Los Angeles Watermelon Festival

The Los Angeles Watermelon Festival is actually the Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon festival, but we'll keep things simple.

It is super old-school. Think country fair in a small, rural town where people gather to eat watermelons for free and ride on vintage looking amusement rides. Plus, there are corn dogs, snow cones, cheese curds, corn on the cob, cotton candy and all the traditional fair food you know and love. Games too! The old-school games like throwing darts on balloons and that shoot a bb gun on a red star game with prizes so cheesy and from the '80s...like glam band poster mirrors. You know you want one.

If you went to small town fairs as a kid you will love the nostalgic feel of the Los Angeles watermelon festival. Plus, your own kids will have a blast.

Right when we got there we met an elderly woman at the bbgun/red star game. She watched people try it out (including us) and said she "never shot a gun before" and then decided to "give it a try" and she did! Seeing a white haired lady in a pastel flowered day dress shoot a bb gun for fun whiel onlookers cheered her on was all I needed to make me fall in love with this festival. These are he type of folks you'll meet in Sunland. You know, friendly folks with spunk and a sense of humor who make eye contact and strike up conversations.

There is a pretty awesome petting zoo with friendly owners and friendly animals. In fact, nearly everyone there is friendly and the prices are cheap. Did we mention that the watermelon is free?

If you get tired of the fair and want a rest or cool down (but your kids don't) head over to the park play equiptment in the shade. Sunland park is lovely but most of the fair goodies aren't in the shade and we all know how hot it can be here in August! It can also be pretty dusty so dress comfortably. By "comfortably" I mean dress your kids in crappy clothes...sweat + watermelon drips + dust can make some gnarly stains.

The fair is in August every year (2008 was their 47th) at Sunland Park. The entrance fee is just $1 - which is a donation for the Lions Club and enters you into a drawing. Did we mention this is a charity fair? Don't miss it this year!