New organizers have stepped forward to take over the management of the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival & Run, an event that had appeared to be headed toward extinction. The Thomas Promise Foundation will be taking over reins of running the festival, that has been a mainstay in the City of San Antonio for a half-century. The San Antonio Rotary Club had been the festival’s primary … [Read more...]
Festival may slither back to life
February 22, 2017 By
The San Antonio Rotary Club is considering four organizations that are interested in taking over the annual San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival & Run. The club announced earlier this month that the 50th festival, held in October, would be its last. “We pulled out all the stops for the 50th annual festival to honor and celebrate this longstanding community fundraiser,” Betty Burke said, … [Read more...]
A half-century of old-fashioned fun
October 12, 2016 By
A half-century ago, the San Antonio Jaycees got together and hatched a plan for a fun way to raise money to support local causes. They figured they could hold a festival, with rattlesnakes as the centerpiece. Over the decades, the leading organizers have changed — and so have some of the particulars — but the essence of the annual event remains the same: Every year, on the third weekend … [Read more...]
Historian sheds light on German POWs in Dade City
July 22, 2015 By
The recent death of Eva Martha (Goddard) Knapp has sparked memories of the work she did to trace the history of German prisoners of war who lived and worked in the Dade City area during World War II. Knapp, who died on June 20, 2015 in St. Petersburg, was a noted historian in the Pasco County Historical Society. She was particularly known for the research she did about the German POW … [Read more...]
Book captures Dade City’s history through photographs
September 25, 2014 By
When visitors drop by downtown Dade City, its stately historic courthouse, unique shops and good restaurants likely will impress them. But there’s so much more to Dade City’s story, and Madonna Jervis Wise has captured that through 200 photographs of the people and places in this city that initially was known as Fort Dade. Wise began working on the volume about a year ago. She’d done … [Read more...]
San Antonio sizzles: It’s Rattlesnake Festival time
October 16, 2013 By
Every year, on the third Saturday of October, thousands head to San Antonio Park to enjoy wide-ranging activities and foods at the annual Rattlesnake and Music Festival. The event almost didn’t happen this year, though. Previous event organizers had decided not to have the annual festival. So a half-dozen Rotary clubs from East Pasco County stepped up to take on the event, said David West, a … [Read more...]
