Tarantula Fest and Barbecue
Tarantula Fest and Barbecue
The bolder attendees of the festival go for the tarantula-handling. Some even muster the courage to pose for pictures as the spiders crawl on their faces (this particular breed of tarantula is docile and its venom is virtually harmless). Plenty of other proceedings accompany the main event. The Tarantulas, the park's jug music "house band," usually perform. There are also displays of non-native tarantulas, merchandise for sale, and a raffle. The park's visitor center also opens up for people to learn more about tarantulas and the park, which covers 87,000 acres, making it the largest state park in northern California.
Henry W. Coe State Park
9000 East Dunne Ave.
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
408-779-2728; fax: 408-778-5749
www.coepark.org/tfest.html