PORT ARTHUR NEWS (Texas) 15 September 06 Gator Fest to be ‘biting’ fun (Ashley Sanders)
The Alligator Capital of Texas is poised to celebrate yet another year of Gator fun.
Anahuac’s Annual Gator Fest will kick off Friday and the weekend long festival will include carnival rides, a petting zoo, assorted vendors and arts and crafts booths. Other unique attractions like airboat rides, Trinity River boat tours and of course the star of the festival, the American Alligator, will keep festival attendees “biting” for more.
Gator Fest is situated on the historic Fort Anahuac Park, located on the mouth of the Trinity River and overlooking Trinity Bay. The truly unique festival is a family-oriented celebration of the American Alligator.
The Great Texas Alligator Roundup, the premier event of Gator Fest, invites Texas alligator hunters to bring in their “harvest” to compete for cash prizes. The festival coincides with the opening of the 20 day alligator season in Texas and the Roundup sees an average of 10 percent of the alligators harvested from the wild in Texas annually.
Previous years’ winner’s alligators have been more than 13 feet long.
The Alligator Education Tent, where government and private organizations that deal with the alligator and its wetlands habitat, along with the live alligator displays throughout the festival provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife, will also give guests a rare opportunity for an “up close and personal” look at this fascinating reptile.
As if the gator expo is not exciting enough, festival goers will also have an opportunity to hear some great rock and roll, country, Zydeco and rhythm and blues performances.
Additionally, street dances are held Friday and Saturday nights in front of the stage located in the beer garden. Friday night's headliner is Eli Young and Saturday’s entertainment includes Micky and the Motor Cars and headliners Cory Morrow and Roger Creager, with Bayou Roux and Wayne Toups closing the show on Sunday.
All of this combined with over 25 food and drink booths offering a variety of fare, including alligator prepared in an assortment of ways, make for a bargain in family entertainment.
Ticket prices for adults are $10; students, 18 and under, $5; seniors over 65, $5; children under five, free. Parking on the festival grounds is also free.
Texas Gator Fest is a combined effort of The Anahuac Area Chamber of Commerce and the citizens of Anahuac
Texas Gator Fest 2006 will be held Sept. 15-17 in Fort Anahuac Park in Anahuac. The gates will open at 6 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s festivities will run from 10 a.m. to midnight and on Sunday gates will stay open from noon to 6 p.m.
Anahuac is located 45 miles west of Beaumont, exit # 810 on Interstate 10 and take FM 563, eight miles south to Anahuac.
Gator Fest to be ‘biting’ fun