Watermelon Festival held at local farmers market

Chloe Shaver

Intern

The Mellano Farm Stand held its Watermelon Festival July 17 and 18, the first of many planned events. The farm stand is located in Oceanside, only a short drive from Fallbrook.

The Watermelon Festival was centered around the farm's locally grown red and yellow watermelon, giving out free samples, watermelon lemonade, and melons to sell. Additionally, the farm is continuing to host a U-Pick Sunflower field with plenty of sunflowers for every guest to enjoy. With a combination of tall and large sunflowers to smaller, easier to carry ones, there are plenty of options to choose from.

The festival included a multitude of performers. Musicians and bands such as Jess Wright, Steamrock, Cowboy Jack, and Bruce Dale Betz performed on stage for everyone to enjoy. Families could sit and listen on hay bales, benches, or chairs placed under a shade. An activity table allowed parents to stop by the market stands while the kids painted pots to hold the sunflowers picked in the many fields.

There are plans to continue seasonal festivals throughout the year. The pumpkins and corn maze are already growing, and children's classes are currently in the works for kids to experience life on a farm, as well as fun skills, such as floral arrangement and plant growing.

The Mellano Farm Stand hosts year-round markets Thursday through Sunday, 5750 North River Road. These markets include their own stand, which sells their famous yellow watermelons as well as other fruits and plants they grow and pick on their farm. The farm fresh melons will be available all summer long at the stand which is open Thursday-Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Having opened recently, the farm is quickly showing itself to be a fun farm experience for the whole family.