sweetwater texas rattlesnake roundup 2022
We will be donating the first month of each new vendor & artist subscription to the Austin Justice Coalition. 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. 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. 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. Low 43F. Make sure to contact Nancy High at (325) 236-5460 if you are . Active/retired military, $5 (with valid military ID); Ages 5-12, $5; 4 and under, free.. Extra measures included hand sanitizer and regular wiping down of all areas and tour buses. 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. The roundup closes at 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday, and at 6 p.m. Saturday. Then came perfect weather for the one-day Georgia show, and there were no complaints whatsoever, he said. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. But no such changes are occurring at a huge rattlesnake roundup beginning this weekend in Texas, a festival that the activists say is barbaric. Yes, were the rattlesnake town, they would say. Guided Snake Hunt - Friday Friday, March 11th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. FNdocumentWrite("") A mix of light freezing rain and sleet this morning.then cloudy late. The dunes of the Little Sahara in Little Sahara State Park are the perfect place to ride ATVs. Everybody was nervous about it and didnt know how it would go, Cox said. In addition to Okeene, four other western Oklahoma towns will revive their rattlesnake hunts and festivals this month after being canceled last year. In 2021, the Sweetwater Roundup caught 3,682 pounds of rattlesnakes. (Courtney Sacco/Odessa American via AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Service to humanity, is the best work of life. Visitors from Europe, New Zealand and Japan have been regulars at the show in past years, alongside locals in ten-gallon hats. The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11, 12, 13 2022 at The Nolan . Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Full hindquarter, seasoned and grilled. Click to reveal The city's farmers and ranchers rose and banded together to eradicate rattlesnakes. 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 NOLAN COUNTY COLISEUM Sweetwater, TX Terry Locklar General Manager - Marketing Director 220 Coliseum Drive. 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. Doors open Friday at 8 a.m., cost is $10 for adults, $5 for active/retired military and $5 for children ages 5-12, with those 4 and under free. This event runs alongside the Sweetwater Rifle and Pistol Club's gun and coin show, founded in the 1940s. There's even a pageant for local young women, Miss Snake Charmer.The town of 11,000 is expected to swell to around 30,000 during the festival that runs Friday through Sunday, said Dennis Cumbie, one . There was also a guided hunt on the outskirts of town, a carnival parade and a gun show. It's the biggest event in this town every year," Cumbie said. We learn how you can have fun at the event even if you want to stay clear of the snakes. The weekend kicks off on Thursday with a rattlesnake parade, carnival . Is this your event? It's very much part of our culture.". Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. If it's the second weekend in March, that means it's time for the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater. Karen Hunt grew up in Sweetwater, and recalls fellow Texans asking her about her hometown. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. 2012 letter of praise for switching the Claxton Rattlesnake Roundup to a . Guided Snake Hunt - Saturday Saturday, March 12th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. Your User ID or Password reset link will be sent to you. Thousands of people, including families with young kids, flocked to take part in festivities this weekend at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, Texas. Rattlesnakes are fascinating, beautiful, but often feared and misunderstood creatures. The 21st Annual Jaycee Roosters Motorcycle Rally and Cook-off and Swap Meet will be held at Sweetwater Lake Park in Sweetwater, Texas from April 15, 2022 to April 17, 2022. The snakes' skins will eventually show up on cowboy boots, belts and other western wear. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Depending on the weather, or even a pandemic, the town's population. But perhaps most importantly, we will show theres a better way, that it is possible to stop slaughtering snakes without losing their festivals or the income they generate. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. It arose as a result of a wide influx of rattlesnakes that were killing livestock and pets of inhabitants of the community. Mar 7, 2022 / . Hunters gather the snakes theres a contest for those capturing the largest ones and they are brought to the Nolan county coliseum, where multiple parts of the snakes are harvested, Cumbie said. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. 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.. Free patch & pin with pre-registration by 4-04-2020. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. . Festival-goers were encouraged to wear masks but they were not compulsory and few people actually did. 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. Check out the schedule of events below: Thursday March 10 4:30 Rattlesnake Parade of chicken wings, thrown in our Hot, Mild, or Inferno wing sauce. Dates: March 10th - 12th, 2023. This does put us on the map, she said. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Rounding Up Sweetwater. 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. var username = "info"; The move ends Georgia's inhumane rattlesnake roundup legacy. Addie Gedea; Mar 12, 2022 Mar 12, 2022 Updated Mar 12, 2022; Comments; . Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14f7458b5429f1 For more information, please contact. Thousands of people, including families with young kids, flocked to take part in festivities this weekend at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, Texas. 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. Sweetwater, All rights reserved. This year, however, so many snakes were rounded up that there's hardly a market for selling. TX He's the chairman of the milking pit, where venom is extracted and then used to develop various drugs for a range of illnesses. In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the town's culture and draws visitors from all over the world. By accessing our site, you agree to the terms of Everfest's privacy policy. Served with ranch or blue cheese and celery. 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.. We have plenty of outdoor space for more vendors to enjoy the 65th World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup right here in Sweetwater, TX. Several vendors, and swap meet vendors will be available around the park. Gates open at noon Friday and cost is $5 per person/per day. 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 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 They are also the victims of the largest public slaughter of native wildlife in the United States. 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 . 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. 209.239.116.57 This is a major attraction that people from all over the world come to for the 2nd full weekend in March every year. Nolan County Coliseum1699 Cypress St Sweetwater, TX, 2023 Copyright Everfest, Inc. All rights reserved. The festival started in 1958 and runs annually during the second weekend of March in the city of Sweetwater in Central Texas. 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. 79556. In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the town's culture and draws visitors from all over the world. 70% payback. Sweetwater Jaycees Announce Rattlesnake Roundup Media Day; City Council Hears . Sweetwater has held its rattlesnake roundup for more than six decades, and what we have figured out over 64 years is that were not damaging the population of the snakes whatsoever, Cumbie said. Windy with lots of sunshine. Copyright 2022 KCBD. The Sweetwater Rifle & Pistol Club Gun, Knife and Coin Show Adults: $5 Up to age 12: Free with. Our feature-length documentary, Rounding Up Sweetwater, will debunk both the pseudo-science used to justify roundups as well as negative . 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. This does put us on the map, she said. Ronald Erdrich is the photojournalist and a columnist for the Abilene Reporter-News. Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Where: Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive Cost: Adults $10. Roundup visitors will see educational programs about the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake common to West Texas, as well as watching handlers milk the snakes of their venom. Rattlesnakes are symbols of freedom and independence; teaching that snakes are scary and useless minimizes their significance in our cultural and ecological heritage.. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has expressed concerns about how it couldimpact other species that share their habitat. Since 1958, the Sweetwater Jaycees has hosted the largest rattlesnake roundup in the world. The granddaddy of them all, the 82nd Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup will happen April 23-25. 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. 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. Rattles are used for souvenirs, as are the heads, Cumbie said. Waurika and Waynoka will hold their rattlesnake festivals next weekend. 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. "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. Get In Touch. Enter the email address you used when you joined. With two historical museums, the famous rattlesnake roundup, and much more, Sweetwater has fun attractions that will keep you busy! High 74F. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Theres no waste, he said. $5 Jackpot beans and $10 Jalapeno Poppers. The hungriest competitors went head to head in the eating contest. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. Join Festivalnet.com now to unlock additional details,