FELLSMERE — Opening night of the 4-day Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival brought out a few thousand people from around the country looking for tasty frog legs and gator tail, white-knuckle rides and toe-tapping music. The festival continues today from 4 to 11 p.m. and runs through Sunday.
Bob and Marcia Buskirk, of West Melbourne, have been making the drive to Fellsmere for the annual event for four or five years.
“We always enjoy it,” Marcia Buskirk said, noting they were meeting friends at the festival Thursday night.
“It’s a fun festival,” Bob Buskirk agreed, noting it’s the music and the people that keep them coming back to the event.
Jumping off the Orbiter, one of many high-speed, whip-lash inducing rides at the Midway, were Mandi Herlan and Chris Galinis.
Herlan, a one-time Fellsmere resident who now calls Orlando home, said she comes back specifically for the Frog Leg Festival.
They ordered both the frog legs and the gator tail, but said they preferred the gator.
“You just get the frog legs because you can,” Herlan said.
Galinis had never before experienced a festival quite like the Fellsmere Frog Leg event.
“Orlando doesn’t have anything like this,” he said.
Galinis later signed up for the inaugural Indian River Grapefruit Shuffleboard contest, another first for him.
Twelve contestants, including several from New York, New Jersey and North Carolina, armed with three grapefruit took turns tossing the fruit at a frog-shaped pin.
The four closest to the pin at the end of all 36 fruits being tossed earned $20 and went on to the next round. The one farthest from the pin, Carrie Short of Grant, earned $10 and joined the top 4 for a chance at the grand prize – $80.
Shawn Swanson, of Vero Beach, took home that grand prize.
“I said what the heck,” Swanson said, recalling getting roped into participating. “Why not?”
She said her secret to the win was being the last to throw the grapefruit.
“I liked going last,” Swanson said. “No one could know me out!”
The festival continues today with a Butterfly Catching contest at 7:30 p.m., a Senior Citizen’s (ages 30-plus) Mechanical Bull Riding Tournament Challenge at 8:30 p.m., and a Dance for Your Free Frog Leg Dinner Tickets contest at 8:45 p.m.
Friday’s performances include The Cantasticks, the Good Gravy Band, and Nashville Recording Artist Tom Jackson.
For more about the Frog Leg Festival in Fellsmere, check out our Special Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival Guide.
