A parade Thursday afternoon kicked off the 68th annual Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup, as floats and marchers, and a Miss Snake Charmer Pageant marked the start of the traditional event, which draws thousands to the West Texas town for a weekend packed with unique activities and events.
The long-running event is organized by the Sweetwater Jaycees and takes place at the Nolan County Coliseum. This weekend activity includes guided hunts, venom extraction, educational demonstrations, a cook off, snake handling, and a gun, knife, and coin show, along with a carnival.
The event is not without controversy.
Snake and wildlife advocacy groups, have for years demanded a shift to a no-kill, educational format, supported by organizations like Advocates for Snake Preservation and The Rattlesnake Conservancy, which offer resources, petitions, and campaigns to reform the event. Opponents say the practice of killing the animals is abusive and not needed.
Read Chrysanthemum Crenshaw Cohen’s opinion piece on this subject from the archives.
