Parish Watermelon Festival a Sweet Slice of Summer Fun
Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, July 16, 2025
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KIM EDWARDS
SPECIAL TO THE DAILY NEWS
The Washington Parish Watermelon Festival proved once again that it’s one of the region’s most beloved summer traditions, drawing crowds for a weekend packed with sunshine, smiles, and slices of juicy, homegrown fun.
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From the festive parade winding through town to the thrilling rodeos, turtle races, live music, fireworks, and the highly anticipated watermelon auction, there was no shortage of excitement. Festival-goers of all ages enjoyed the small-town charm and big-time energy that filled the air across the event grounds.
A standout moment was Queen’s Day, where more than 70 visiting festival queens from across Louisiana dazzled in sparkling sashes and crowns, creating a picture-perfect celebration of Southern pageantry and tradition.
Prize-Winning Watermelons
In the watermelon competitions, local growers brought their best—and biggest. Topping the scales this year was Jase Guffey, who earned Overall Champion with a Carolina Cross watermelon weighing 154.6 lbs. Other standout entries included:
Carolina Cross (Grown for size, not commercial use):
• 2nd: Daryl Burnthron – 144.3 lbs
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• 3rd: Joy Burnthorn – 111.4 lbs
Summer Flavor 720:
• 1st: J&M Farm – 55.3 lbs
• 2nd: Robert Wilson – 45.3 lbs
• 3rd: Trey Guffey – 44.3 lbs
Jubilee:
• Aulton Cryer swept all top three spots with entries weighing 42.5 lbs, 41.3 lbs, and 36.3 lbs
Starbrite:
• 1st: Justin Lebo – 61.8 lbs
• 2nd: Jase Guffey – 51.4 lbs
• 3rd: Aulton Cryer – 44.6 lbs
Charleston Grey:
• 1st: Kole Schilling – 48.9 lbs
• 2nd: Thomas Hill Farms – 48.4 lbs
• 3rd: Kole Schilling – 46.6 lbs
Other Red Varieties:
• 1st: Robert Wilson (Big Red) – 52.3 lbs
• 2nd: Karen Schilling (Sweet Heart) – 50.8 lbs
• 3rd: Gerald Burns (Big Red) – 48.4 lbs
Yellow Varieties:
• 1st: Trey Guffey (Tender Gold) – 43.1 lbs
• 2nd: Jana Guffey (Tender Gold) – 42.3 lbs
• 3rd: Robert Wilson – 37.2 lbs
Sweetness Test (Brix %):
• 1st: Thomas Hill Farms (Black Jack Red) – 13.9%
• 2nd: Mickey Murphy (Summer Flavor 720) – 12%
• 3rd: Clay Thomas (Orange Glo) – 12%
Watermelon Eating Contests
Queens (1–12 years):
1st: Paisley Verron
2nd: Addelyn Wilson
3rd: Taylor Drewitt
Queens (13+):
1st: Avery Branch
2nd: Isabella Ikerd
3rd: Jade Chaballé
Public (Children 1–12):
1st: Stella Thomas
2nd: Landry Ikerd
3rd: Ana King
Public (Teens 13–18):
1st: Weston Brauninger
2nd: Jacob Martin
3rd: Zaden Fasske
Adults (18+):
1st: Thomas Branch
2nd: Sammuel Thomas
3rd: Gary Brauninger
Seed Spitting Showdown
Children (1–12):
1st: Paisley – 14 ft
2nd: Scarlett Thomas – 10 ft
3rd: Arabella Davis – 8.5 ft
Teens (13–18):
1st: Weston Brauninger – 21.5 ft
2nd: Zachary Thomas – 20 ft
3rd: Elijah James – 18 ft
Women’s Division:
1st: Patricia Thomas – 23 ft
2nd: Pharrin Vernon – 20.5 ft
3rd: Hannah Windmein – 17 ft
Men’s Division:
1st: Clay Thomas – 41 ft
2nd: Cole Thomas – 27 ft
3rd: Thomas Branch – 25 ft
Creative Contests
Painting:
• Best of Show: Landree Ikerd
• Most Creative: Novalynn Meyers, Grayson Holloway
• Most Decorative: Isabella Ikerd
• Best Theme: Kori Sumrall
Carving Contest:
• 1st: Carol Case
Turtle Races
• 1st: Maybel-Ann Johnson
• 2nd: Addison Leos
As the watermelon rinds were cleared and the fireworks faded, one thing was certain: the 2025 Washington Parish Watermelon Festival was a true celebration of community, creativity, and good old-fashioned summer fun.
