I woke up Saturday morning thinking HOORAY! Today is the day I go to the festival that celebrates my favorite fruit!
The morning of the Watermelon Festival started early – 5:20 am to be exact. I would like to give a special shout-out to Ginger Williams for also getting up at the crack of dawn to style my hair. You are amazing, and I could not have looked the princess part without you. At 7 am, my biggest fan (my mom) and I were on the road to Fair Bluff, North Carolina where they have “big hearts and big watermelons!” When we arrived, I zipped up my “watermelon dress” (which we ironically named the “watermelon dress” before I even decided to wear it to the Watermelon Festival) and was ready to take on the day. The lovely Watermelon Festival committee provided breakfast and led the other visiting queens and I on a walking tour where we got free ice cream! It was spectacular getting to see so many of my friends again!
The parade was next on the day’s agenda. Once again, Jean Lawler, the current Azalea Festival President, gets the award of MVP because she drove to Fair Bluff to drive me in her awesome punch bug convertible. How many other festival princesses are lucky enough to have their Festival President drive them around in the 100-degree weather? Also her husband, Eddie, and sister, Peggy, came along and acted as my personal photographers and videographers. Thank you all for being the BEST pit crew and some of my biggest supporters.
After the parade, I participated in a “best legs” contest and despite my running every day for cross country, I was not voted best legs! I tried to redeem myself in a watermelon seed spitting contest, and I did fairly well for my first try. The rest of the day consisted of me eating lots of watermelon and accidentally swallowing so many seeds. You know what they say, if you eat a watermelon seed, you grow a watermelon in your stomach! Unfortunately, I could not stay for the pageant Saturday night because I left for cross country camp at 6:30 am Sunday morning. Well, I am off to run in the mountains and hopefully I will develop more leg muscles so I can go back to the Watermelon Festival next year and win best legs.
Congratulations to the new Watermelon Festival queens; and to the ones who said farewell, congratulations on a fabulous year. A huge thank you to the people of Fair Bluff and the Watermelon Festival committee for welcoming me and sharing your delicious watermelons!
Love,
Lilly Kays
2016 Azalea Festival Princess
