They come here every single year.". We probably had more actual snakes there this year, even though it was a different format than what we've had.. 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 of the organizers. 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. 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. Windy with lots of sunshine. Go here to update it. 810 E Broadway P.O. Mar 7, 2022 / . The two events are a marked contrast in how rattlesnakes are handled. The weekend kicks off on Thursday with a rattlesnake parade, carnival . People of the small town of Claxton, Georgia transformed their rattlesnake roundup into the Claxton Rattlesnake and Wildlife Festival, a festival where they promote conservation and education instead of fear and misconceptions. NOLAN COUNTY COLISEUM Sweetwater, TX Terry Locklar General Manager - Marketing Director 220 Coliseum Drive. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Camping is by reservations only. 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. var linktext = username + "@" + hostname; The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The important thing for organizers is that the historic festival was able to go ahead. Karen Hunt grew up in Sweetwater, and recalls fellow Texans asking her about her hometown. 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. 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. Check out the schedule of events below: Thursday March 10 4:30 Rattlesnake Parade There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Nolan County Coliseum|1699 Cypress St, Sweetwater, TX | Map. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking . This does put us on the map, she said. "We have a family that comes from Australia. Since 1958, the Sweetwater Jaycees has hosted the largest rattlesnake roundup in the world. The World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup takes place in Sweetwater, Texas, every year. Rattlesnakes are fascinating, beautiful, but often feared and misunderstood creatures. Up to age 12: Free with . The dunes of the Little Sahara in Little Sahara State Park are the perfect place to ride ATVs. Then came perfect weather for the one-day Georgia show, and there were no complaints whatsoever," he said. Courtesy photo The Sweetwater Jaycee's famed Rattlesnake Roundup is set for March 11-14 at Nolan County Coliseum, where just west of Abilene this weekend, scores of snake wranglers will risk a . 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. In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. wind speeds 158-206 mph) tornado 1.8 miles away from the Sweetwater city center killed one person and injured 100 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages.. On 5/24/1968, a category F3 tornado 15.9 . 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. But no such changes are occurring at a huge rattlesnake roundup beginning this weekend in Texas, a festival that the activists say is barbaric. . Everybody was nervous about it and didnt know how it would go, Cox added. Its the biggest event in this town every year, Cumbie said. Over three days, snake hunters bring in their catches (to make $5 a pound). Rounding Up Sweetwater. The move ends Georgia's inhumane rattlesnake roundup legacy. He told the Abilene Reporter-News: "We welcome that. Its very much part of our culture.. In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. Yes, were the rattlesnake town, they would say. Everybody was nervous about it and didn't know how it would go," Cox said. Handlers grabbed them safely behind the jaws so children could stroke them up close. 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 If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com. Visitors from Europe, New Zealand and Japan have been regulars at the show in past years, alongside locals in ten-gallon hats. 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. 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.. Thousands of rattlesnakes are bagged up to be put on display in the snake pits. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This year's winner, Avery Schiffner, 16, greeted festival-goers with a live rattlesnake coiled round her neck. 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. A Georgia rattler roundup no longer kills the animals but Texas town of Sweetwater is proud of its tradition. If it's the second weekend in March, that means it's time for the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater. Get In Touch. 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. 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. Center for Biological Diversity: Largest Remaining Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas, Should Follow Suit, Conservationists Say. 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. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. They are also the victims of the largest public slaughter of native wildlife in the United States. 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. I'd love to have that discussion. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Sweetwater Rattlesnake RoundUp March 10 - 12, 2023 Nolan County Coliseum Sweetwater, TX 79556 Status: Updated 12/5/2022 Sweetwater Jaycees World's Largest Rattlesnake Round Up Admission: none Days/Hours Open: Thu 4:30pm9pm, Fri 8am5pm, Sat 8am6pm, Sun 8am5pm Address: 1699 Cypress Street, Sweetwater, TX 79556 Entertainment: 1 stage - Local. . 79556. (Brisket, Pork Spare Ribs, Chicken, Chili). A contestant at the Miss Snake Charmer pageant poses at the 2021 rattlesnake roundup. This website uses cookies to provide our visitors with a great user experience. 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. The event is a fundraiser for local youth programs. SWEETWATER JAYCEES World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup March 10, 11, 12 2023 In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the town's culture and draws visitors from all over the world. Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. 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.. 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. Our feature-length documentary, Rounding Up Sweetwater, will debunk both the pseudo-science used to justify roundups as well as negative . Thousands of people, including families with young kids, flocked to take part in festivities this weekend at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, Texas. SWEETWATER, TEXAS RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP - YouTube 0:00 / 8:15 SWEETWATER, TEXAS RATTLESNAKE ROUNDUP 37,579 views Apr 10, 2018 330 Dislike Share Save Mark Lotterhand 2.13K subscribers Unchecked. But there is much more to the story that we need to tell. The 64th Annual World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11, 12, 13 2022 at The Nolan . The two events are a marked contrast in how rattlesnakes are handled. Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. Meat judges are needed, so feel free to volunteer. For Sweetwater, the festival brings in a reported $8.3 million for the town. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Each spring, the small city of Sweetwater, Texas, hosts what it bills as the world's largest rattlesnake roundup. FestivalNet is not the event & does not book the participants; we provide contact info to save you time in event research. | Austin, TX. Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. 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. 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. Click to reveal Gates open at noon Friday and cost is $5 per person/per day. SWEETWATER, Texas (KCBD) - The 64th Annual Worlds Largest Rattlesnake Round-Up will take place on March 11 through 13 at the Nolan County Coliseum, located at 220 Coliseum Drive in Sweetwater. 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. 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. What it does for our community is give us a sense of place.. In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. Join Festivalnet.com now to unlock additional details,