The 19th annual Beauregard Watermelon Festival is happening this weekend — and this year it is bringing three days of family friendly, refreshing fun to the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds, 506 West Dr.

Lisa Adams, executive director, Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce, said the festival has continued to grow since the Beauregard Chamber of Commerce took over in 2021. The capacity and number of vendors doubled, and in 2022, the festival was expanded to include three days. Now with the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds updates there are two large air-conditioned buildings for vendors.

They have also strived to make the festival a fun and financially accessible event for everyone.

“For some of the families that are unable to afford a big vacation, at our event you can enter a craft and receive a ticket to enter free of charge,” she said.

Christ Way Church will provide a cooling tent for festivalgoers to make crafts and get free water and snacks — cotton candy, popcorn and a watermelon slice. For additional wallet-friendly fun, there will be free contests like the watermelon eating and watermelon seed spitting contest where attendees can win prizes and even free festival t-shirt.

The children’s game and activity tent will be open on all three days. Adams said that this year their main focus was to add more contests and activities for an interactive time, especially for local kids to enjoy, such as the Kids Melon Voice contest and the Children’s Pig Scramble.

The festival’s highlights will be the headlining musical acts: Kylie Frye and Laine Hardy. Both artists are Louisiana-born and raised. Friday night will feature Fyre, Opelousas, one of the top five finalists of season 18 of America’s Got Talent. Laine Hardy, Livingston, the season 17 winner of American Idol, will close out the festival on Saturday night.

General admission to the festival is $5 per day. Those with military ID and children three and under receive free admission.

From 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, admission is $10 for everyone except children three and under.

Thursday, June 27

The gates will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. on Thursday.

At 7 p.m., the BWF Mutton Bustin’ starts. The pre-entry fee is $25.

Outdoor Pavilion:

5:15 p.m. – Presentation of the Festival Queens

5:30 p.m. – Learn to Dance: Watermelon Crawl

6 p.m. – Kids Melon Voice

7 p.m. – Melon Voice Singing Contest

Friday, June 28

The party gets started at noon on Friday, and won’t end until 11 p.m.

The Children’s Pig Scramble starts at 2 p.m. Entry is $5. The Business Challenge Goat Roping is at 5:30 p.m., and the Watermelon Goat Roping is at 6:30 p.m.

The Swine Show begins at 7 p.m. in the livestock barn.

Outdoor Pavilion:

Noon – Opening Ceremony and Cutting of the Melons

12:30 p.m. – Celebrity Seed Spitting

1 p.m. – Community Seed Spittin

1:30 p.m. – Watermelon Float Parade

3 p.m. – Watermelon Magic Class

3:30 p.m. – Learn to Dance: Watermelon Crawl

4 p.m. – Kids Melon Voice

5 p.m. – Melon Voice Singing Contest

5:45 p.m. – Farmers Tan Contest

6 p.m. – Clifton Swamp Band

8 p.m. – Kylie Frey

Saturday, June 29

The final day of the festival kicks off with a Watermelon 5K Fun Run/Walk. Registration begins at 6 a.m., and the walk starts at 7 a.m.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. Both the Antique Tractor Show and the Watermelon Classic Truck Show begin at 10 a.m. At 3 p.m., the Tractor Parade will roll out.

The market goat and sheep show starts at 9 a.m. in the livestock barn. At 1 p.m., the breeding goat and sheep show begins.

Outdoor Pavilion:

10 a.m. – Festival Queen Welcome

10:15 a.m. – Canning Contest Winner Announcement

10:30 a.m. – Watermelon Weiner Dog Derby

11:30 a.m. – Bullfrog Races

Noon – Watermelon Growers Contest

1 p.m. – Watermelon Eating Contest

1:30 p.m. – Learn to Dance: Watermelon Crawl

2 p.m. – Bouncing Watermelon Race

2:30 p.m. – Watermelon Relay Race

3 p.m. – Melon Mullet Contest

3:30 p.m. – Baby Watermelon Crawl Contest

4 p.m. – Watermelon Magic Class

4:30 p.m. – Kids Melon Contest

5 p.m. – Melon Voice Singing Contest Final Round

6 p.m. – Neli Terry

8 p.m. – Laine Hardy