A Slice of Life in Watermelon Country
12 Sep 2024
East Davis Street in Luling is lined with low-slung brick mom-and-pop shops. One, a cafe, is actually called “Mom’s Front Porch”. But the road deviates from a classic Main Street feel with its centerpiece: a massive tin-roofed pavilion topped with an ornate green sculpture, marking it as the home of the Central Texas town’s longrunning “Watermelon Thump” festival.
The pavilion is a permanent fixture; in fact, the nonprofit that runs the Thump owns a good portion of the street. The festival takes place the last full weekend of June, and the street becomes a beacon for watermelon lovers. Light poles, trash cans, storefront windows— anything that can be adorned with watermelons surely will be. Luling’s population is under 6,000, but the annual event—with carnival rides, contests, and live music—draws about 30,000 visitors.