There's nothing more American than apple pie, but watermelon comes a close second. Watermelon Eating Contests are totally low tech, old-fashioned fun this 4th of July for kids and adults who can compete for eating watermelon the fastest or spitting seeds the longest distance.

California 4th of July Watermelon Contests 

• ALBANY:   Independence Day Watermelon-eating Contest  Tuesday, July 4  Memorial Park 
• COLUMBIA: 4th of July Watermelon and Pie Eating, visitcolumbiacalifornia.com Columbia State Historic Park 
• DEL MAR San Diego Fair has watermelon eating contests daily through July 4, sdfair.com
• EL SEGUNDO:  Watermelon Eating Contest
• FREMONT: Ardenwood Park's 4th of July Celebration Watermelon Seed Spitting   ebparks.org  
• KINGS BEACH:  July 3 Fireworks & Beach Party Free Watermelon Eating and Sand Castle Building Contests  northtahoebusiness.org
• LA VERNE: 4th of July Free Watermelon - The Rotary Club of La Verne would like to treat you to a slice of free, cool watermelon following parade at 11:30 a.m. at the Country Fair
• LOS ANGELES:  4th of July Jazz and Blues Festival in Leimert Park features free watermelon culturela.org
• PLEASANT HILL: Fourth of July Celebration Watermelon Eating Contest, Parade, Festival, Fireworks July 4, 2017 Pleasant Hill Park  
• POLLOCK PINES 4th of July Celebration includes parade and watermelon eating contest, pollockpineca.org
• SAN GABRIEL Kids 4th of July Watermelon Eating Contest,  Push Float Parade July 4 Plaza Park sangabrielcity.com 
• TOPANGA: Old-Fashioned Barn Dance and BBQ Watermelon Seed-spitting Contest 
• theatricum.com
  

CHICO Slice of Chico 
downtownchico.net
Downtown Chico, between 1st & 9th Streets
Free
Downtown Chico's merchants invite the community downtown for a day filled with great shopping, hot prices and FREE slices of ice-cold watermelon. Known throughout the community as a summertime tradition, Slice of Chico draws thousands into downtown for some refreshment and good, old-fashioned customer service! Early Birds shop Friday too!

California Watermelon Festival
watermelonfestival.com
Music, food, beer, rides, games, shopping and free watermelon

DEL MAR - San Diego County Fair June - July

Watermelon Contest held select days during the fair
FARM. Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest
sdfair.com

FREMONT: Ardenwood  Independence Day Celebration
Date: July 4
Location: Ardenwood Historic Farm
Join us for a fun-filled community festival, 1900-style! Patriotic music from a brass band on the lawn and fiddle music in the farmyard. There will be games, contests, and races for everyone all day long. Test your skill at nail-driving, egg toss, and watermelon seed spitting, or join a bucket brigade and tug-of-war contest. Bring a picnic and spend the day the old-fashioned way!
Fee
ebparks.org
34600 Ardenwood Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94555
888-EBPARKS

More & more melons are seedless so event planners must scout out the seed melons for their competitions. Youngsters and adults alike can dive in and chomp their way through the bright red, sweet & juicy food. You can even host your own family & friends contest, too! Just be sure that you wash the watermelon thoroughly in hot water before cutting and using, and if it is a seed spitting contest, make sure you buy seed melons –only 15% of melons contain seeds as consumers prefer seedless these days!