Fleamasters’ third annual Watermelon Festival, which will be held June 8-9, offers live music, action-packed speed eating and seed spitting competitions, enticing shopping and plenty of sweet, juicy Florida watermelon. The family friendly event will be held on the grounds of Fleamasters Fleamarket, 4135 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Blvd., Ft. Myers, FL. The Festival, with an average annual attendance of 15,000 people, is being held at the peak of Florida watermelon season. Admission and parking are free to shoppers.
During the Watermelon Festival, one aisle of the market will be reserved exclusively as a Community Exhibition Area. Artists can display and sell paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photos, fabric, jewelry and art in all mediums for less than $25 a day. “This is a good opportunity to reach art show sized crowds without having to pay the high costs associated with a juried event,” says Linda Steele, Fleamasters Marketing director and one of the festival organizers. The exhibition area will also feature local non-profits and organizations that celebrate the outdoors. Fleamasters is offering complimentary display space for 501(c)3 organizations at the 2013 Watermelon Festival.
At 10 a.m. Saturday, country Artist Colton James will open the festivities, followed by a performance by local favorite Deb and the Dynamics at 1 p.m. The festival also features performances by Scott McKean, Fleamasters’ Dixie Five, The Hot Flashz Dancers and Just Country Band. The festival also will feature a game and craft area for youngsters, and stilt walker and balloon artist, “Way Too Tall Torrie”
For seed spitting and speed eating, medals and prizes will be awarded for each of three age groups: 10 years old and under, 11 to 16 years sold, and 16 years old and over. If anyone breaks the seed-spitting world record of 68-feet, nine and 1/8 inches, they’ll win $500 cash from Fleamasters Fleamarket. Folks of all ages can also play “Win it in a Minute,” a skill game with chopsticks and watermelon seeds.
Fleamasters Fleamarket is open for shopping, food and fun 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
For more information:
Fleamasters Fleamarket
S.R. 82 1¼ miles west of I-75 (exit 138)
Ft. Myers, FL 33916
Tel.: 727-460-8404
Email: bonnie@fleamall.com
Website: fleamall.com and Facebook