National Watermelon Day for the year 2024 is celebrated/observed on Thursday, August 3rd. There are until the next observance.

Did you know watermelon contains 92% water? It’s no surprise that it’s so refreshing! People have been eating this delicious, juicy fruit for millennia, and it all began in Ancient Egypt. Watermelon cultivation is claimed to have begun in the Nile Valley as early as the second millennium B.C. Watermelon seeds had even been discovered in King Tut’s tomb! On August 3, we honor this ancient berry with a feast of juicy delectability known as “National Watermelon Day.”

📆 When is National Watermelon Day?

This year, National Watermelon Day is on August 3rd. It is the 1st Thursday in August; in 2024, it is on Saturday.

Countdown to National Watermelon Day

Did you know: Watermelon rinds are commonly thrown away, yet they are nutritious, high in nutrients, and have several health advantages.

You can also see all fascinating things you didn’t know about and facts about August 3, 2023.

📜 History of National Watermelon Day

The delicious fruit we enjoy today is the result of a thousand years of cultivation and variation. Watermelon seeds were sold to traders traveling through the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Watermelon farming expanded over Africa from there. The watermelon’s progenitor originated in Africa, following which it moved to Mediterranean regions and other areas of Europe. Watermelon farming became prevalent in China and the rest of Asia by the end of the ninth century.

According to John Mariani’s “The Dictionary of American Food and Drink,” the word “watermelon” first appears in the English dictionary in 1615. Watermelon is a sort of melon, although it does not belong to the genus Cucumis. A watermelon’s rind is dark green with yellow stripes or dots. Watermelons are available in over 300 varieties in the United States, ranging from red to white and in a variety of shapes and sizes.

☑️ National Watermelon Day facts

Watermelons come in many varieties
There are around 1200 distinct types of watermelon, but the four primary classes are seeded, seedless, yellow, and icebox.

Watermelons can grow to be huge!
Chris Kent of Tennessee set the Guinness World Record for the biggest watermelon ever in 2013 with a 350.5-pound specimen.

Watermelons can prevent cancer
Watermelons have a lot of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been shown to make lung, stomach, and prostate cancer less likely to happen.

Things to do on National Watermelon Day

Make a vodka watermelon
Watermelons are mostly composed of water. But what if you substituted vodka for some of the water? Cut a hole in a watermelon, insert a funnel, and pour in some vodka for a drunken party with your buddies. The rest, well, you probably won’t remember it.

Create a watermelon sculpture
Watermelons are in the same family as pumpkins, and they, too, may be carved. Carve a watermelon rose, a watermelon shark, or a watermelon basket to express your creativity. The possibilities are limitless.

Play a game of Suikawari (Watermelon Splitting)
Watermelon splitting is an art form in Japan. Suikawari (akin to a pinata but without the sweets and paper mache) is a game in which players are blindfolded, whirled around three times, and given the opportunity to split open a watermelon with a wooden stick. You receive watermelon guts in your face instead of sweets.

📅 National Watermelon Day Observances

YEAR DATE DAY
2023 August 3 Thursday
2024 August 3 Saturday
2025 August 3 Sunday
2026 August 3 Monday
2027 August 3 Tuesday

Discover all August holidays, including Food & Beverage and other Food holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and fun facts about National Watermelon Day. So be sure to check back soon.