Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. They also show the huge divide in how they are seen by some, with the Georgia festival heralded by animal advocates and the Texas roundup shamed. Now, as director of the Sweetwater and Nolan County Chamber of Commerce, Hunt fields calls from people in England, Germany and other parts of the world inquiring about the festival and making plans to visit. You Then came perfect weather for the one-day Georgia show, and there were no complaints whatsoever," he said. Thursday March 11, 2021 4:30 pm Rattlesnake Parade5:00 pm-10:00 pm CarnivalAll day pass - $30.00 (all you can ride) Carnival onlyWeekend pass $60.00 (sold only on Thursday) Carnival onlyTicke Heads are pickled in jars complete with exposed fangs, while the flesh is chopped into nuggets and deep fried. Rattlesnakes are fascinating, beautiful, but often feared and misunderstood creatures. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. . Plans for the "World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup" this weekend in the Texas town of Sweetwater are full-scale ahead, with snakes set to be skinned and others "milked" of their venom.. While organizers say the snake hunters who bring in big rattlers get rid of nuisance reptiles, opponents say eastern diamondback snakes are declining in population. McCann said: "If someone could come up with a better way of killing rattlesnakesso we can keep doing our event, then please come teach me. Thousands of rattlesnakes are bagged up to be put on display in the snake pits. Exact attendance figures are unknown because many people such as children are admitted free, but Ive heard anywhere from 7,000 to 15,000, said longtime volunteer Jeffrey Cox, who has been helping to organize the Whigham Rattlesnake Roundup for the past four decades. Sweetwater has held its rattlesnake roundup for more than six decades, and what we have figured out over 64 years is that we're not damaging the population of the snakes whatsoever, Cumbie said. "We have a family that comes from Australia. Sweetwater has held its rattlesnake roundup for more than six decades, "and what we have figured out over 64 years is that we're not damaging the population of the snakes whatsoever," Cumbie. We will be donating the first month of each new vendor & artist subscription to the Austin Justice Coalition. Hunters gather the snakes there's a contest for those capturing the largest ones and they're brought to the Nolan County Coliseum, where multiple parts of the snakes are harvested, Cumbie said. FestivalNet is not the event & does not book the participants; we provide contact info to save you time in event research. The city's farmers and ranchers rose and banded together to eradicate rattlesnakes. I'd love to have that discussion. Besides renewables, Sweetwater is also known for hosting special events that attract tourists. This year, however, so many snakes were rounded up that there's hardly a market for selling. FNdocumentWrite("") The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11, 12, 13 2022 at The Nolan . Festival-goers were encouraged to wear masks but they were not compulsory and few people actually did. Around two and a half tons of western diamondback rattlesnakes are rounded up each year for the festival, which was founded in 1958 as a way to control the population. Mar 7, 2022 / . Sweetwater Jaycees Announce Rattlesnake Roundup Media Day; Ridin . SWEETWATER JAYCEES World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup March 10, 11, 12 2023 The roundup closes at 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday, and at 6 p.m. Saturday. Sweetwater Jaycees Rattlesnake Round Up 2023 Nolan County Colisuem 220 Coliseum Drive, Sweetwater, TX Sat 11 March 11 Downtown Lions Club Car Show Thu 23 March 23 - March 25 Ranger College Rodeo at Nolan County Coliseum Nolan County Colisuem 220 Coliseum Drive, Sweetwater, TX Fri 24 March 24 - March 26 Rattlesnake Gravel Grind (Courtney Sacco/Odessa American via AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Back row Left to right: Del Riley, Blake Stephens, David Sager, Miss Texas, Mallory Fuller, Chris Thomas, Dee Thomas, Cody Cox. The two events are a marked contrast in how rattlesnakes are handled. Plans for the "World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup" this weekend in the Texas town of Sweetwater are full-scale ahead, with snakes set to be skinned and others "milked" of their venom . Texas rattlesnake butchering festival continues despite objections A Georgia rattler roundup no longer kills the animals but Texas town of Sweetwater is proud of its tradition A. A few rattlesnake roundups still persist, the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement full of scorn for the Texas festival, which is "notorious for openly killing and skinning western diamondback rattlesnakes by the hundreds in front of crowds.. