Cut-off buses full of watermelons seen traveling the back roads and busy byways in southwestern Sussex County, DE are synonymous with summers in this part of the state. These buses are used to transport the watermelons from the field to the auction and packing houses for sale and transport to points across North America. Many of these watermelons find their way to Laurel’s farmers’ market, also known as “The Block,” which was founded in 1940 and is the oldest produce auction market on the East Coast.

The inaugural WATERCOLORS will be a single-day, community event held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 16 (rain date July 17) at Janosik Park in downtown Laurel. The event will feature a collaborative art activity to paint a watermelon bus owned and operated by DMC Farms. All are invited to attend.

Artist John Donato will lead volunteer participants in painting a bus in a style that reflects Laurel’s rich heritage and culture as a center for watermelon production, harvest, processing and sales.