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Watermelons and the fair in Hermiston

Hermiston is a farm town, and its best-known crop is the watermelon. This page sticks to public facts and points to the organizers for current dates.

Watermelons

Wikipedia says Hermiston is known for its watermelons and that they are part of the city's branding. Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom reports that Oregon grew watermelons on about 1,000 acres in 2017, nearly all of it in Umatilla County, and calls this "where the famous Hermiston Watermelons come from." The City of Hermiston lists Melon Fest among its community events on its parks and recreation page.

Irrigation made the farming possible. Wikipedia reports that irrigated agriculture began in 1908 with the Umatilla Basin Project's Cold Springs Reservoir, and Oregon State University's Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center began as the Umatilla Experiment Farm, a forty-acre site marking its centennial for 1909 to 2009.

Umatilla County Fair

The fair's own site describes a concert series, carnival, 4-H and FFA exhibits, family entertainment and vendors, held in August at 1705 East Airport Road in Hermiston. That page lists August 12-15, 2026 and August 11-14, 2027. Wikipedia traces the fair to 1912, when it began as a dairy and hog show.

Farm-City Pro Rodeo

The City of Hermiston describes the Farm-City Pro Rodeo as a four-night PRCA rodeo in the first week of August at the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center. It began in 1988 and is run by its own board of directors, separate from the city and the fair board. The rodeo posts its own schedule.

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