Straffordville is part of the Bayham municipality in southeast Ontario. The festival is an annual event and usually takes place for a single day in August. It begins with a parade at 10 a.m. and goes throughout the day until 11 p.m. Drive in for the day and partake in activities, starting with a pancake breakfast at the Straffordville Fire Hall.
Although there is a donation box at the entrance, all rides, events and entertainment at the Straffordville Watermelon Fest are free. There are several rides open to the public, bins of free watermelon are collected for the event and the live band entertainment is free. Pony rides are available for children, and vendors can be found selling crafts, food and drinks. Contests include a seed spitting competition, and -- of course -- a watermelon-eating contest. The day wraps up with a free family movie in the park.
At time of publication, more than 200 of the watermelons at the festival were being locally sourced from the Howe & Family Farm in Aylmer. As the festival progresses throughout the years, the number of watermelons used increases, as well as the variety, with yellow and orange watermelons entering the mix.
If you're visiting Straffordville in August, make sure to tour the watermelon farms in the area and enjoy the quaint town center. Nearby restaurants include the White Rose Cafe and Cook's Pizza and Panzerotti. There are also several inns and bed and breakfasts available in Straffordville and the surrounding area if you care to stay past the day of the Watermelon Fest.
