Looking for a few good melons

If watermelon-eating contests were a measure of human achievement, Dixon’s Melon Days last Saturday might be considered a slice of pure nirvana.

This year’s festival began Friday night with a cribbage tournament a street dance and was followed Saturday with the Melon Days’ traditional parade, three-on-three basketball competition, a rummage sale and a host of kids games that included a watermelon eating contest with 25 participants.

Yet, the most anticipated and well-attended event was the Three-on-three basketball tournament. Teams competed fiercely for the top spot of the night. In the men’s division team Desert Horse, ranked first followed by The O’Brien Boys, Great Spirit, and A-town Boys. The Co-ED division was won by team Indian Taco and was followed by the Fitzpatrick Company, Seamen, and Renegades.

There were two varieties of watermelons at the festival, the traditional red and green Carolina Cross watermelon and then there was the rare yellow and green Yellow Crimson watermelon that is said to be sweeter than the normal Carolina Cross. In addition to the two varieties of watermelons and some cantaloupes, the festival boasted a variety of different vendors as well.

Festival goers had the an option of everything from fry bread, lemonade, Hawain shaved ice, to the traditional American hamburgers and soda. The Senior Center was even sold 207 roast beef dinner tickets. Karen McCullough, a member of the Melon Days committee, said that she was happy that the event was such a great success. “It’s just fun watching people enjoy themselves,” McCullough said. “I like to go down and sit at the school and watch families watch their kids have fun.”

She said that she was also grateful for how hard the community worked this year to keep the festival running. The planning for the Melon Days was started late this year in the later part of April and early part of May. McCullough said that withour a core group of individuals within the community and outside the event may not have even been possible. “When we have small towns, with small town people who step up to the plate there’s just so much that can get done,” she said.

Next she said that the committee wants to start planning earlier so that next year can be even more successful. “It’s lots of fun, but it’s a heck of a lot of work,” McCullough said. Yet, despite the stresses and anxiesties that come from planning a huge event she said that the committee and board had a great deal of fun once the event had been set in motion Friday and Saturday.

McCullough said that her favorite memory of the event would easily be the riding in the Melon Days Parade with Grand Marshall, Marie Ardis, who’s been living in the community for more than 60 years. McCullough said that she also enjoyed listening to the The Great Scotts Pipe Band and watching the honor guard as they carried the led the parade. “I got to drive the white convertible with the Grand Marshall, Marie Ardis. It was so cool to be with Marie and be on the heels of the honor guard.”

McCullough also wanted to thank all of the vendors who traveled long distances to contribute to the festival and said that she enjoyed speaking with them because they came from a variety of different states and backgrounds. “Our community is bigger than just Dixon,” she said. “We’re celebrating with many different communities.”