[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 117 (Wednesday, August 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S6730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     2010 HOPE WATERMELON FESTIVAL

 Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I congratulate the 
residents of Hope in my home State of Arkansas as they celebrate the 
annual Hope Watermelon Festival, a time-honored tradition that 
commemorates the history and technique of watermelon growing and its 
importance to the local community.
  Home to the world's largest watermelon, Hope is a thriving community 
in southwest Arkansas. Since the 1920s, Hope residents and other 
Arkansans have gathered to take part in the Watermelon Festival.
  According to event organizers, the early Watermelon Festivals bear 
little resemblance to those in recent years. During the 1920s era, 
citizens served ice-cold watermelon to passengers on the many trains 
that stopped in Hope. These early festivals brought upwards of 20,000 
people in a day to Hope. The end to the first festivals came around 
1931 when the city, suffering from the effects of the Depression, could 
no longer accommodate the crowds.
  In 1975, the city of Hope celebrated its centennial anniversary, 
which prompted local residents to consider staging the Watermelon 
Festival once again. Since the 1970s, the festival has continued to 
grow, attracting approximately 50,000 visitors to Hope over a 4-day 
period each year.
  I am looking forward to attending this year's Watermelon Festival, 
which will take place August 12-14 at Fair Parkin Hope. Sponsored by 
the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, this year's event 
features southwest Arkansas's largest arts and crafts show, live music, 
a 5K run/walk, games and children's activities, food, an antique car 
show, and of course, ice-cold Hope watermelon by the slice.
  Mr. President, I salute the entire community of Hope and Hempstead 
County as they celebrate this annual event and enjoy ``a slice of the 
good life.'' I commend them for keeping the history and heritage of 
their community alive.

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