It’s making a return in Turlock after many decades. See what and when to be there
After several decades, melons will get their due again with a celebration in Turlock.
The Turlock Melon Carnival is set for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21, in downtown at Main and Center streets.
The Turlock Historical Society is spearheading the resurgence, according to board member Lori Smith, but there are several other downtown business owners, other groups and individuals involved.
“We started planning almost a year ago and now it’s here,” Smith said.
The first melon carnival was held in 1911 to celebrate “the abundance of agricultural gold being harvested right here in the Central Valley,” according the carnival website.
The carnival eventually morphed into what is now the Stanislaus County Fair.
A 2007 story in The Bee said the carnival was held on Main Street at first, according to “Streams in a Thirsty Land,” a 1972 history of the Turlock area by Helen Hohenthal and other contributors.
There were melon rolling contests, parades, exhibits, concerts, dancing, races and other activities.
“The serious-minded could attend the State Irrigation Convention in the Big Tent,” the history said. “Meanwhile, a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round and sideshows entertained others. Sophisticates could dance during the afternoons and evenings on the large platform opposite the St. Elmo Hotel to the music of Merrill’s Orchestra. When one’s throat became parched, one could repair to the Big Tent, where watermelons were served free, day and night.”
World War I halted the carnival, The Bee story said, but it was revived by the American Legion in 1925. It then moved to a North Broadway field that is part of today’s Stanislaus County Fairground.
It remained the Melon Carnival into the 1930s, became the Stanislaus District Fair in 1941 and finally the Stanislaus County Fair in 1956.
Turlock needs a festival
One of the reasons organizers wanted to bring back the melon fest was “because Turlock is one of the few (regional) communities that doesn’t have an annual festival,” Smith said.
The last was Skandi-Fest, which ended its run in the early 2000s.
They plan to keep most of the old-time events for this year’s carnival, Smith said, with a bit of new added.
“We’re trying to keep it as much like the original one as possible,” she said, although the music will be modern day.
Among the events set this year are a barbecue on Friday evening, the Turlock Melon Pageant, live music and a street dance with the band No Way Back.
Saturday events include the Kiddie Kaper Parade, a watermelon eating competition, melon rolling competition, cornhole competition and cantaloupe eating competition, along with entertainment throughout the day.
Hours Friday are 6-10 p.m. beginning with the barbecue, Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. kicking off with the Kiddie Kaper Parade. The event is free. For more, see turlockmeloncarnival.com.
Organizers hope the melon carnival will become an annual event.
“That’s the plan,” Smith said. “We’re already planning some bigger things for next year.” Among those would be a full parade and carnival rides.
“Our main goal was for this to be a community event,” Smith said. “We’re sharing our history in our community and we just hope everyone comes out and enjoys it.”
