National Watermelon Day

National Watermelon Day, celebrated each year on August 3, highlights one of summer’s most iconic and refreshing fruits. With its high water content, natural sweetness, and beautiful color, watermelon has long been a seasonal favorite across the United States and beyond.

Though the origins of this day are unclear, it has grown in popularity thanks to social media and its connection to summertime fun, picnics, and barbecues. The day encourages people to enjoy watermelon in all its forms—sliced, cubed, blended, grilled, or even carved into creative shapes.

Watermelon is not only tasty but also nutritious. It’s low in calories and rich in antioxidants, as well as vitamins like A and C. The fruit is believed to have originated in Africa thousands of years ago and has since spread worldwide, becoming a staple in summer traditions.

🍉 Other fruit-related days around this time include National Peach Month (all of August), National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month (June), and National Eat Your Watermelon Day on August 3 in some calendars, overlapping with today’s observance.

When Is National Watermelon Day?

National Watermelon Day is celebrated on the same date each year—August 3. It’s a fixed-date holiday, making it easy to mark on your calendar. Here are the upcoming dates and weekdays for future celebrations:

Easy Watermelon Recipes for National Watermelon Day

To celebrate National Watermelon Day, many people look for something a bit more special to do with their watermelons. Here are four quick recipes you could try at home this year:

Watermelon Salsa

Enjoy a refreshing and zesty watermelon salsa that combines sweet watermelon with a spicy kick for the perfect summer dip.

• Ingredients: Diced watermelon, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
• Instructions: Combine diced watermelon, finely chopped red onion, minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Mix well and season with salt. Serve with tortilla chips for a refreshing twist on traditional salsa.

Watermelon Smoothie

Savor a creamy and invigorating watermelon smoothie, bursting with fresh flavors and perfect for a healthy start to your day.

• Ingredients: Watermelon chunks, Greek yogurt, a squeeze of lime juice, and a handful of ice.
• Instructions: Blend watermelon chunks, Greek yogurt, lime juice, and ice until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy a cool and hydrating smoothie.

Grilled Watermelon

Try something unique with grilled watermelon, offering a sweet and smoky twist that’s perfect as an appetizer or side dish.

• Ingredients: Watermelon slices, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Instructions: Brush watermelon slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill each side for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear. Serve as a unique and tasty appetizer or side dish.

Watermelon Popsicles

Cool off with naturally sweet and hydrating watermelon popsicles, a delightful treat for hot summer days.

• Ingredients: Watermelon puree, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a touch of honey (optional).
• Instructions: Blend watermelon chunks into a puree and add lemon juice and honey if desired. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours. Enjoy a refreshing and healthy frozen treat.

Fun Watermelon Facts

National Watermelon Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate and share interesting watermelon facts. Here are seven fascinating watermelon facts that make for great social media content and can be shared on your social media platforms to spread the watermelon love on August 3:

• Did you know that watermelons are made up of about 92% water, making them a fantastic hydrating snack during the hot summer months?
• Originating from southern Africa, watermelons have been cultivated for over 5,000 years.
• In Japan, farmers grow square watermelons by placing the fruit in square-shaped containers while they’re still growing; these uniquely shaped watermelons are often given as gifts.
• There are over 1,200 different varieties of watermelon, ranging in size, color, and even flavor.
• The world’s heaviest watermelon weighed in at an astonishing 350.5 pounds, grown by Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tennessee, in 2013.
• Not just the flesh, but the rind and seeds of the watermelon are also edible and packed with nutrients, often used in pickling and roasting.
• Watermelon is the official state vegetable of Oklahoma, despite commonly being considered a fruit due to its sweet taste.

Before You Go:

We have many more national days lists for you to explore.

• Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, celiac & gluten-free days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
• Non-food national days: National Days Calendar 2025-2026 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
• Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.

📝 This article was originally published on July 24th, 2024. It has been thoroughly updated, and the publishing date has been changed to reflect the new version.