The Apache, Oklahoma Rattlesnake Festival is Coming Up

If you are the type of person that complains that there's "nothing to do here" in Southwest Oklahoma, weekend plans just landed in your lap.

The Apache Rattlesnake Festival is a traditional rattlesnake roundup where the entire town transforms into a metropolitan area for one weekend.

Thousands of people embrace the journey for one reason... to check out live rattlesnakes and snakeskin crafts, eat funnel cakes, and see who managed to wrangle the biggest rattler.

Oklahoma is home to eight venomous species of snakes, the majority of them being rattlesnakes.

Most famous is the Western Diamondback rattler we're all familiar with through movies and pop culture. This is the species you'll find most often at a rattlesnake roundup and the most common species of rattlesnake found around Lawton, especially in the mountains.

If you're curious, the world record for the largest western diamondback rattlesnake ever caught is officially seven-foot-long, but I want to say I remember the Apache Rattlesnake Festival may have had one a few inches longer a few years ago.

Don't challenge me on that, the memory is a little fuzzy.

All the festivities will get started on April 13th in Apache and roll through Sunday the 16th.

Be sure to carve out some time to go experience what may be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

In the event you see a kid carrying a big fat rattlesnake down the road like a puppy, don't freak out... They remove their fangs and sew their mouths shut. It may be somewhat cruel, but being pampered and getting pets before being turned into a belt is probably the best way to go.

Here's the Apache Rattlesnake Fest Facebook page if you want more detail.