Looking back on 20 years of festival fun

BY HENRY HARRISON

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ROTARY MELONS — Bogalusa attorney and farmer John Gallaspy is pictured here as he exhibits his famous watermelons at a meeting of the Bogalusa Rotary Club this week. The Rotarians enjoyed tasting a variety of cultivars. Assisting Gallaspy are his grandchildren Marianna, Caitlyn and Connor. Advertisement

A lot of things have come and gone in Washington Parish, but never in the minds of the founders of the festival would it still be around in 2004 and continuing to grow.

A humble group of visionaries on May 18, 1983, met with county agent Harrison to address the issue of promoting their watermelon crops. Those growers that met with agent Harrison were Neil Ledet, Daniel Gill, Ed Ladner, Walter Pierce, Prentiss Pierce, C. L. Williams, Will Smith, Donald Painter, Marcus Thomas, Dr. Gerald Geisler (AgCenter marketing specialist), and Brian Kelly (produce broker of Oak Grove, Louisiana). Agent Harrison agreed to help the group establish a summer event for parish families and others with a watermelon festival in July-- the weekend after the 4th --- to celebrate the crop.

The festival organization has gone through many changes, and today for this year's festival, only Robbie Thomas, along with Harrison, remain from the founding group, with Thomas coming on later in 1983. As a result of the group's actions, the watermelon has greater recognition today than at anytime in the production of the crop. At one point, over 1,500 acres were planted with over 123 families participating. Today, 600-800 acres are being grown and production continues to increase-from 600 to over 1,000 watermelons per acre.

We have always had excellent produce that gives Washington Parish its rich tradition for high-quality watermelon production and this tradition will continue in years to come.

As a production and festival organization, we have had varying leadership-styles as presidents of the organization. Some of these presidents over the years have been, in order, since 1985: Ed Jenkins,

L. C. Terrell, Frank Hazen, Ann Thomas/Richard Thomas, Neil Ledet, Jeanette Caughlin, Joanne Tharp, Jimmy Magee, Jerry Warren and Connie McDaniel (this year).

The festival organizers thank the Washington Parish community for their support, and are inviting you/your family members and friends to join them at the 20th Annual Watermelon Festival on July 9-11, 2004, at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton.

This festival is truly a family-oriented activity that all members will enjoy.

The weekend events begins with a parade at 7 p.m. through Franklinton to the Fairgrounds. A full schedule of events will be published in tomorrow's edition of The Daily News.