North Carolina State Northeastern Watermelon Festival

Hertford County Watermelon Festival

Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

Adopted in 1993.

North Carolina already has three official state festivals - the Hertford County Watermelon Festival, the Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival and Folkmoot USA in Waynesville as the official international festival. Hertford County's festival is the state's official northeastern watermelon festival while the Fair Bluff event is the state's official southeastern watermelon festival.

The Hertford County Watermelon Festival is an annual celebration of the watermelon started in 1985 in Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

In 1993, the General Assembly adopted the Hertford County Watermelon Festival as the official Northeastern North Carolina Watermelon Festival (Session Laws, 1993, c. 212). Festival shall be observed annually during the last four days of the first week in August.

North Carolina Northeastern Watermelon Festival:
Hertford County Watermelon Festival

The North Carolina Watermelon Festival Is Organized by: The N.C. Watermelon Association, the Hertford County Cooperative Extension Service, The Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce, The Murfreesboro Historical Assn., and The Town of Murfreesboro.

The NC Watermelon Festival at Murfreesboro, Inc.
mailing address:
P.O. Box 736
Murfreesboro, NC 27855

North Carolina House Bill 318 - 1993

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1993 SESSION CHAPTER 212 HOUSE BILL 318

AN ACT TO ADOPT THE HERTFORD COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL AND THE FAIR BLUFF WATERMELON FESTIVAL AS THE OFFICIAL NORTH CAROLINA WATERMELON FESTIVALS.

Whereas, watermelon farming has been a successful vocation of many
farmers in eastern North Carolina, especially the Counties of Columbus and Hertford, for generations; and

Whereas, the watermelon industry has been and continues to be an important part of the State's economy; and

Whereas, there are as many as 700 to 1,000 acres of watermelons grown in
northeastern North Carolina each year and as many as 1,500 acres of watermelons grown in southeastern North Carolina each year; and
Whereas, the Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival in Columbus County held since 1980, and the Hertford County Watermelon Festival held since 1986, are two very popular watermelon festivals held annually in North Carolina; and

Whereas, the Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival is held in mid-July for four to
five days and the Hertford County Watermelon Festival is held in early August for four days; and

Whereas, both festivals have attracted at least 12,000 visitors; and

Whereas, the festivals provide participants of all ages with a wide variety of
entertainment including parades, amusement rides, historic tours, dances, and contests; and

Whereas, the festivals allow local crafters and vendors the chance to promote their goods to a large number of people; and

Whereas, adopting the Hertford County Watermelon Festival and the Fair
Bluff Watermelon Festival as the official North Carolina Watermelon Festivals will help to promote agriculture, tourism, and economic growth, and the exchange of cultural ideas;

Now, therefore, The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. Chapter 145 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new
section to read:

"§ 145-16. State Watermelon Festivals.

(a) The Hertford County Watermelon Festival is adopted as the official
Northeastern North Carolina Watermelon Festival. The Hertford County Watermelon Festival shall be observed annually during the last four days of the first week in August.

(b) The Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival in Columbus County is adopted as the official Southeastern North Carolina Watermelon Festival. The Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival shall be observed annually during mid-July.

(c) Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the provisions of this act.

(d) Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate Hertford County or
Columbus County to expend funds for the purposes of this act."

Sec. 2. The title of Chapter 145 reads as rewritten:
"State Flower, Bird, Tree, Shell, Mammal, Fish, Insect, Stone, Reptile and Rock, Beverage, Historical Boat, Language, Dog, Military Academy, and Tartan. Tartan, and Watermelon Festival."

Sec. 3. This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of
June, 1993.
───────────────────
Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

Daniel Blue, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Representatives

North Carolina Law

The law designating the Hertford County Watermelon Festival  as the official North Carolina state northeastern water melon festival is found in the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 145 Section 145-16(a).

Chapter 145.
State Symbols and Other Official Adoptions.
§ 145-16. State Watermelon Festivals.

(a) The Hertford County Watermelon Festival is adopted as the official Northeastern North Carolina Watermelon Festival. The Hertford County Watermelon Festival shall be observed annually during the last four days of the first week in August.

(b) The Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival in Columbus County is adopted as the official Southeastern North Carolina Watermelon Festival. The Fair Bluff Watermelon Festival shall be observed annually during mid-July.

(c) Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate the General Assembly to appropriate funds to implement the provisions of this act.

(d) Nothing in this act shall be construed to obligate Hertford County or Columbus County to expend funds for the purposes of this act. (1993, s. 212, s. 1.)