This past weekend, the small Alabama town of Opp hosted nearly 20,000 people at its 65th annual Rattlesnake Rodeo. From March 27 to 29, Opp’s Channell-Lee Stadium (where Opp High School football is played) was home to dozens of rattlesnakes. What started as a fundraiser has now blossomed into a cultural event, with hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, music, a car race and even a beauty pageant. But the centerpiece of the event—rattlesnakes—has become controversial over the years. And Opp is one of 13 places in the country that still holds a rattlesnake rodeo with snakes that have been captured. Reporting by Margaret Kates #snakes #rattlesnakes #festival