The Poplarville Farmers Market finished up its spring season Thursday with a big sendoff.

The market’s last day of this season featured live music, a petting zoo and a watermelon-eating contest.

From 3 to 6 p.m. vendors offered freshly grown produce, home-cooked bread, specialty lemonades, ice cream, soap, metal decorations and even homemade dog treats and cupcakes. Event organizer April Grecho said that by the end of the day, many of the vendors were sold out of their products.

Live music was played for attendees by Mike and the Old Dogs. The group played a wide range of generes from new hits to old hymns. Poplarville’s Country Girl’s Creamery also brought several animals in honor of National Dairy Month and set up a small petting zoo. 

Grecho also said a tote bag filled with items from all of the vendors was raffled off. She said the bag included T-shirts, bread, cookies, tea, soap, jams and several other small items.

Near the end of the day the watermelon-eating contest took place, where nearly a dozen children gathered around a giant watermelon, waiting for it to be sliced. Once everyone had a piece, the competition began.

The participants ate giant chunks of melon – seeds and all, until the winner held up her empty rind. The winner was given a $5 gift card to the local candy store, Mia’s SweetBox.

After the children finished, several adults tried their hand at the competition. Two men initially appeared as though one of them would finish their slice first, but at the last minute Emmy Gallodoro held her rind high and claimed her prize of a $5 gift card to Main Street Coffee.

Grecho said the market will start again in the beginning of September for the fall season and will be held every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. at the new City Square Park. The fall season will last until early December, she said.