The winners were: 1st place – R. C. Vaughn of Coffeeville, Mississippi with 270.8 pounds; 2nd place – Kenny Crawford of Honersville, Missouri with 262.7 pounds; 3rd place – Garrin Bratcher of Rush Springs, Oklahoma with 224.6 pounds. There was a total of 9 entries with six states represented. First place won $600, Second Place won $400, and Third Place won $300. Both R.C. Vaughn of Mississippi and Kenny Crawford of Missouri achieved the state record in watermelon size for their respective states. 

The event was sponsored by: Hampton Inn & Holiday Inn Express of Hope, Arkansas; Historic Washington State Park; Lagrone Williams Hardware of Hope, Arkansas;  and City of Washington Tourism. 

The Old Washington Farmers Market Watermelon Weighoff takes place every year on the Saturday before Labor Day. It has been the weigh-in site for the current Arkansas and Kansas state records for watermelon.  The current world record for watermelon is held by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee at 350.5 pounds. To see current watermelon weights worldwide for 2024 visit http://www.bigpumpkins.com/WeighoffResultsGPC.aspx?c=W&y=2024. 

For more information and photos check out the Old Washington Farmer’s Market on Facebook. Washington, Arkansas is located on Hwy 278 West just eight miles north from Exit 30 at Hope on US Interstate 30.