Spitting Watermelon Seeds A Pauls Valley July 4th Tradition

For some Americans, the Independence Day holiday is all about celebrating the country's history through good food, good friends and good fireworks.

In Pauls Valley, July 4 is also about watermelon seeds -- spitting them, actually.

The south-central Oklahoma city of 6,000 is once again hosting the annual World Championship Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest to see who can use their saliva to propel the fruit's seeds the farthest.

Several hundred people are expected at the 57th annual event as competitors attempt to set new records. The record for the contest was set back in 1989, when a Chicago man spit a seed 66 feet, 11 inches.

The event is held in conjunction with the city's annual fireworks show. Registration is free and participants are divided by age.