NATIONAL WATERMELON DAY
National Watermelon Day is a non-official American holiday which is celebrated August 3rd and on which people can enjoy that juicy summer staple, the watermelon. On this holiday, people can enjoy this fruit in a variety of different ways. After all, it is one of the most refreshing summer fruits out there in the world today.
History
No one really knows when National Watermelon Day was established. Some people believe it was started by watermelon farmers and others believe it was a creation of the National Watermelons Board.
The history of the watermelon however, is a lot easier to pin down. Biologists and botanists believe that the modern watermelon can be traced all the way back to a vine like plant that grew wild in southern Africa. It has been cultivated by indigenous people since at least the second Millennium BC. From that auspicious beginning, the modern watermelon then spread all the way through Asia over the next thousand years, and eventually made its way into southern Europe by the tenth century. It was then introduced to the New World via European settlers and African slaves by the sixteenth century. By the seventeenth century, it was a commonly grown staple throughout much of the southern United States. Today, watermelons are grown in almost every state in the U.S. In fact, there are only about 6 states where watermelons aren’t grown commercially. The states which produce the most watermelons are California, Arizona, Georgia, Texas and Florida.
Watermelon Facts
Watermelons are mostly water. About 91% of the watermelon by volume is made up of water.
The seeds and rind of the watermelon is edible.
Watermelon is both a fruit and a vegetable.
Customs, Traditions And Celebrations
There is only one real way to enjoy National Watermelon Day and that is to go out to your local grocery store and buy one. Watermelons are not only a refreshing summer snack—but they are also naturally healthy.
National Watermelon Day recognizes the refreshing summertime treat enjoyed at picnics and fairs! Watermelon is 92% water, which is why it is so satisfying in the summer heat.
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a particular kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in the genus Cucumis – has a smooth exterior rind (usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white).
The fruit was likely first cultivated for its ability to hold plentiful water in a desert landscape, especially since the wild melon was bitter or tasteless. Seeds and art found in tombs of Pharaohs furnish substantial evidence of the watermelon’s value. Cultivation and breeding brought out the better qualities of sweet and tender fruit we enjoy today.
Watermelons can grow enormous, and you will find competitions across the country which award prizes each year for the largest one. The Guinness Book of World Records states that the heaviest watermelon weighed 262 pounds. To learn more refreshing watermelon facts, check out www.watermelon.org.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Enjoy a slice of Watermelon today and celebrate with the rest of the country! Post on social media using #NationalWatermelonDay.
