Watermelons were the focus of Wednesday’s Knox County Chamber of Commerce Lunch.

The first monthly lunch of the year is traditionally sponsored by the Illiana Watermelon Association and this year was no different.

Association Chairman M. Kelly Tyner addressed a full house at the Fortnightly Club with reminders that Indiana is the 5th largest watermelon producer in the US. 90% of that production comes from Knox and Posey Counties, as well as Lawrence County, Illinois.

Tyner talked about the 2024 convention held last weekend in French Lick where Maya Snider was crowned the 2024 Watermelon Queen.  Snider is from Terre Haute but has strong ties to Knox County.

Her mother was an Illiana Watermelon Queen in 1992.

Tyner encouraged Knox County Businesses to consider sponsoring and advertising with the annual convention because much of the money that flows through the area is generated directly or indirectly from the watermelon industry.

The 35th annual convention and queen contest is in January 2025.

There’s more information at illianawatermelon.com