Dresden Melon Festival Brings the Community Together for a Day Of Summer Fun

DRESDEN, OH- The 18th Annual Dresden Melon Festival took place this Saturday at Dresden River Park, drawing what organizers say was the largest crowd in nearly two decades.

The festival celebrates Dresden’s long history of growing watermelons and cantaloupes along the Muskingum River. This year’s event featured a wide variety of activities for all ages, including trolley rides, a petting zoo, a melon derby, and fishing tournaments.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been wonderful, obviously the weather is beautiful, so the turn out is probably the most people we’ve ever had in 18 years…we’ve got so many activities, our kids area is bigger than it’s ever been, we’ve got trolley rides, we’ve got a petting zoo, we’ve got the melon derby that just happened, we’ve got the guys coming in on the fishing boats that are going to weigh their fish in, and then we’re going to do some melon spitting and melon eating, so a lot of events going on,” said Dresden Melon Festival Chair Person, Mellisa Stanford.

The festival also serves as a community gathering, bringing families and visitors together to enjoy the summer day along the riverbanks.

“It’s just bringing the community together and seeing everybody down here…taking time out of their busy lives to just come and enjoy the beautiful scenery and all of the activities that we have going on,” said Stanford.

The Dresden Melon Festival continues to grow each year, blending tradition with fun and family friendly events. For more information, visit DresdenMelonFestival.com.