Setting up a normal parade is not an easy task. The Hampton County Watermelon Festival is no ordinary parade.
The crown jewel of HC Watermelon Festival events, this massive parade spans two cities – approximately 2.2 miles – and features over a hundred entries each year and thousands of spectators. This year’s parade is scheduled to begin in Varnville at 9:45 a.m. Saturday and end in the town of Hampton.
As you can imagine, this parade takes months of planning in advance, from arranging the route on paper to clearing highways and even stopping a train.
“The parade is the big event, the highlight of the whole festival in just a few hours, but it’s amazing the amount of work that goes into it, the taking of applications, the people showing up at the last minute to want coming in, people showing up late or not showing up at all, putting the right queens on the right float, etc,” said Festival Co-Chair William Koger. “But more people attend this event than any festival event, so all the hard work is worth it. I love the parade, it’s a big one, and it’s bigger and better than any other parade in the state, in my opinion.”
If you would like to thank the dedicated members of the Watermelon Festival Parade Programming Committee, they include:
– Steve Kemmerlin, longtime HCWF volunteer, educator and retired Hampton County coach;
– Ronald “Breeze” Winn, longtime HCWF volunteer, former Hampton County Councilman;
– David Ellis, HCWF webmaster, retired IT specialist;
– Junier Dopson, long-time HCWF volunteer and youth volunteer in the community.
The Parade Alignment Committee organized the parade on Thursday morning, and everything is ready for Saturday’s event. Here’s a look at this year’s parade lineup:
2022 Hampton County Watermelon Festival Parade Lineup
1. Hampton County Sheriff – Sheriff TC Smalls – Car
2. HC Watermelon Festival Banner – Studio Z – Walking Unit with Golf Cart
3. Grand Marshalls – Dr. Neal Shealy and PA-C Buck Harvey – Car
4. Beaufort Memorial Harrison Peeples Healthcare Center – Staff – Festival float and bus
5. Representative Shedron Williams – House District 122 – Car
6. Roy Hollingsworth – Hampton County Council – Car
7. Noah Alexander – Hampton County Council – Car
8. Coosaw Farms – National and State Watermelon Queens – Festival Float
9. HC Emergency Management Division, City of Hampton Fire Department – Susanne Peeples, EMD Director, Fire Chief Lewis Ramsey – ambulance and fire truck
10. Town of Varnville – Mayor Nat Shaffer and Council – Two cars
11. Town of Varnville – Miss Varnville Abby Grace Pauls – Car
12. City of Varnville – Town Hall of Varnville – SUV
13. Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC) – Staff – Car
14. Palmetto Electric Cooperative – Staff – Car
15. Miss HC Watermelon Festival, Leigh Anna Brown, and Miss Teen HC Watermelon Festival, Beckah Heape – Festival Float
16. HC Citizens for Active Restoration (HCCAR) – Faye Gooding – Homemade Float
17. Wrice Detail Shop – Richard Wrice – Car
18. Town of Hampton – Mayor Robert Brown and Councilor Beth Chafin – Car
19. Town of Hampton – Miss Hampton Annie Bray Bennett – Car
20. City of Estill – Mayor Kim Wiley, Councilor Dwanda Bolden – Car
21. Camp Wildwood – James Black, Founder and Campers – Festival Float
22. Town of Yemassee – Councilor Stacy Pinckney – Car
23. City of Yemassee – Sister to Sister Ministries – Car
24. City of Yemassee – Yemassee Shrimp Festival – Homemade float
25. Palmetto State Bank – Melon Belles and Melon Beaus – Festival Float
26. HC Chamber of Commerce – Melon Belles and Melon Beaus – Festival Float
27. Town of Gifford – Mayor HD Mitchell and Council – Car
28. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Steering Committee – Members – Two Cars
29. The American Legion – Adna All – Two Cars
