While walking around bins of hundreds of rattlesnakes, watching them strike at the handlers walking through pools of them, one thing is certain for me….I get you Indiana Jones, I totally get you!
Snakes are one of the most terrifying, but fascinating creatures on this planet! I mean really they are beautiful, but just looking at one sends chills up my spine. So to satisfy my fascinating horror, I decided to attend the world’s largest rattlesnake roundup in the middle of nowhere Sweetwater, Texas! Check out what I learned!
What is a Rattlesnake Roundup?
In 1958, farmers, ranchers, and the police of the West Texas area, began rounding up snakes and slaughtering them to help control the overpopulation of these reptiles. Every year since these snakes are rounded up and slaughtered to help keep them from overpopulating and impacting the food chain of the West Texas area.
Over the years it has grown from just slaughtering snakes to milking them for their venom to make antivenom for hospitals. There are shows to teach and educate people on how to react and be aware of these animals. The skins are of the snakes are used for making boots and belts and the meat is used to eat. It has become a festival complete with competition, education, vendors, food, and fun for all!
Where is it and when is it?
Location: The Nolan County Coliseum, 220 Coliseum Drive, Sweetwater, Texas
When: 2nd weekend of March
Fees: $10 Adults, $5 Military, $5 ages 5-12, FREE ages 4 and under
What to do at the Rattlesnake roundup:
- Fair Food- all the classic fried, fatty foods of your dreams all in one spot! Fried twinkies, funnel cakes, lemonade, giant smoked turkey legs, and don’t forget your gator on a stick!
- Go On A Snake Hunt- Really be a part of the rattlesnake roundup by going on a guided hunt for the rattlesnakes yourself. ($75 a day)
- Vendors Galore- there are more vendors than there are snakes at this event! Quilts, books, art, jewelry, clothes, you name it and there is a stand for it. Not to mention the stand of rattlesnake statues, taxidermy, rattler jewelry, and all things rattlesnake.
- Witness A Snake Milking- gather around one of the pits to watch them grab a snake out of a barrel, grab it by the head, and milk the venom right out of their fangs. Thanks to their efforts, hospitals and clinics are supplied with antivenom to save lives from snake bites.
- Get A Picture Of A Rattlesnake Around Your Neck- Handlers walk around holding the head of these snakes and drape the body around people’s shoulders. Terrifying, but an epic photo op if you are brave enough to do it!
- Viewing Areas- Get up close to hundreds of rattlesnakes curled in a pin together, by looking through the glass.
- Demonstrations- Learn about the lifecycle of a rattlesnake, when they get their rattlers, how they move, watch how they strike, and learn about their lifecycle. Education is extremely important in this event and it is super fun to watch!
- Carnival- Rides, fun houses, and games! ($1 a ticket, $35 an all-day wristband)
- Gun and Blade Show- Shop around for a gun or knife. ($5 adults)
- Help Skin A Snake- Let your kid come up and help squeeze the blood out of a snake body. Let them begin the skinning process and place their bloody handprint on the wall. ($5 adults, $3.50 for kids)
- Witness the skinning process- If helping skin the snakes is too much for you, watch them cut off their heads, bleed them out, gut them, skin them, and prep them from the viewing areas.
- Snake Competitions- Be there as they bring in the results for the longest and heaviest snake found that year!
Is the Rattlesnake Roundup for kids?
The Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup is a family friendly event with a little something for everyone. Food, rides, and hundreds of snakes! They take precautions to keep everyone safe and it is educational for the kids as well.
If you are worried that your kids will be bored, than don’t be they will be fascinated and excited. If you are worried that your kids won’t be safe, don’t be; there are handlers all around to make sure everyone is safe.
This is a very kid friendly event! I brought my 3 little kids all ages 4 years and younger and they had a great time. They might have cut off the circulation of my arms from holding on so tight, but they were terrifyingly fascinated by these reptiles. They were nervous, but still enjoyed reaching out and petting the snakes when they brought them around.
Is it worth it?
Going to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup has been on my bucket list for years and it was fun to finally mark it off my list. That was really the most exciting part about the round up if I am being honest. Don’t get me wrong seeing the snakes and learning about them was really cool. Drive to the middle of no where, $5 for parking, $10 to get in, kinda cool…..no not really.
It is super crowded and the viewing areas of the snakes is very small and so it is hard to get a good look in the bins. Unless you wait at shows 30 minutes before they begin (and there is no set time as to when they will begin) you won’t even get close enough to see them. The majority of the festival is food, vendors, and carnival rides. It is not very rattlesnake centered, it almost seems like the rattlesnakes are just an added bonus to a regular old carnival.
I am an Amazon Affiliate, which means I may earn a commission from any purchases made through the links in this post. For more information, please read my privacy page.
