LOS ANGELES, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 California Watermelon Festival was held in Los Angeles over the weekend, featuring free watermelons, live music shows, carnival rides and other fun activities for families.

       The two-day festival was held in Hansen Dam Soccer Fields in Lakeview Terrace, north of Los Angeles. People gathered at the festival to taste watermelons and delicious food, enjoy carnival rides and attractions, games, live entertainment and watermelon-themed contests.

       A variety of engaging activities were offered for kids, including pony rides, animal petting, face painting and children's musical shows.

       The festivities also included a marketplace with an array of arts and crafts exhibitors and vendor booths, carving displays and cooking demonstrations.

       "We are so glad the festival finally returned after a two-year break due to the pandemic," Kathy Wittes, a local artist of face painting and balloon making, told Xinhua.

       She said the festival was one of the wackiest and most unique family-friendly events this summer.