Welcome to the
2004 Coyote Melon Festival
The First Annual Coyote Melon Festival is over and considered to be an great success. We had just enough rain to pack the dust down and it stopped in time to dry enough so that festival goers did not get muddy. The weather was spectacular, the food was great, the entertainment was wonderful and everyone had a great time.
Winner of the adult's watermelon eating contest, sponsored by Meadview Market, was Tony Lepore, of Meadview. Tony was the winner of a $20 cash prize and a serious case of gastric discomfort. Winner of the children's watermelon eating contest, also sponsored by Meadview Market, was JR, (last name unknown.). JR was the happy winner of a $10 cash prize and all the watermelon he could eat. After the contest was over, JR happily volunteered to eat the left overs. (Oh to be young again.)Winner of the $25 cash prize for the Coyote Melon Mountain contest was Lindsay Meacham, with a guess of 1873. The actual number of gourds in the pile was 1846. Congratulations Lindsay! Thank you to all of the community organizations who so graciously counted the gourds for the contest, and a special thank you to Deputy Allen for holding the count documents for us until the end of the contest.
Winner of the Chili Cook-Off was the husband/wife team of Clint & Nancy Larson, of Meadview, AZ. The Larsons won a beautiful trophy and a $100 prize, which they very generously donated back to the Festival. The competition was extremely close, and the Festival sponsors wish to thank all of the great chili cooks who made the contest a success by entering their great chilis!
Winners of the Great Coyote Melon Art Contest were:
Junior Division: First place went to Chase Beach, for his entry entitled "Big Eyed Bob".
Beginner Division:
First place for an uncut, woodburned entry was Sharon Long, for her entry entitled "Chugina Mask"
First place ribbon for a cut, painted entry was awarded to Bob Friehaut, of Meadview AZ., for his Christmas Ornament.
Winner of the first place ribbon for most patriotic entry was Michelle West, of Kingman, AZ.
First Place for a cut gourd using any combination of techniques was William Long, of Dolan Springs, AZ. Bill's entry, entitled "Dream Catcher", was also the winner of a first place ribbon for the most original entry and the Judges Special Award Trophy.
And last but not least, the Festival Raffle raised $105 for Feed the Children. Prizes were very generously donated by vendors participating in the Festival, and the winner of the grand prize, a gourd drum from Mojave Drums, was 5 year old Carsyn Ainsworth, from Lake Havasu City. (Carsyn is the daughter of Sandra Ainsworth and grand daughter of Loretta Veach, and her mother could be heard sighing all the way across the Festival grounds!)
Loretta Veach of Mojave Drums and Erma Musick of White Buffalo Gourds wish to thank all the people in the community who helped make the first Coyote Melon Festival such a great success. We truly appreciated your support and participation. Thank you!