its high summer, and Im ready for a sweet treat. Brokers would stop and negotiate deals to purchase loads to sell elsewhere. To return to the calendar and check out other months, click here. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, small communities and churches sprang up in this area of Sharp and Independence counties, many of which established their own post offices and schools. Weve all just been working hard since we canceled last year, Johnson said. The SRC recently spent an evening with Gary and Phillip Johnson and their wives, Becky and Julie, who have been with them every step of the way. The annual Cave City Watermelon Festival is like a homecoming for some and a chance make new friends and feast on city's renowned melons for others. He said, I will let them sit there and rot before I take that. Phillip laughed, recalling the story, And thats exactly what happened. Their grandmothers family also grew melons and peddled them door to door after hauling them by wagon to Batesville. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow. When Sharp County was formed in 1868, what is now Cave City was still in Independence County, including north of present-day Cave City to almost the Maxville area. They were sold to brokers, simply by word of mouth, and transported across the nation. "We thought that we were going to be really late. More than 9 million gallons of water flow from it each hour filling a 10-acre lake and flowing into the Spring River. The World's Sweetest Watermelons. Accepted file types: jpg, png, Max. The Watermelon Growers Games will commence at 3 p.m. with a watermelon . Today not much remains but visitors will enjoy the two state parks located within the community. Peck hosts SiriusXMs Y2Kountry and is an accomplished recording artist and performer. Not necessarily "scare-your-pants-off" adventure but the kind where you seek out new and exciting things. If they have banana pudding on the menu, order extra to go! 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