The North Carolina Watermelon Festival in Murfreesboro has stood the test of time.
Its humble roots are traced to 1986 where a four-hour event was held on the grounds of the Roberts-Vaughan Village House to honor Whitney Cuthbertson, a Murfreesboro native who was crowned that year as the North Carolina Watermelon Queen.
The success of that inaugural festival prompted local officials to stage it again in 1987, this time in tribute to the sweet treat itself as watermelons are grown commercially in the Murfreesboro area.
