August 3 National Watermelon Day #NationalWatermelonDay

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I enjoy sharing Holidays that happen during the year with my family. I’m sure David and Charlie will be excited to find out August 3rd is National Watermelon Day #NationalWatermelonDay. They both love Fresh Red Meat Watermelon while my mom liked Yellow Meated Watermelon.

As for me I don’t care for Watermelon unless it’s Bubblicious Watermelon Gum or Jolly Ranchers Watermelon Candy. How about you? Do you like Watermelon? Red or Yellow and why? Seedless or not and why?

Watermelon is 92% water? No wonder Watermelon is so refreshing! Which means for me Watermelon would be the perfect snack. As I struggle to lose weight. I used to eat Watermelon as a child and it might be time for me to try Watermelon again.

Did you know people have been digging into Watermelon for millennia and it all started in Ancient Egypt. It’s said that Watermelon cultivation began in the Nile Valley as early as the second millennium B.C. Did you know Watermelon seeds were even found in King Tut’s tomb? On August 3, we celebrate this ancient Berry in a feast otherwise known as National Watermelon Day.

Watermelon deserves its own day, that’s why we celebrate National Watermelon Day. Cultivation of Watermelon back to 2000 B.C., with the first Watermelon harvest on record occurring approximately 5,000 years ago in Egypt.

Traces of Watermelon and its seeds have been discovered on sites of the 12th Egyptian Dynasty, including in the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Paintings of different types of Watermelon have also been found in ancient Egyptian inscriptions. 

The sweet fruit which we know as Watermelon that we enjoy today is the result of mutations over the course of a thousand years of cultivation. Watermelon Seeds were sold to traders passing through the trade routes in the Kalahari Desert in Africa.

From there, the cultivation of the Watermelon spread across Africa. The origin of the progenitor of the Watermelon was in Africa, after which it spread into Mediterranean Countries and other parts of Europe. By the end of the ninth century, Watermelon cultivation became common in China and the rest of Asia. 

According to “The Dictionary of American Food and Drink” by John Mariani, the word ‘Watermelon’ first appeared in the English dictionary in 1615. Watermelon is commonly known as a type of Melon, but Watermelon is not in the genus Cucumis. The outer rind of a Watermelon is dark green with yellow stripes or spots. There is over 300 varieties of Watermelon which are available in the U.S., ranging from red to white, and Watermelons come in different shapes and sizes.

Traditions of the Day

Delightfully sweet and tasty, Watermelons are the go-to Fruit for Summer. No picnic is complete without Watermelons. Watermelons are best enjoyed outdoors, including in Watermelon-eating contests and Seed-spitting contests which are a tradition.

Watermelons consist of 90% Water, Smoothies, Sherbets, Cocktails, and other beverages are concocted from Watermelons, today, and desserts featuring Watermelon as the main ingredient are also prepared. Share your favorite Watermelon recipe with us no, matter if it’s a beverage or dessert because sharing is caring.

Learning how to pick a ripe Watermelon is an art and a tradition. Many people utilize National Watermelon Day as an opportunity to educate themselves or others on how to tell whether a Watermelon is ripe. I don’t know about you but I need to take a class to find out how to tell if the Watermelon I want is ripe or not. How about you?

National Watermelon Day Activities

  1. We all know Watermelons are mostly made of Water. What if you replaced some of that Water with Vodka? Organize a boozy celebration with your friends by cutting a hole in a Watermelon, inserting a funnel and pouring in Vodka.
  2. It’s no surprise Watermelons are in the same family as the Pumpkin and you can carve Watermelons, too! Unleash your creativity by carving a Watermelon Rose, a Watermelon Shark or a Watermelon basket. The options are endless.
  3. The Japanese have Watermelon spitting down to an art. In the game of Suikawari which is similar to a Pinata, but without the candy and paper mache, players are blindfolded, spun around three times and given the chance to crack open a Watermelon with a wooden stick. Instead of candy, you get Watermelon guts in your face. I don’t know about you but I think I will sit this game out.

Fruity Facts About Watermelon

  1. Watermelon rinds are mostly discarded, but the rinds are actually edible and full of nutrients with great health benefits.
  2. There are 1200 different Watermelon varieties but the four main classifications are seeded, seedless, yellow, and Icebox.
  3. The Guinness World Record for the heaviest Watermelon ever was grown by Tennessee-based Chris Kent in 2013 and the Watermelon weighed 350.5 pounds.
  4. Watermelons are a great source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to reduce the risk of some types of Cancers including Lung-, Stomach-, and Prostate Cancer. I didn’t know that. Did you?
  5. Farmers in Japan have been growing Watermelons in the shape of cubes for 40 years now, achieved by cultivating them in square-shaped boxes. Watermelons in the shape of pyramids, hearts, and human faces have also recently been perfected and sold as novelty products.

Why People Love National Watermelon Day

  1. Watermelons range from pink to orange, large to small, round to even square! If you ever find yourself in Japan, be sure to track down its famous “cubic” Watermelons.
  2. Watermelons cross all produce boundaries. and Watermelons are a Fruit (a Berry, to be precise) because Watermelon contain seeds to produce more plants. But Watermelons are also a Vegetable, because they are planted from seeds and harvested like other Vegetables.
  3. Watermelons are a member of the Gourd family, meaning Watermelons are related to Squash, Cucumbers and Pumpkins.
  4. If you are on a diet? Don’t worry! Watermelons are 92% Water, so you can not only dig in without feeling guilty—you can also stay hydrated on a hot Summer day.

Check out August 4 American Family Day #AmericanFamilyDay to keep the celebration going and remember sharing a #Watermelon with your family will allow you to create new memories to last a lifetime.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates