Annual Rattlesnake Festival returns to San Antonio with cheap thrills

SAN ANTONIO — Every year, organizers have to dispel a few myths about the annual Rattlesnake Festival.

"The most common thing is people swearing, 'I was here last year and I had snake meat,' " said Amy Greif, festival organizer and daughter of one of the festival's founders.

"There's no snake meat. There's no gopher product. Period."

The 43rd Annual Rattlesnake Festival kicks off this weekend. With the ongoing recession hurting pocketbooks everywhere, organizers are positioning the two-day event as an affordable family excursion.

Admission and parking are free. Entry to the daily snake and reptile shows is still $5 for adults, $2 for children. It costs a mere dollar to enter the gopher races. And the "saddle" for the plastic tortoise is free.

"We're all really concerned about the down economy," Greif said. "But this is an event where you can go if you are on a budget."

The festival is a community fundraiser, benefiting local churches and, in the past, groups like the local Boy and Girl Scouts.

It costs about $50,000 to put on the event each year. Funding comes from ticket sales to the snake and reptile shows and food sales.

Of course, sponsors also help cover the bill, though they were harder to come by this year.

"I've been associated with (the Rattlesnake Festival) now for about 10 years," said organizer Robert Beck. "This is the hardest year I have worked to get funding."

Beck said some local car dealers pulled out and many other sponsors scaled back their donations. But with the help of new sponsors, including Pepsi, and private donors, the show will go on.

Helen Anne Travis can be reached at htravis@sptimes.com or (813) 435-7312.