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Ronald Erdrich is the photojournalist and a columnist for the Abilene Reporter-News. And teenage girls vied to be crowned Miss Snake Charmer. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. WOODSTOCK, Ga. (AP) An annual rattlesnake roundup in south Georgia recently changed the format of this months event to celebrate living snakes without skinning and butchering them, earning plaudits from animal rights activists. For Sweetwater, the festival brings in a reported $8.3 million for the town. The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11, 12, 13 2022 at The Nolan County Coliseum, . The town of 11,000 is expected to swell to about 30,000 during the festival, which runs from Friday through Sunday, said Dennis Cumbie, one of the organizers. The 21st Annual Jaycee Roosters Motorcycle Rally and Cook-off and Swap Meet will be held atSweetwater Lake Park in Sweetwater, Texas from April 15, 2022 to April 17, 2022. Tornado activity: Sweetwater-area historical tornado activity is near Texas state average.It is 28% greater than the overall U.S. average.. On 4/19/1986, a category F3 (max. Its the biggest event in this town every year, Cumbie said. All rights reserved. The granddaddy of them all, the 82nd Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup will happen April 23-25. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The diamond rattlesnake managed to secure a festival of its own in Sweetwater, Texas, and people absolutely love it. Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Where: Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive Cost: Adults $10. In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the town's culture and draws visitors from all over the world. FILE -Sweetwater Jaycees clean and skinned rattlesnakes during 57th Sweetwater Jaycees World Largest Rattlesnake Round-up at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater Texas, March 14, 2015. Our feature-length documentary, Rounding Up Sweetwater, will debunk both the pseudo-science used to justify roundups as well as negative stereotypes about rattlesnakes used to demonize them. There will be live music on Fri. and Sat. Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking . Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Theres no waste, he said. Everfest stands in solidarity with the Black community and supports the fight for justice and equality. In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. But on the first weekend after Easter, they become a platform for this tough annual raceThe Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Rattlesnake roundups take two paths, drawing praise and scorn by The Associated Press | March 12, 2022 at 10:00 p.m. Handlers grabbed them safely behind the jaws so children could stroke them up close. In 2022 the Whigham Community Club announced that it will no longer capture snakes and will instead feature displays and educational programming about the diamondback rattlesnake and other native wildlife. The same is true in the south Alabama town of Opp, where an annual rattlesnake festival that has drawn thousands for nearly six decades opens March 25. It's very much part of our culture.". Guided Snake Hunt - Friday Friday, March 11th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. Now, as director of the Sweetwater and Nolan county chamber of commerce, Hunt fields calls from people in England, Germany and other parts of the world inquiring about the festival and making plans to visit. The Sweetwater Jaycees visited the Texas State Capitol Building this week to promote public awareness of rattlesnakes in advance of the 63rd World's Largest Rattlesnake Round up. The same is true in the south Alabama town of Opp, where an annual rattlesnake festival that has drawn thousands for nearly six decades opens on 25 March. This website uses cookies to provide our visitors with a great user experience. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Every March, what's billed as the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup brings an estimated 25,000 visitors to Sweetwater,. And it took four men to hold the largest wriggling reptiles down on a table so they could be measured for the biggest snake contest. Copyright 2022 KCBD. Rounding Up Sweetwater started out as a short student film project to capture the worlds largest rattlesnake roundup in Sweetwater, Texas. Camping is by reservations only. Rattlesnake Bites: $10 We flash freeze the meat from our Rattlesnake Roundup, season, batter, and deep fry it to a golden brown. Meat judges are needed, so feel free to volunteer. What it does for our community is give us a sense of place.. 