Watermelon Festival – McDonald Farm (Day 1)

McDonald Farm opens its gates for a full weekend celebrating peak-summer watermelon, with the kind of farm-festival programming that makes a day trip worth it — think seed-spitting contests, watermelon-eating challenges, and produce stands piled high. Day one sets the tone for a laid-back, family-and-friends kind of event.

It’s an outdoor farm setting, so dress for sun and expect grass underfoot rather than a paved lot. Pair the watermelon with a cold drink from whatever’s on offer on-site, and treat it as a slower-paced day — more about wandering the farm and soaking up the last stretch of summer than rushing from one thing to the next.