These were the largest alligators I saw Sunday at the Texas Gator Fest in Anahuac, Texas. I saw some baby alligators which the parks people were letting the kids pet (since the little gators’ snouts were taped shut). But I don’t know where they were keeping the big gators.
This annual celebration of the alligator is due to the fact that Anahuac rests among the marshes bordering Trinity Bay. The official Texas Gator Fest Web site pointed out that the Texas Legislature named Anahuac the “Alligator Capital of Texas” because gators “outnumbered humans 3-to-1.” It also was probably the last time the Legislature turned out a notable accomplishment.
Of course, the festival provided ample opportunities to buy some delicacies such as fried gator on a stick, boiled gator on a fork and gator gravy in a ladle. The latter two I just kind of made up, but I bet they don’t taste anything like chicken.
The real reason my friend Sarah and I made the trip to Gator Fest in Anahuac, located off I-10 between Houston and Beaumont, was really less about alligators and more about hearing Robert Earl Keen (below) play.
Truthfully, I don’t know how popular Robert Earl is outside of Texas but he has a very loyal and hardcore following here especially among his fellow Texas Aggies. He has not achieved the stature of his college pal Lyle Lovett. But I have the feeling he does okay for himself. Keen, who is part story-teller-troubadour-bullshitter, put on a great show despite it being so hot people were on the verge of spontaneous combustion.
Robert Earl also looked as if he was enjoying himself. That’s usually a good sign for the audience. I know I had a good time.