Annual water-melon festival in the village of Salmanovo

(22 Aug 2010) SHOTLIST 1. Wide of watermelon festival 2. Various of watermelons in a pile 3. Man on bicycle holding watermelons 4. Close up of cut-open watermelon 5. Vendors arranging watermelons 6. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Vasil Tenkov, visitor to festival: "I am from a village far away from this village of Salmanovo, but my wife is from Salmanovo and we come to see the festival here as we do every year. It is a very nice holiday. We meet many new people, which makes me happy, and here is the only place in the country where we can see so many watermelons." 7. People looking at decorated watermelons 8. Various of decorated watermelons 9. Watermelon lantern 10. Lady behind stall with decorated watermelons 11. Close up of watermelon being cut 12. Close up of man eating watermelon 13. SOUNDBITE: (Bulgarian) Ivailo Genov, watermelon producer: "The village of Salmanovo is famous only for its watermelons as it is the biggest watermelon producer in this Balkan country. People come here on holiday every year which boosts the tourism and watermelon trade in our village. I am happy that many people from Bulgaria and nearby countries come to visit the festival." 14. Close up of giant water-melons 15. Mid of visitors to the festival 16. Watermelon eating competitors prepare for the competition 17. Children reacting to competition 18. Various of competitors blindfolded feeding one another watermelon 19. Children laughing and clapping 20. Various of two men in eating competition 21. Wide of man catching watermelon in bucket of water 22. Close up of smashed watermelon on ground STORYLINE The annual watermelon festival took place in a tiny Bulgarian village on Sunday drawing thousands of visitors, both domestic and from neighbouring countries. Around 6-thousand visitors flock to Salmanovo each year to watch the traditional festival which brings people together from, among others, Bulgaria, Romania and Armenia. The two-day festival, which is in its 23rd year, is unique to the village which survives almost exclusively on watermelon production. One local watermelon producer, Ivailo Genov said he was very pleased that the activities attract so many people. "People come here on holiday every year which boosts the tourism and watermelon trade in our village," he said. A visitor to the festival, whose wife is from Salmanovo, situated around 250 kilometres (156 miles) east of the capital Sofia, said he visits every year. "It is a very nice holiday. We meet many new people," Vasil Tenkov said. "Here is the only place in the country where we can see so many watermelons." Competitions abound at the event, including largest watermelon, fastest watermelon eater, best decorated and various other games and friendly fights with the fruit. On show on Sunday were elaborately carved melons decorated with a variety of fruits, flowers and cream. Teams of two took part in a blindfolded eating competition, where participants had to feed one another pieces of watermelon as quickly as possible, to rapturous cheers from spectators. During the festival, around 3-thousand watermelons are used for fighting, decorating and eating. At the end of the event, visitors elect a Queen of the Festival. keyword wacky You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3d163a8b14f3b78950d68089f66f7fd2 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork