Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest and BBQ

On Friday, August 19, the Classic Exhibits Family held our Annual Summer BBQ. The BBQ wouldn’t be complete without great food, conversation, drawings, and the Harold Mintz-inspired Watermelon Seed Spittin’ Contest.

To help wash away the “end of summer” blues, we remind ourselves that the waning days of August also brings the best fruit season of the year! Every weekend Farmers Markets all over the country are bursting with nature’s bounty – the juiciest berries, the sweetest plums, and succulent peaches.  

And then there’s the mother of all summertime fruits… the WATERMELON! When was the last time you spit a watermelon seed? Heck, when was the last time you ate a watermelon with seeds?

In Portland, we know a guy who knows a guy whose second cousin hooked us up with Hermiston, Oregon watermelons, the world’s best-tasting melons. And here’s the best part… he let us snag a few for Classic’s Annual Watermelon Seed Spittin’ Contest!  

You might be asking yourself how does one spit an award-winning watermelon seed. Simple…

1. Select your favorite slice of red, ripe, juicy watermelon
2. Find the most aerodynamically shaped seed 
3. Step up to the line
4. Place the seed on your tongue
5. Visualize the seed arcing gracefully  
6. Wait for any slight breeze to give way to still air
7. Take a DEEP breath
8. Curl your tongue like a taco
9. And let ‘er rip!

2022 WATERMELON SEED SPITTIN’ MEDALISTS

• Women’s Gold — Stefania Toscano – 12’-3 ½” 
• Women’s Silver — Jessica Loss – 12’-3”
• Women’s Bronze — Jennifer Carney – 12’-1 ½”

• Men’s Gold — James Zuber – 35’-3”
• Men’s Silver — Mel White – 29’-3”
• Men’s Bronze — Jeff Garrett – 27’-9”