With only a month left before the 2026 Washington Parish Watermelon Festival opens at the Fairgrounds, organizers and volunteers are busy with final details.
Hopes are high for good weather for the festival. July in Washington Parish can be miserable, or it can be perfect. Hopefully, “perfect” will beat out “miserable”.
The Festival will be on July 10 and 11, but the action starts earlier with the Watermelon Festival Pageant on June 27 at Franklinton Country Club. Winners will be selected in 10 different age brackets, including the top bracket for the 2026 Watermelon Festival Queen.
This year’s festival itself on July 10 and 11 will feature stage acts, the rodeo, the traditional watermelon auction and tasting, and a car show. Two well-known musical groups will anchor the stage, with “Bag Of Donuts” performing Friday night and “Magnolia Rising” performing on Saturday night.
While the Festival itself is free, there will be a charge for the rodeo and for “Bag Of Donuts” and “Magnolia Rising.”
A major highlight of the 2026 Watermelon Festival will be a fireworks show Saturday evening to close the Festival.
