Country Star Gretchen Wilson & Hope Native Mae Estes Headline 50th Watermelon Festival

Get ready, because this weekend one of the best events in our corner of Southwest Arkansas is marking a major milestone.

The Hope Watermelon Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a Golden Jubilee celebration Thursday, August 6 through Saturday, August 8, bringing three days of family-friendly fun, live entertainment, food, contests, and plenty of watermelon to Hope, Arkansas.

Three Days of Festival Fun at 50th Hope Watermelon Festival

This is always such a fun festival-with so many great events and activities going on.  You'll be able to enjoy food trucks, vendors, live music, a car show, antique engine show, watermelon-eating contest, seed-spitting contest, watermelon Olympics, arm wrestling, a softball tournament, 5K Melon Mile, cornhole tournament, and much more.

Of course, no Hope Watermelon Festival would be complete without watermelon by the slice and the Annual Watermelon Idol Competition, where the winner will perform Saturday night at 6:30 PM to kick off the evening.

Families will also find plenty of activities for children, including Kidz Zone attractions and other festival favorites.

Live Music Takes Center Stage at Hope Watermelon Festival on Saturday

This year's Golden Jubilee celebration will feature two fantastic performers on Saturday, August 8.

Gretchen Wilson & Mae Estes

Country music artist and Hope native Mae Estes will take the stage at 7 PM, followed by Grammy Award-winning singer Gretchen Wilson at 8 PM.

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Wilson is best known for hits such as 'Redneck Woman' and 'Here for the Party'. She has remained a fan favorite in country music for more than two decades, and she just won season 13 of The Masked Singer.

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Oh, and it is so wonderful to watch Mae Estes grow in the success that we all know she deserves. She won the Arkansas CMA Female Vocalist of the Year two times and is on numerous lists of country artists to watch.

A Hope Tradition...Watermelon!

For 50 years, the Hope Watermelon Festival has brought together residents and visitors from across the region to celebrate the city's famous watermelons (and they are the best!) and strong community spirit.

Tickets and additional festival information are available at HopeMelonFest.com.

The Golden Jubilee celebration promises to be one of the biggest Watermelon Festivals yet, giving attendees plenty of reasons to make plans for a trip to Hope this weekend!

We talked with Christy Burns, the Hope Watermelon Festival Director, this morning about all the great things going on this year at the festival this weekend. Catch the interview below!