Published: August 06, 2008 10:26 am      

Rush Springs ready to roll out the red

watermelon festival signals summer’s end

RUSH SPRINGS — For the small community just north of Marlow, August brings more than back-to-school blues and the end of summer. It carries with it a tradition that dates back more than half a century.

In its 68th year, the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival will take place Saturday and feature, among other things, live entertainment and a carnival.

“There will be lots and lots and lots of things,” said Jean Williams, festival chairwoman.

“Of course, we have a carnival which will be going on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.”

The event received its humble beginnings in 1940 as a community fair. Today, with the help of civic organizations, it attracts between 25,000 and 35,000 visitors each year.

“It was just a small community fair to celebrate the watermelon harvest,” Williams said.

“A lot of dedicated individuals — the Lions Club and a lot of other people — around the town, won’t let it go. It’s just clean, hometown fun. And the watermelons are good.”

With plans to serve up nearly 50,000 pounds of watermelon during the festival, slices of the fruit will be free after 4 p.m. and cost $1 before 4 p.m.

As for those seeds, they can be put to good use during the seed-spitting contest at noon.

A Tiny Tot contest will also be held for children ages 3 to 5 to name the next Mr. Rush Springs and Little Miss Rush Springs.

Children will also have a special fun section set aside for them where they can work on arts and crafts and get their faces painted, in addition to other activities.

Adults can look forward to the arts and crafts booths, Williams said, that often contain fabulous gifts perfect for Christmas presents.

While there’s no cost to attend the festival, the carnival does have a $15 charge per person. Williams encourages attendees to take lawn chairs for seating, though there will be limited seating available in the stage pavilion and playground area.