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The Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce announces the 74 th Annual Watermelon Days Festival
day kicked off on May 20 th with the Watermelon Capital Queen Pageant. The other 30+ events
will be held throughout the month of June with the main day of the festival being June 24,
2023. Thank you to our presenting sponsors Ag Georgia Farm Credit, Cordele-Crisp Tourism
and Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club! The theme of the festival this year is “Rockin to the
Rind”.
The committee and sponsoring businesses and organizations are excited bout the events and
encourages everyone to review the brochure and plan to attend and support the festival. You
can find the brochure on our web site www.visitcordele.com or call the Chamber 273-1668.
We are thrilled to honor Al Shauf as the “This Is Your Life” recipient for 2023 on June 15 th at
6:30 in the evening at Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club. Tickets are $35.00 for individuals
or $350 for a table of 10.
And, Day Out with Thomas is incorporated in our Watermelon Days Festival events again this
year and will be held on the 3 weekends leading up to the Watermelon Days Festival main date
on June 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 17, and 18 at the Georgia Veterans Depot. The Kiwanis Club is
sponsoring two events this year for the festival. The Billy Williams Memorial Fishing Rodeo will
be held on June 3rd from 8:00am-11:00 am at Buford Pond on Kelly Road. The Kiwanis Club
Annual Talent Show will be held on June 8 th at 6:30 pm at the Crisp County High School
Cafetorium. Our Watermelon Days Festival calendar is packed with events such as the Crisp
County 4-H Dog Show, WALB Noon Show, Reading with the Queens, Watermelon Walk, &
more!! Please visit our website or stop by the Chamber for a brochure listing all of the events
and times for this year’s festival.

The main day of the festival is June 24 th . The Cordele Lions Club Parade will line up at 8 am in
the Southgate Shopping Center and begin at 9 am. Deadline to participate in the parade is June
20 th . After the parade the events move to Georgia Veterans State Park. For FREE transportation
RMS Transport will provide rides from 9 am – 5 pm from Southgate Shopping Center. Arts &
crafts and food vendors and food trucks, as well as entertainment will be at the Park from
9 am – 5 pm.

There will be a $5.00 parking fee to enter the Georgia Veterans State Park. RMS Transit of
Cordele and Vienna will be offering free transportation from Southgate Shopping Center to the
Georgia Veterans State Park from 9 am-5pm that day. We hope you come visit our family
friendly event with live entertainment, watermelon slice giveaways, watermelon eating contest,
seed spitting contest, watermelon chunking contest, and much more!!!
Our festival celebration will end with a BOOM on July 3 rd , with Fireworks on the Flint! Fireworks
on the Flint will be held at Georgia Veterans State Park over the beautiful Lake Blackshear.
There is a $5 parking fee for the Georgia Veterans State Park. We would like to extend a big
thank you to our Fireworks on the Flint sponsors! Thank you to Cordele-Crisp Tourism, City of
Cordele, Crisp County Power Commission, Friend of GA Veterans State Park, Lake Blackshear
Resort & Golf Club, Lake Blackshear Homeowners Association, Crisp County Board of
Commissioners, Leger & Son, Inc. Leger & Son, Inc., South Georgia Banking Company, Wells
Hardware & Supply, for your continued support of the fireworks display.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to our sponsors for our 74 th Annual Watermelon
Days Festival. If you have any questions about the festival or would like more information on
upcoming events, please contact the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce at
monica@visitcordele.com or call 229-273-1668.