IRRIGON — After a year of going without, the Irrigon Watermelon Festival on Saturday, July 31, has big plans to keep local bellies full of good food — including, of course, local watermelon.

Bellinger Farms has donated this year’s crop of melon to the festival, and slices will be served up by the hundreds. One festival organizer, Charlene Cooley, noted that the event is an entire community effort, with the sponsors and volunteers keeping things running smoothly.

The festival begins with breakfast at the Marina park from 6:30-9:30 a.m. sponsored by Umatilla Harvest Foods. Volunteers from the Columbia View Church will be cooking and dishing up plates of eggs, ham, hash browns, sausage and biscuits and gravy free of charge.

After a hearty breakfast, festival-goers can head over to the parade route, which runs from First Street and Main toward 17th. The parade begins at 10 a.m.

Following the parade, Irrigon High School cheerleaders will be serving a barbecue chicken lunch in the park sponsored by Northwest Metal Fabrications.

Local band The Shades will be crooning from the marina stage all afternoon, playing three unique styles of music. Later in the evening, guests are invited to stick around for a dance by Desert Sounds from 9-11:30 p.m.

The festival itself offers something for the whole family — from an array of vendors and the classic car show parked on the lawn to rock walls and boat rides on the Columbia in the sheriff’s boat. Cooley noted that the rock wall is facilitated by the National Guard, and that the sheriff boat rides run all day. Life jackets are provided for both children and adults.

If you’re still hungry, stop by the festival’s food cart, where the Community Women’s Club will be doling out fries provided by Lamb Weston and burgers sponsored by Calbee North America.

In addition to the festival, community members are encouraged to register for the softball tournament, which runs Saturday, July 31, to Sunday, Aug. 1. Inquiries can be made to Rachel Newport at the Friends of the Irrigon Library who is managing team entries and registration.

Saturday, July 31

All day, starting with breakfast at 6:30 a.m.