Festival-goers were encouraged to wear masks but they were not compulsory and few people actually did. Sweetwater has some amazing attractions hosted throughout the year! The World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup takes place in Sweetwater, Texas, every year. What is advertised as the "World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup" draws about 25,000 visitors annually to the town of Sweetwater, a community in Texas made up of a little over 10,000 people. (Brisket, Pork Spare Ribs, Chicken, Chili). The granddaddy of them all, the 82nd Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup will happen April 23-25. 231 subscribers 2020 rattlesnake roundup Sweetwater texas music: solitude musician: rook1e music:acoustic guitar 1 musician: music by audionautix.com Limited-time offer - $30 off Explore 85+. 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. A mix of light freezing rain and sleet this morning.then cloudy late. 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 . Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Adults: $5. Wing Dings: $8 1 lb. Exact attendance figures are unknown because many people such as children are admitted free, but I've 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. 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. of chicken wings, thrown in our Hot, Mild, or Inferno wing sauce. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. To register for a guided hunt, you first need to purchase a ticket online, then you need to show up early on the day you purchased a ticket to hunt and sign up with hunter registration located at the back of the coliseum by the weigh-in area. We also butcher about 1,000 pounds of them each year that we actually cook on the spot., 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. Then came perfect weather for the one-day Georgia show, and there were no complaints whatsoever," he said. The two events are a marked contrast in how rattlesnakes are handled. We have plenty of outdoor space for more vendors to enjoy the 65th World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup right here in Sweetwater, TX. We want everybody to come and see us and see what we're doing.". Oklahoma. 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. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. This does put us on the map, she said. In addition to Okeene, four other western Oklahoma towns will revive their rattlesnake hunts and festivals this month after being canceled last year. Restrooms and free warm showers are available. Sweetwater Jaycees Rattle Staid State Capitol with Snakes Miss Snake Charmer 2023 Contestants Attend Pageant Tea Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, SEED, City of Sweetwater, NFC Partner to Bring Free Fitness Court to Newman Park SISD Transfers SHS Interim Principalship to Kathy Smartt The important thing for organizers is that the historic festival was able to go ahead. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. . var linktext = username + "@" + hostname; Is this your event? Each spring, the small city of Sweetwater, Texas, hosts what it bills as the world's largest rattlesnake roundup. We also butcher about 1,000 pounds of them each year that we actually cook on the spot., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. 2023 www.reporternews.com. 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. Over three days, snake hunters bring in their catches (to make $5 a pound). 70% payback. The festival has been criticized by animal rights and environmental groups for the way the snakes are rounded up using gasoline fumes to drive them from their dens. For Immediate Release, February 28, 2022 Contact: Elise Bennett, (727) 755-6950, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org . It arose as a result of a wide influx of rattlesnakes that were killing livestock and pets of inhabitants of the community. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Gates open at noon Friday and cost is $5 per person/per day. "We have a family that comes from Australia. 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. The winner of the contest receives a scholarship from the Sweetwater Jaycees and represents Sweetwater at various social events within the Big Country. Service to humanity, is the best work of life. Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. The Sweetwater Jaycees society, which runs the festival, said they were thrilled it could go ahead after a year of uncertainty. $5 Jackpot beans and $10 Jalapeno Poppers. Guided Snake Hunt - Friday Friday, March 11th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. 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. This does put us on the map, she said. 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. 