— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Billie Shelton Riah VandePol (left) and Rosie Collins, both 7 and from Stanhope, model this year’s Watermelon Day t-shirt in front of a colorful quilt made of many of the former t-shirt designs. The 2017 Watermelon Day is Saturday in Stanhope.

STANHOPE — Watermelon Day, the annual summer celebration in Stanhope, will be this Saturday. This year is the 60th Watermelon Day, which draws visitors from a wide area to enjoy a full day of park activities, a morning parade, a slow-pitch softball tournament, and free ice-cold watermelon.

For 25 years now, Watermelon Day t-shirts have been a feature of the day. Sponsored by the Stanhope Development Group Inc., each year has had a new, original design on the shirts. While originally members of the group designed the shirts and had them ready for sale on Watermelon Day, for the past several years SDGI has hosted a contest for a t-shirt design.

This year there were a dozen designs submitted for the contest, with the public invited to vote on their favorite. Erika Cornelison of rural Webster City was the winner, and her original design is featured on the 60th anniversary version of the shirt. Cornelison received $50 and a shirt for her efforts.

Over the years, the original designs have been in a variety of colors and themes. Many of them are part of a quilt that hangs in the Stanhope library. The shirts are done in a rainbow of colors and creative designs that highlight the popular annual celebration. Often, Watermelon Day visitors have a collection of each year’s shirt.

The shirts are available in children’s sizes, and adult long- and short-sleeve t-shirts, tank tops, and sweatshirts. They are for sale now at First State Bank in Stanhope and the city office at the community center. The shirts will also be sold at the park on Saturday. The shirts are the major fundraiser for the local development group each year.