Pingtung Jiadong Dragon Boat Festival to Feature Watermelon Standing and Styling Competition, Registration Opens May 7

(Central News Agency reporter Huang Yu-ching, Pingtung County, May 6) Jiadong Township, the "hometown of watermelons" in Pingtung County, holds its annual street-closing watermelon standing event during the Dragon Boat Festival, attracting thousands of participants each year. This year, in addition to watermelon standing, a watermelon eating contest, and a small farmers' market, a new watermelon styling competition has been added to increase the fun. Registration opens tomorrow, May 7, at 10 AM.

Lin Shu-ling, General Manager of Jiadong Township Farmers' Association, told the Central News Agency that this year's event theme is "Thousands of Troops and Horses Welcome the Dragon Boat Festival, Come to Jiadong to Stand Watermelons for Good Luck," with an estimated 1,000 watermelons to be stood. As many participants in previous years would specially dress up their watermelons, this year a new watermelon styling competition category has been added to enhance the event's enjoyment.

Lin Shu-ling pointed out that the event will also feature a watermelon eating contest, divided into institutional, social, and children's groups; and a small farmers' market, which has grown from 30 stalls last year to 40 stalls. Since online registration has almost always sold out in seconds in the past, interested participants are reminded to complete registration as soon as possible to stand watermelons together and receive good luck.

Jiadong Township Mayor Lai Wen-yi stated that most residents in Jiadong Township's Shiguangjian area are engaged in watermelon seedling grafting and cultivation, and they rent land across Taiwan for planting according to suitable planting times. After ripening and harvesting, the watermelons are transported back to Jiadong for sale, making them "nomads of the watermelon world." Currently, about 60% of Taiwan's watermelons are grown by Jiadong Township residents, earning Jiadong the title of "hometown of watermelons." The watermelon standing event combines the Dragon Boat Festival tradition with local agricultural characteristics, allowing outsiders to learn more about Jiadong and creating new value for agricultural products.

Jiadong Township Farmers' Association noted that the watermelon standing event will take place on June 19, the Dragon Boat Festival, in front of the Shiguangjian Guanghui Temple Sanshan Guowang Temple. This year, registration is limited to 600 groups, at NT$300 per group, with registration opening on May 7 at 10 AM. Successful registrants will receive a NT$150 market voucher, one large watermelon for the standing experience, a commemorative hat, etc. For details, please refer to the "Jiadong Township Farmers' Association Transparent Jiadong Beauty" Facebook fan page. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150506

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