Watermelons take center stage on Saturday during the Irrigon Watermelon Festival.

In addition to watermelon by the slice (50 cents) and a seed-spitting contest (4 p.m.), the festival features a parade (10 a.m.), vendor booths, a car show and stage entertainment. In its 35th year, the festival kicks off Saturday with a full breakfast from 6:30-9:30 a.m. for $5. Food can also be purchased ala cart.

Individuals or groups who haven’t signed up for the parade can still register Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m. The parade, which starts downtown at 10 a.m., will wind its way to Irrigon Marina Park where the festival takes place. Ribbons will be awarded to winning entries.

Event coordinator Charlene Cooley said lots of donations have come in for the raffle. People have a chance to win everything from a 50-inch TV (and other items from the Wal-Mart Distribution Center), a Tillamook gift basket and gift cards from local businesses. In addition, tickets for activities/events are up for grabs, including the Tri-City Americans, Tri-City Dust Devils, Farm-City Pro Rodeo, Pendleton Round-Up, Silverwood Theme Park and the Portland Spirit. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The winner doesn’t have to be present.

Also, the annual 50-50 raffle offers an opportunity to go home with a pocket full of cash. Be sure to buy a commemorative event button for $2 for a chance to win.

Park activities include KnockerBall, watermelon bowling with mini-melons, a giant waterslide and Morrow County Sheriff’s Office marine boat rides. Also, nearly 40 vendors have registered.

“That’s the most we’ve had,” Cooley said. “There’s every kind of craft you can think of.”

Also, Cooley said business and commercial booths will be on hand, including the Morrow County Health Department. They will have a giant colon on display. In addition to providing information about colon health, Cooley said people can actually walk through it.

Stage entertainment includes Gems & Gents (11:30 a.m.), a Lip Sync Contest (1 p.m.), Round-Up City Cloggers (2 p.m.), car show awards (3:30 p.m.), Blue Mountain Old-Time Fiddlers (4:30 p.m.) and comedian Jerry Miner (5:30 p.m.).

The event headliners are The Wasteland Kings, who perform rock and alt-country. The La Grande-based band will perform at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Desert Sounds Entertainment will crank things up with a DJ street dance beginning at 9 p.m.

Cooley expressed appreciation for Bellinger Farms. She called the partnership with them “fabulous.”

“They are generous enough to give us melons,” she said. “We let them know our needs and they accommodate us.”

For more information, including a full schedule, search Facebook. For questions, call 541-571-8541 or 541-561-6469.