70% payback. Cookerregistration is $80 or $25 ea. The 64th Sweetwater Jaycees World's Largest Annual Rattlesnake Roundup is this weekend. $5 Jackpot beans and $10 Jalapeno Poppers. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. var linktext = username + "@" + hostname; Check out the schedule of events below: Thursday March 10 4:30 Rattlesnake Parade What it does for our community is give us a sense of place.. After seeing firsthand what goes on in Sweetwater every year, we know there is a better way. Everybody was nervous about it and didnt know how it would go, Cox added. All rights reserved. Historically, the first rattlesnake Roundup kicked off in 1958, at Sweetwater, Texas, U.S. Restrooms and free warm showers are available. Oklahoma. The move ends Georgia's inhumane rattlesnake roundup legacy. Is this your event? In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. Emergency crews responding to southwest Lubbock apartment fire, Woman trapped in vehicle after crash on I-27 involving semi, Semi crash on South Loop leaves one person moderately injured, Noon Notebook: LFR to participate in 48-marathon, Noon Notebook: 34th annual Mayors' Beans & Cornbread Luncheon, Tell Me Something Good - Wednesday, March 1. . Around two and a half tons of western diamondback rattlesnakes are rounded up each year for the festival, which was founded in 1958 as a way to control the population. Children watched in awe as handlers tipped buckets of venomous snakes into a writhing pit. A mix of light freezing rain and sleet this morning.then cloudy late. If its the second weekend in March, that means its time for the Worlds Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. The same is true in the south Alabama town of Opp, where an annual rattlesnake festival that has drawn thousands for nearly six decades opens March 25. Activists hope that change such as those made by the Whigham Rattlesnake Roundup will inspire others to follow in their. The 63rd World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup - which also sees the crowning of a Miss Snake Charmer beauty queen - went ahead after the state lifted virtually all Covid restrictions last week. Admission: none Days/Hours Open: All Days 8am6pm Address: 110 E. 15th Street, Sweetwater, TX 79556 Other Activities: sweetwater lions club car show, sweetwater rattlesnake roundup Attendance: 9,000 # Food Booths: 20 # of Exhibitors: 235 Juried: no Prize Money: na Deadlines: Art & Craft: 03/01/2023 Music: na Food: 03/01/2023 Yes, we're the rattlesnake town, they would say. A poker run is scheduled for Saturday morning with the cook-off beginning at 9:00. . "We were the biggest event going on in the country, which was rather scary when you think about it, before everything kind of shut down," said Rob McCann, public relations director for the Sweetwater Jaycees. 2022, at the Rattlesnake Roundup Grounds in Whigham. They also show the huge divide in how they are seen by some, with the Georgia festival heralded by animal advocates and the Texas roundup shamed. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Rattlesnake roundups take 2 different approaches, drawing praise and scorn 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Addie Gedea; Mar 12, 2022 Mar 12, 2022 Updated Mar 12, 2022; Comments; . Served with ranch or blue cheese and celery. GRUESOME pictures show rattlesnakes being beheaded, skinned and eaten at a festival in Texas. There was also a guided hunt on the outskirts of town, a carnival parade and a gun show. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. High 74F. But no such changes are occurring at a huge rattlesnake roundup beginning this weekend, Saturday March 12, 2022 in Texas, a festival that the activists say is barbaric. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Plans for the Worlds Largest Rattlesnake Roundup this weekend in the Texas town of Sweetwater are full-scale ahead, with snakes set to be skinned and others milked of their venom. By accessing our site, you agree to the terms of Everfest's privacy policy. Gates open at noon Friday and cost is $5 per person/per day. The Sweetwater Rifle & Pistol Club Gun, Knife and Coin Show Adults: $5 Up to age 12: Free with. FREER, Texas - The largest festival of the year in one South Texas city took a deadly turn after a . Your User ID or Password reset link will be sent to you. 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