Valley Journal
Valley Journal

This Week’s e-Edition

Current Events

Latest Headlines

What's New?

Send us your news items.

NOTE: All submissions are subject to our Submission Guidelines.

Announcement Forms

Use these forms to send us announcements.

Birth Announcement
Obituary

Plenty of melons expected at Dixon festival

Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local. You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.



Subscribe now to stay in the know!

Already a subscriber? Login now

DIXON — Dixon Melon Days will see the return of one of its most popular events this year: the Farmer Olympics.

“We’re bringing everything back,” Melon Days coordinator Cindy Hill said, noting that the organizational committee has already planned to reintroduce the traditional kids’ rodeo at next year’s festival.

But the Farmer Olympics, a timed event that requires contestants to complete farm and ranch-related tasks such as fixing fence, stacking hay bales and saddling a horse (or oil barrel), is back on the schedule for 2 p.m. Saturday. And Melon Days enthusiasts can expect all the usual games — a horseshoe tournament, sack races, 3-on-3 basketball, and of course, a melon-eating contest.

Long-time Dixon residents Doug and Cheryl Morigeau will serve as grand marshals for the Melon Days parade at 11 a.m., which is followed by dinner at the Dixon Senior Center.

While there have been some rumors to the contrary, melon farmers Harley and Joey Hettick said there won’t be a shortage of melons at Dixon Melon Days.

“They might be a little hail-damaged, but we’re gonna make it work,” Joey said. “There’ll be plenty of melons there.”

An Aug. 7 hailstorm destroyed half to two-thirds of the Hettick’s crop, and much of the rest is peppered with holes and bruises, Joey said.

“They’re not very pretty anymore,” she said. “But we’re doing the best we can.”

After burglars stole the Hetticks’ seed money — $60,000 — from their home last August, donations and community fundraisers brought in enough to keep Dixon Melons going for another year. Then a late frost wiped out about 4,000 plants, and after replanting, Joey estimated about there were about 28,000 plants — less than half of the 2009 crop. After the hailstorm, even fewer plants survived until harvest, and most of the melons that made it aren’t in good enough shape to be sold in grocery stores.

“They’re OK to sell at a market as long as people buy one and eat it right away,” Joey said.

There are some Dixon Melons in local stores in Arlee, Charlo and Polson, she added.

Dixon Melon Days schedule:

Friday, Aug. 27
• Cribbage tournament at Dixon Senior Center, 7 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28
• Firemen’s breakfast at Dixon Senior Center, 7 to 10 a.m.
• 1, 2 and 3-mile run/walk starting at Dixon Senior Center, 8:30 a.m.
• Silent auction, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Horseshoe tournament at Dixon Park, 10 a.m.
• Parade (starts at Dixon School), 11 a.m.
• Entertainment at Dixon Park, noon
• Kids’ games at Dixon School, noon
• Dinner at Dixon Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• 3-on-3-basketball jamboree at Dixon School, 1 p.m.
• Special ticket drawing at Dixon Park, 2 p.m.
• Farmer Olympics, 2 p.m.
• Melon eating contest at Dixon Park, 2:30 p.m.
• Raffle drawing at Dixon Park, 3 p.m.

Sponsored by: