The Chiefland Watermelon Festival is set to take place this Saturday.

            Many people consider the 11 a.m. parade to be the highlight of the day. The parade begins at the Chiefland High School parking lot and proceeds south on U.S.19 to the southernmost traffic light on County Road 345.

            The main festival, with 170 vendors, will take place at what has become the festival grounds on the opposite side of U.S. 19 from Train Depot Park in south Chiefland. The Train Depot is home to the Chiefland Chamber of Commerce.

            Bicycle enthusiasts from around the region will take part in the Tour de Melon, a bicycle ride of 100 miles through the Chiefland countryside. Some riders will take a shorter course.

            Chiefland Watermelon Queen Emerie Woodall was crowned in early May. She and other melon festival royalty will be part of the parade.

            The festival is sponsored by the Chiefland Woman’s Club but the Tour de Melon will be sponsored by the Suwannee Valley Rotary Club.

            Festivities connected to the festival begin at 8 a.m. at the festival grounds in south Chiefland. The festival will conclude around 3 p.m.

            The festival is also home to a Chiefland watermelon contest and auction. The auction is expected to start around noon. Proceeds are used to fund scholarships and fund other community charities.

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Chiefland watermelon festival posted June 2, 2023