30. Varnville First Baptist Church – Softball Team – Festival Float
31. Miss Melon Princess – Mia Weeks – Car
32. First Runner Up Master Melon – Chevy Belger – Car
33. Wee Melon Beauty Princess – Emaline DeLoach – Car
34. Young Melon Miss – Kinsley Cook – Car
35. Vintage Military Jeep – Mike Worden – Jeep
36. Hampton County Historical Society – Vietnam Veterans – Festival Float
37. Barnwell County Leathernecks – Bud Bazemore – Homemade Float
38. Candidate for Hampton City Council – Marvin Love – Car
39. Candidate for Hampton County Council – Camille Mixson Welch – Car
40. Hampton County Council Candidate – Jordan Jinks – Car
41. A – Hampton County Coroner Candidate – Anna Fields – Car
41. B – HC Homologation Judge Candidate – Shannon Parker – Car
42. Dance Sensations – Dancers and Staff – Festival Float
43. Hilton Head Regional Health Care – Dance Sensation members – festival float
44. Melon Miss – Ragan Moore – Car
45. Melon Master King – Micah Jarrell – Car
46. Melon Wear Winner – Oaklynn Lane – Car
47. Melon Miss Beauty Queen – Julie Bennett – Car
48. Hampton Regional Medical Center – Staff – Festival Float
49. Pruitt Health of Estill – Staff – Minibus
50. Hampton Co. Republican Party – Amy Schaffer – Car/Walking
51. HC Council Candidate – Ashley Lawton – Car
52. Candidate for House District 122 – Bill Hager – Car
53. Amanda Harriott – Raised Right Organization – Car
54. Candidate for US Congress – Duke Buckner – Car
55. HC Council Candidate – Allen Cook – Car
56. OPEN
57. Beaufort Water Festival – Committee Members – Craft Float
58. Wade Hampton High School Athletics – Student-athletes and coaches – Homemade float
59. Ruth’s Wardrobe – Staff – Car
60. Shepher Tennis Academy – Students – Golf Cart/Walking
61. Melon Ultimate Grand 2021 – Myariah Drawdy – Car
62. Watermelon Honey 2022 – Mary Brae Terry – Car
63. HCWF Melon Miss and Master Pageant – Homemade Float
64. HV Red Devils Football and Cheerleading – Student-Athletes – Homemade Float
65. Harold’s Country Club – Staff – Homemade Float
66. Pools Plus – Personal – Car/Truck
67. Sister Nutrition – Personal – Car/Truck
68. Williams Estate – Allen Williams – Car
69. Regions Bank – Staff – Homemade Float
70. Girls Scout Troop 30364 – Girl Scouts – Truck
71. Veteran Owned Real Estate – Staff – Homemade Float
72. Veteran Owned Real Estate – Jake Sullivan – Car
73. Veteran Owned Reading Estate – KMH Group – Homemade Float
74. Oakwood Houses of Beaufort – Todd Cook – Van
75. Backyard Bounce Rentals – Staff – Homemade Float
76. American Pool Association – Staff – Golf Cart/Truck
77. Jenks Polaris – Staff – Rangers (ATV)
78. USC Salk – Students – Homemade Float
79. H&H Car Care – Staff – Three Seat Ranger
80. F&W YWDE – Shaun Busby – Car
81. Dunamis Karate – Students and Staff – Homemade Tank
82. Escondido Farm Barn – Charles Smoak – Homemade Float
83. Jeddah Court #86 – Edna Alls – Car
84. Powell Asset Protection – James Hammock – Car
85. Shriners – Members – Go-karts
86. Greg and Darrell Hughee – Auto Club Members – Sports Car
87. CANFOR Southern Pine – Lamar Skinner – Truck
88. Cook’s Tree Service – Parker Cook – Truck/Trailer
89. Antique Tractor – Trey Miller – Tractor
90. Antique Tractor – Aaron Winn – Tractor
91. Tractor – Trey Crosby – Tractor
92. Dominion Energy – Personal – Utility Truck/Small Truck
93. Dr. Tire – Staff – Utility Truck
94. Blanchard Equipment – Personnel – Truck and Trailer
95. Corvette Club – Auto Club Members – Ten cars
96. Company Two Fire – Quincy Jones and Staff – Two Fire Trucks
97. Empire Car Club – Tyrone Holmes – 10 cars
98. Nixville Knights – Scott Donathan & Motorcycle Club Members – Motorcycles/Golf Cart
99. Beaufort County Jeep Club – Mike Roark – 10 jeeps
100. Sullivans Auto & Recovery – Personal – Utility Truck
101. Varnville Fire Department – Alan Dean – Fire Truck
