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. Rattlesnakes are fascinating, beautiful, but often feared and misunderstood creatures. 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. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.The Sweetwater Rifle & Pistol Club Gun, Knife and Coin Show. He told the Abilene Reporter-News: "We welcome that. A bike show, bike games, and raffles, will happen later on the evening following the awards ceremony. They are also the victims of the largest public slaughter of native wildlife in the United States. The hungriest competitors went head to head in the eating contest. For Immediate Release, February 28, 2022 Contact: Elise Bennett, (727) 755-6950, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org . The two events are a marked contrast in how rattlesnakes are handled. Festival-goers were encouraged to wear masks but they were not compulsory and few people actually did. Service to humanity, is the best work of life. If it's the second weekend in March, that means it's time for the World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater. 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. Rattlesnake roundups take 2 different approaches, drawing praise and scorn 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. "We certainly haven't made the population extinct by any stretch of the imagination. This does put us on the map, she said. 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.. Theres even a pageant for local young women, Miss Snake Charmer. 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. Our feature-length documentary, Rounding Up Sweetwater, will debunk both the pseudo-science used to justify roundups as well as negative . 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Enter the email address you used when you joined. 1 seriously injured in rollover on South Loop near Quaker Ave. 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. | Austin, TX. "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. Theres literally no waste, he said. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking . Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. The Sweetwater Rifle & Pistol Club Gun, Knife and Coin Show Adults: $5 Up to age 12: Free with. What it does for our community is give us a sense of place.. Full hindquarter, seasoned and grilled. The following is the full schedule for the 2022 Rattlesnake Roundup: Thursday March 10, 2022: 4:30 pm Rattlesnake Parade 5:00 pm-10:00 pm Carnival All day pass - $35.00 (all you can ride) Carnival only Weekend pass $100.00 (sold only on Thursday) Carnival only Tickets - $1.00 each 7:00 pm Miss Snake Charmer Pageant Adults - $10.00 Students - $5.00 The event is a fundraiser for local youth programs. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It began 64 years ago to keep snakes from overtaking the town and attacking livestock, pets and people, organizers say. TX GRUESOME pictures show rattlesnakes being beheaded, skinned and eaten at a festival in Texas. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. In Texas, the Sweetwater roundup is intertwined with the town's culture and draws visitors from all over the world. Sweetwater, Texas 79556 325-235-3484 - Office nolancountycoliseum@gmail.com Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Wing Dings: $8 1 lb. 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. Over three days, snake hunters bring in their catches (to make $5 a pound). 79556. Rattles are used for souvenirs, as are the heads, Cumbie said. Apache's will follow on April 15-18. World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-up in Sweetwater, Texas - YouTube 0:00 / 16:54 World's Largest Rattlesnake Round-up in Sweetwater, Texas 14,062 views Mar 18, 2021 161 Dislike. Guided Snake Hunt - Saturday Saturday, March 12th For those wishing to see the rattlesnake in its natural habitat, we offer guided hunts. 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. 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. 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. . Since 1958, the Sweetwater Jaycees has hosted the largest rattlesnake roundup in the world. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 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 . Everybody was nervous about it and didn't know how it would go," Cox said. Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. 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 . 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. 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.. Yes, we're the rattlesnake town, they would say. For Sweetwater, the festival brings in a reported $8.3 million for the town. 