Cave City: New “Watermelon Crawl” event to highlight local businesses during festival

Get ready to do the Watermelon Crawl!

The Cave City Area Chamber of Commerce is rolling out the “Watermelon Crawl” during the 2025 Watermelon Festival, a new event aiming to drive foot traffic and introduce festivalgoers to the town’s local businesses.

The Watermelon Crawl, running from Thursday, July 24, to Saturday, July 26, invites attendees to collect stamps at participating local shops, restaurants, and services. Completed “Crawl Passports” submitted by 5:30 p.m. Saturday will enter participants into a drawing for exclusive prizes, including a meet-and-greet with festival headliner Diamond Rio.

“The Watermelon Crawl is about shining a light on Cave City’s small businesses and all they have to offer,” said Brandi Schulz, executive director of the Cave City Area Chamber of Commerce. “We want visitors to come for the festival — but leave with a deeper connection to the town, its people, and hopefully, a reason to come back.”

Passports will be available at the Chamber Booth beginning at 5 p.m. on July 24. Each stop on the crawl offers a chance to discover unique storefront displays, in-store specials, and the town’s small-town hospitality.

The event also features “Window Wars,” a storefront decorating contest. Crawl participants will receive one official voting ticket with their passport, while locals can pick up a green voting ticket at City Hall starting Monday, July 21, to cast their vote.

Winning businesses will be recognized Aug. 4 with a traveling trophy and special awards for creativity, theme alignment and visual impact.

For more information, follow the Cave City Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook or contact brandi@cavecityareachamber.org.