209.239.116.57 SWEETWATER, Texas (KCBD) - The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11 through 13 at the Nolan County Coliseum, located at 220 Coliseum Drive in Sweetwater. Join Now: Vendors | Artists | Already PRO? 2012 letter of praise for switching the Claxton Rattlesnake Roundup to a . Box 1148 Sweetwater, Texas 79556; 325-235-5488; 800-658-6757; Stay In Touch . Afterwards, they are butchered for their meat, skin and venom and sold to anyone who can make use of them. Hes the chairman of the milking pit, where venom is extracted and then used to develop various drugs for a range of illnesses. We encourage you to join us and consider supporting the Austin Justice Coalition or the organization leading the ongoing movement for accountability and change in your community. Nolan County Coliseum Plans for the Worlds Largest Rattlesnake Roundup this weekend in the Texas town of Sweetwater are full-steam ahead, with snakes set to be skinned and others milked of their venom. Make sure to contact Nancy High at (325) 236-5460 if you are . Visitors and news crews from around the nation and the globe frequently are seen perusing the snake pits at Nolan County Coliseum. 64th Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater March 11-13, 5:00-10:00 carnival - $35 all day pass (carnival rides only) or $100 all weekend pass (carnival only), 7:00 PM Miss Snake Charmer Pageant at Municipal Auditorium 201 E 4th Street - adult ticket $10, student ticket $5, Tickets prices: adults $10, active/retired military $5 with valid ID, children 5-12 $5, children 4 and under free, 9:00-6:00 Sweetwater rifle and Pistol Club Gun, Knife, and Coin Show with $5 entry, children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult, 8:00-5:00 Sweetwater Lions Club Flea Market, 10:00 Guided Snake Hunts - Must sign up prior and must have valid hunting license, 2:00PM - 12:00 AM Carnival - $35 all day pass for rides and tickets $1, 9:00-6:00 Sweetwater Rifle and Pistol Club Gun, Knife, and Coin Show with $5 entry, children 12 & under free when accompanied by an adult, 10:00AM - 12:00 AM Carnival - $35 all day pass for rides or tickets $1, 8:00 PM Dance at the Jaycee Barn at 307 W 4th Street - $20 per person and cooler charge $5 small $10 large, 4:00 Longest Snake Contest and Most Pounds Entered Awards, 9:00-5:00 Sweetwater Rifle and Pistol Club Gun, Coin, and Knife Show - $5 entry fee, children 12& under free when accompanied by an adult, 10:00AM-8:00PM Carnival - $35 day pass for carnival rides or tickets $1. Camping is by reservations only. Handlers grabbed them safely behind the jaws so children could stroke them up close. Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Where: Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive Cost: Adults $10. We probably had more actual snakes there this year, even though it was a different format than what we've had.. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Rattlesnake Bites: $10 We flash freeze the meat from our Rattlesnake Roundup, season, batter, and deep fry it to a golden brown. 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.. 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. TX An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. This year, however, so many snakes were rounded up that there's hardly a market for selling. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Guided Snake Hunt - Saturday Saturday, March 12th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. Active/retired military, $5 (with valid military ID); Ages 5-12, $5; 4 and under, free.. Back row Left to right: Del Riley, Blake Stephens, David Sager, Miss Texas, Mallory Fuller, Chris Thomas, Dee Thomas, Cody Cox. Depending on the weather, or even a pandemic, the town's population. We probably had more actual snakes there this year, even though it was a different format than what weve had.. WOODSTOCK, Ga. 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. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. 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. FestivalNet is not the event & does not book the participants; we provide contact info to save you time in event research. SWEETWATER, Texas (KCBD) - The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11 through 13 at the Nolan County Coliseum, located at 220 Coliseum Drive in Sweetwater. 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. Yes, were the rattlesnake town, they would say. Its the biggest event in this town every year, Cumbie said. 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. Begun in 1958 as a means for controlling the rattlesnake population in the area, the roundup has become a major annual driver for the Sweetwater economy. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. They come here every single year.". Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Full hindquarter, seasoned and grilled. "We certainly haven't made the population extinct by any stretch of the imagination. There will be live music on Fri. and Sat. 810 E Broadway P.O. Sweetwater, You They are also the victims of the largest public slaughter of native wildlife in the United States. The bloodiest part is the skinning pit, where people can try their hand at pulling off the pelts - which are preserved and used as leather. var hostname = "FestivalNet.com"; Team Calcutta-50% payback. In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the towns culture and draws visitors from all over the world. Join Festivalnet.com now to unlock additional details,