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. The winner of the contest receives a scholarship from the Sweetwater Jaycees and represents Sweetwater at various social events within the Big Country. var username = "info"; The dunes of the Little Sahara in Little Sahara State Park are the perfect place to ride ATVs. The snakes skins will eventually show up on cowboy boots, belts and other western wear. Rattlesnake roundups take 2 different approaches, drawing praise and scorn. The World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup takes place in Sweetwater, Texas, every year. Windy with partly cloudy skies. Click to reveal Thousands of people, including families with young kids, flocked to take part in festivities this weekend at the Nolan County Coliseum in Sweetwater, Texas. High 74F. ", 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Katie Tyson, 18, runner up in the Miss Snake Charmer pageant, poses in the snake pit in Sweetwater, Texas, Hundreds of western diamondback rattlesnakes are rounded up each year, Festival-goers can try their hand at beheading and skinning snakes, Avery Schiffner, 16, was crowned Miss Snake Charmer 2021, Kids watch in awe as a handler picks up one of the venomous reptiles, It takes four men to hold down the biggest snakes so they can be measured, The skinning pit is one of the highlights of the Rattlesnake Roundup, Around two and a half tons of snakes are killed each year, Heads displayed on a table ready to be preserved, The heads are pickled in jars with the fangs exposed, A festival-goer skins a rattlesnake during the 2021 Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas, Those who have skinned a snake are invited to make a bloody hand print on the wall, The flesh is deep fried and served as nuggets, Competitors take part in the eating contest, The festival dates back to 1958, when farmers wanted a way to control the snake population, A guided snake hunt on the outskirts of Sweetwater, Kaleb Merritt, ten, skins a snake he caught on the hunt, Hundreds of rattlesnakes are caught and killed each year, Python breaks through toilet ceiling at restaurant in Thailand. Heads are pickled in jars complete with exposed fangs, while the flesh is chopped into nuggets and deep fried. Animal rights activists praised an annual rattlesnake roundup in south Georgia that recently changed the format of this months event to celebrate living snakes without skinning and butchering them. 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. If its the second weekend in March, that means its time for the Worlds Largest Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater. Sweetwater, TX (79556) Today. Children watched in awe as handlers tipped buckets of venomous snakes into a writhing pit. Rather, organizers liken snake hunting to how other hunters keep deer numbers in check. 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. Dates: March 10th - 12th, 2023. Sweetwater Jaycees Announce Rattlesnake Roundup Media Day; Ridin . 2012 letter of praise for switching the Claxton Rattlesnake Roundup to a . 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. The Sweetwater Jaycees society, which runs the festival, said they were thrilled it could go ahead after a year of uncertainty. 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. In Georgia, organizers say the more humane format they launched for the first time last weekend was a success. Theres even a pageant for local young women, Miss Snake Charmer. The snakes' skins will eventually show up on cowboy boots, belts and other western wear. 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. We probably had more actual snakes there this year, even though it was a different format than what we've had.. Rattlesnake Bites: $10 We flash freeze the meat from our Rattlesnake Roundup, season, batter, and deep fry it to a golden brown. Mar 7, 2022 / . Sweetwater, 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. Yes, were the rattlesnake town, they would say. Its very much part of our culture.. Make sure to contact Nancy High at (325) 236-5460 if you are . Historically, the first rattlesnake Roundup kicked off in 1958, at Sweetwater, Texas, U.S. marketplace | privacypolicy | contactus, Sweetwater Jaycees World's Largest Rattlesnake Round Up, Thu 4:30pm9pm, Fri 8am5pm, Sat 8am6pm, Sun 8am5pm, 1699 Cypress Street, Sweetwater, TX 79556. Rattlesnakes are fascinating, beautiful, but often feared and misunderstood creatures. 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 . 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. Gates open at noon Friday and cost is $5 per person/per day. What it does for our community is give us a sense of place.. (Courtney Sacco/Odessa American via AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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.. But on the first weekend after Easter, they become a platform for this tough annual raceThe Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt. 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. Performance & security by Cloudflare. After seeing firsthand what goes on in Sweetwater every year, we know there is a better way. 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, TX (79556) Today. 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. All rights reserved. Hunters gather the snakes theres a contest for those capturing the largest ones and theyre brought to the Nolan County Coliseum, where multiple parts of the snakes are harvested, Cumbie said. 70% payback. 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. Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Where: Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive Cost: Adults $10. Everfest stands in solidarity with the Black community and supports the fight for justice and equality. FILE -Sweetwater Jaycees clean and skinned rattlesnakes during 57th. 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. 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