A Slice of Iowa at Watermelon Day in Stanhope
Every summer, the tiny town of Stanhope, Iowa, gathers in the park for fun and food with friends and neighbors. This tradition has been carried on by the Stanhope Lions Clubs since 1958. Saturday, July 20, 2024, marked the 66th annual Watermelon Day. There may be only around 350 residents in Stanhope, but this town knows how to plan a day full of friendly competition, entertainment, and plenty of watermelon.
The yearly event draws families from around the area to participate in the many activities including a morning parade, a softball tournament in the field next to the park, a cornhole tournament, a kiddie train, carnival games, and BINGO in the shade. Residents and visitors can wander around the vendor market, buy a ticket for the cash raffle, and then sit down and enjoy a “Lions burger” (loose meat burger), a slice of pie, and unlimited watermelon. Fresh, juicy watermelon is sliced up all day until it runs out. One of the highlights is a watermelon-eating contest, but contestants must bend over to eat the big slices of watermelon with their hands behind their backs. There are benches next to the street where the performers entertain the crowd. This year, the celebration included a kids' tractor pull, the Heart of Iowa Cloggers, live music, and the Sheltered Reality Drummers. The Stanhope Lions Club uses the money raised to fund community projects and scholarships.
Many small towns around Iowa hold annual celebrations. As a very young child, I grew up in Indianola watching the colorful hot air balloons soar overhead in the sky at the National Balloon Races in the 1970s. After moving to Carroll, I recall going to the Bavarian Fest in the 1980s, to celebrate the abundance of German heritage in the area. I had never heard of Watermelon Day in Stanhope until my older son’s drumming group was scheduled to perform there in 2017. This year was Sheltered Reality’s 27th year performing at Watermelon Day. As they drum along to popular hits, a big crowd gathers to clap and dance in the street.
Adults and children of all ages enjoy the small-town fun at Watermelon Day. They dig for nickels in a giant pile of sawdust at the Kids Nickel Scramble and play old-fashioned carnival games to win a Beanie Baby from the 1990s as a prize. Adults sit back and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.
Each summer we return to Stanhope, it’s a slice of laid-back life in Iowa for a day.