Cuero Turkeyfest
Cuero, Texas

When: mid-October

Where: Most events take place in Cuero City Park in Cuero, Texas.

Although a sighting of what many claim to be the mythical Chupacabra brought national attention to the small southeast Texas town of Cuero in the summer of 2007, poultry is the true passion of DeWitt Counties denizens. Each second weekend of October folks flock to Cuero for some "fowl" festivities during a three-day salute to the town's farming origins.

Events: No festival would be complete without a few friendly competitions. Weekend grillers turn up the heat in a bid to be the festival's supreme sizzler in the BBQ cook-off, while other inspiring chefs cook up tastebud-tempting ingredients in the chili and jackpot bean cook-offs. For eye-watering entertainment, participants try to polish off as many peppers as possible in the jalapeno eating contest.

Athletically adept attendees will enjoy the volleyball tournament and the adult Turk-Olympics, while a horseshoe-pitching contest offers old-fashioned fun for those looking for a slow-paced event.

The crowning moment of this fowl-themed festival, however, is the Great Gobbler Gallop. Residents and visitors gather round to root for the trotting turkey as it races against the clock in an attempt to beat the time set by rival Worthington, Minnesota's prized poultry. An event hatched back in 1912, today's version of the Great Gobbler Gallop has garnered the attention of the media and has been showcased on the Food Network and the CBS Sunday Morning Show.

The community of Cuero not only shares bragging rights as the turkey capital of Texas, the town and surrounding DeWitt County also prides itself as being the wildflower capital of the state. In appreciation of the plants that thrive in Lone Star soil, the festival also offers the fall garden and flower show. A treat for those with a green thumb, attendees can amble among the annuals and perennials as judges determine the best in show in a variety of floral categories before moving on to the carrots, corn, peaches and pears in the garden crop and orchard crop categories.

Souvenir seekers can find Texas-motifed treasures at the arts and crafts booths, then kick back with an alcoholic libation and listen to live music performed at the Mall Pavilion.

Children's Activities: Texas tykes can promenade in their own kiddie parade, line the streets to see the marching bands and floats in the festival's main parade, and check out the chrome creations that roar down the road during the bike and hot rod parade. Little animal-loving attendees can hug the cuddly critters at the children's petting zoo, future farmers can enter the mini-tractor pull and the young and the young at heart will enjoy the rides and midway games at the carnival.

For more information:

• visit www.turkeyfest.org