Beauregard Watermelon Festival

By J. Shirlene Cooper



Families and visitors in DeRidder got a chance to take a trip back in time to the good ol’ days with this year’s Beauregard Watermelon Festival, held at the parish fairgrounds the weekend of June 26 through 28. The spotlight was on locally grown Sugartown watermelons and the juicy fruit provided a delicious theme for a plethora of displays, concessions, and games for festival goers braving the summer heat.

Temperatures rose to over 100 degrees, but did not deter avid watermelon fans from turning out in numbers. Besides, it was all about the watermelons. What better way to quench the thirst than an oversized slice of the chilled fruit? And toward this sweet solution, the featured fruit of the day was in no short supply. Concession stands all along the midway offered a variety of “watermelony” concoctions including slice, chunks on a stick, and fruit smoothies.

This was the fourth year for the Beauregard Tourist Commission to host the Watermelon Festival, and Lori Veazy, who serves as executive director of the commission said that the event has grown with each year.

On hand this year, Christway Church members pitched a tent and coordinated games for children of all ages. The line at the face-painting table was long, as the young and the young-at-heart took a turn getting watermelon slices painted on chins, cheeks, foreheads, biceps, and knees. Peel and stick temporary tattoos were offered to little ones who might not otherwise have been able to sit still long enough for the intricate detailing involved in the hand-painted watermelon artworks.

In the same booth, contests were scheduled throughout each festival day. Children vied for a variety of candy prizes, balloons, favors, and coupons awarded for the farthest spit watermelon seed—or the quickest consumption of a watermelon slice.

Each contestant in the spitting contest was given three chances to project a small black seed as far out as possible and the results were carefully measured. Much laughter and fun ensued as spitters either outdid their own expectations or gave their best shot only to have the slimy seed end up on their own chin.

Children sank their teeth into cold slices for the watermelon eating contest. As soon as coordinators called out “Ready, set, go,” the race was on. What generally ensued was drippy, slippery, wet chaos, with the endgame evident on chubby cheeks, in hair, on sandaled toes, and more often than not, completely covering the fronts of individual manic munchers.

Farther along the festival trail, other booths offered visitors information, such as the EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home) trailer, where DeRidder firefighters provided tours and safety tips.
Making a come-back appearance was Paul “Max” Trost with his helicopter rides.

The short ride departed from a clearing on the fairgrounds and quickly rose above the tree line, causing a sudden burst of adrenaline and the widening of eyes. Cameras clicked, clicked, clicked as passengers spied their neighborhoods, work places, schools, churches, and shopping centers. Then all too soon, the aircraft returned, making a softer-than-expected landing.

A pilot and former crop duster, Trost has 30 years and over 11, 000 hours of time in the air. As owner of Max Air Helicopters, a Sulphur based company, he said he thoroughly enjoys his job and especially likes watching the reactions of first time passengers. “I’m able to show them a whole new world,” he said, adding that for most the experience is very positive. He said he takes his job very seriously, noting that he is aware that parents put a lot of trust in him and his aviation abilities.

Displays and demonstrations also dotted the midway, including a first for the festival—the Lumberjack show. Cousins, Tyler Fischer and Jamie Fisher thrilled audiences by attempting to throw each other off a log while rolling it across a small body of water. There also was a log sawing competition, and farther down the way, riders could compete for the title of “longest in the saddle” on a mechanical bull.

Under the shade of the outdoor pavilion, a steady stream of local talent took to the stage.
More musical amusements took place on the stage inside the exhibition hall, where an abundance of vendors offered handcrafted jewelry, clothing, and artwork.

Deeming the festival a huge success, despite the heat, Veasey said she and other event coordinators were “very pleased with the turnout.” She said the record breaking temperatures were matched by record breaking crowds, many of whom chose to avoid the heat by making their way to the fairgrounds after sundown.

Visitors to the 2009 Beauregard Watermelon Festival traveled from Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi, and served to fuel the fire of Veasey’s wish to see a bigger and better festival with each passing year. “We can’t wait to show what we can do next year,” she concluded.