🍉🍉🍉2016 Friday, August 19, Watermelon Festival Russellville

We arrived at the Watermelon Festival in Russellville a little before 6:00PM 
We parked on the street behind the main street and walked one block entering the Watermelon Festival.  
As we walked up Main Street we saw Daddy's Roasted Sweet Corn which was positioned near the Roxy Theater.  
Posted on the Marquees was "Welcome to the 36th Annual Watermelon Festival." 

Main Street was crowded with vendors on both sides, with many people buying the vendor's wear. It was a struggle just to walk up the street because it was so crowded.
It was a little breeze blowing but, not enough to take away the humidity. The sky was filled with dark, heavy clouds, ready to burst into rain. 

We could hear the Kerry Gilbert Band beginning to play.

We could hear the Kerry Gilbert Band as they began to play. We walked in the direction of the sound of the music. 
When we arrived, in the area of the band, the sun was beaming down right into my eyes, so we had to find a shaded area, where we could watch the band. 

We had brought chairs to set in but left them in the van so, we ended up sitting on the concrete curb near the tables filled with juicy, red, slices of watermelon, free for the taking. 

We sat and watched the band play while the watermelons behind me were saying come to get a slice. 
So, I walked to the table that was full of sliced melons and picked out a slice, making sure that I had plenty of napkins.

Free slices of red juicy watermelons! Make sure you grab enough paper towels!

I listen to music while eating the melon, with juice dripping down my arm. 
I savored every bite until nothing was left but the rind. 
I found only a few seeds in the watermelon slice, which I spit onto the ground. I found a garbage can to dispose of the rind and I wiped my face and hands of all that red, sweet, juice, from the melon.

Slices of the red juicy watermelon slices were going fast. 

Kerry encouraged the crowd to clap 

Kerry is an Elvis Presley fan and he sang one of Elvis's songs, Suspicious Mind.  Kerry gets way down on the base, with the song Way Down. 
Kerry, Hugh Banks, Terry Frank, Randy Kimbrough, Alyssa Ashley, Mitch Curtis, and Wendell Dean did an Acappella of the gospel song, Sweet Sweet Spirit.
Alyssa Ashley and Mitch Curtis performed a Dotty West Song, Two Worlds Collide. 

There were several women and a man that got up and danced, while others clapped, and stomped their feet to the beat of the music. 

SWEET TREE Productions controlled the sound system and provided the stage for the bands.

When the band ended we walked back into the crowded streets. 

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade YUM!!!

We saw Smoothies and Tropical Treats by Dixie Concessions.
We saw Corn Dogs, Chicken tenders, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, French Fries, and Ribbon Fries, Philly Cheese sticks, Polish Sausages, and Funnel Cakes. 

We saw on the Roxy Theater Marquees facing down Main Street: Whiskey Tree Guest Kendra Hope, Travis Wammack, and Snake Band Saturday, August 27, 6:30PM

We saw Captain Marvel and Spiderman

We saw Protect and Serve Police Officers. 

We saw Protect and Serve Police Officers. 

We saw Mickey and Minnie Mouse and children getting their pictures made with them 

We saw U.DO. IT Chill Factory, Alabama's Best Fresh Made Ice Cream, Tharptown Wildcats Cheerleaders, Boy Scouts, Italian Ice, & Dipping Dots Ice Cream.

We walked to the carnival rides where we saw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy's Bouncing house. We saw children buckled into the Reckless ride. We saw children loading into Pirates Revenge Ride. 

Swings, Mind Winder

Monster Truck 

Reckless and Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy's Bouncing house

We saw a giant Monster Truck called Mayhem inflatable and a large inflatable slide. We saw children being slung around on the swings. 
The last ride we saw was the Mind Winder.

Standing in Silence watching the Festival for the last 36 years is this Historic Home 

Facing one another at the end of the festival, stood in silence two Old Historic Homes.
On the right was a house built of red brick with two chimneys. To the left was a white siding three-story home with a red slate, a triangle roof, a rounded dome room on the third level, and a covered front porch. 

We started back up the street where we saw a young boy riding the bull, he stayed on for 48 seconds. As we walked past, I said to myself, not me, that bull can buck someone else off. 

I ain't afraid of no GHOST!

As we walked up Main Street we saw a man from Ghost Busters.
Not yet dark enough for any ghosts. 
Yet, there may be ghosts lurking in the two houses just beyond the festival or ghosts walking among us.!