BATTLE OF THE TOWNS UPDATES...News flash, festival fans: The 69th annual Hampton County Watermelon Festival is now underway and is off to an unbelievably awesome start!

After last week's always-popular Melon Miss and Master Pageant and the Motorcycle Ride, this weekend officially kicked things off with the Mr. Hampton County Pageant on Friday, followed by Family Fun Day and the Miss Coastal Empire Pageant on Saturday.

During the Mr. Hampton County Pageant Chris Altman was crowned Mr. Hampton County, while Lee Mixson was crowned Mr. Crimson Sweet for leading an effort that raised over $4,000 for Relay For Life.

On Saturday, while hundreds enjoyed the free-to-the-public festival events at Lake Warren State Park, Park Manager Harry Hafer and S.C. Rep. Bill Bowers dedicated the new Lake Warren Park Office.

Later that day, at the historic Palmetto Theater, Courtney Cylear, of Hampton, was crowned the 2012 Miss Coastal Empire Hampton County, while Miranda Rose Sutherland, of Nixville, was crowned Miss Teen Coastal Empire Hampton County.

YOUTH PARADE RESULTS

Youth Parade and Family Fun Day pictures are posted at the bottom of the home page, on Spotted.

Strollers
1st - Kendall Bostick & Landon Bostick
2nd - Peyton Terry

Walkers & Walkers w/Wagons
1st - Brooke Eichelberger, Cameron Curtis & Landon Eichelberger
2nd - Dion Crews, Colton Gray, Madison Stanley, Brandley Crews & Preston McGuire
3rd - Carter Parnell

Tricycles & Bicycles
1st - Julianne Miley
2nd - Christopher Terry
3rd - Katherine Louise Ryan

Power Wheels
1st - Rylan Brunson & Hannah Brunson
2nd - Hayden Griffin
3rd - Wyman Breland

4 Wheelers
1st - Jason Crapse, Ethan Crapse & Sophie Smith
2nd -Cade Smith
3rd - Tiffany Sutton, Bethany Sutton & Tyler Lewis

Floats
1st - Allie Walsh, Aylissa Cook, Morgan Cook & Jordan Cook
2nd - Chrisy Rooker, Dawson Smith, Ethan Smith & Daniel Hauptmann
3rd - Daniel Pomeroy & Addie McDaniel

Fishing Contest Winners (Watermelon Festival 2011)

Adult Division

Bass
1st Place - Jim Bolton, 4.19 lbs.
2nd Place - George Rivers III, 2.40 lbs.
3rd Place - Leila Bolton, 2.05 lbs.

Catfish
1st Place - Bo Benton, 9.53 lbs.
2nd Place - Casey Jarrell, 3.72 lbs.
3rd Place - Linda Tuten, 3.21 lbs.

Pan Fish
1st Place - Terrell Bennett, .86 lbs.
2nd Place - Casey Jarrell, .85 lbs.
3rd Place - Tyler Blakewood, .79 lbs.

Minnow Division

Bass
1st Place - Alston Long, 3.41 lbs.
2nd Place - Dylan Tant, 3.05 lbs.

Catfish
1st Place - Colton Tuten, 1.61 lbs.

Pan Fish
1st Place - Austin Stanley, 1 lb.
2nd Place - Gordon Jarrell, .82 lbs.
3rd Place - Alexis Smith, .65 lbs.

Tadpole Division
1st Place - Charles M. Long III, 2.48 lbs.
2nd Place - Marie (RiRi) Morgan, 1.06 lbs.
3rd Place - Colton Gray, .80 lbs.

Battle of the Towns winners

For the first time since 1992, Nixville has won the Battle of the Towns, upsetting Varnville Thursday night, which has won it several times in recent years. Pondtown came in second, followed by Varnville at third, then Hampton, Yemassee, and Brunson. The Nixville team plans to display the Battle trophy in the Nixville Country Store for all to see. 

Baby Crawl winner

13-month-old Connor Youmans won the Baby Crawl contest Thursday night. Connor is the son of Lace and John Youmans of Early Branch, and has a brother, Hayden.