Drive a wooded stake (called a "Stob") into the
ground, rub the stake with a "roopin iron" to make it vibrate, and nearby
earthworms are agitaged and come to the surface. This ancient technique of
gathering worms is called "worm grunting". And the process has been turned into
a competition in
Sopchoppy, Florida,
where they claim to be the worm gruntin' capital of the world.
While it sounds silly, worm grunting is a serious occupation in this area where
fishing is a local pastime and an important source of tourist revenue. There are
locals who make their living worm grunting to collect worms to sell for bait.
Contestants come from all over north Florida and nearby southern states. The
festival has been featured by Charles Kuralt on CBS, and by Mike Rowe of "Dirty
Jobs" fame on Discovery channel.
The actual worm grunting contest is held early in the morning, along with a 5K
run. At noon, the live music begins and continues until late into the evening.
Also included in the festivities are a horseshoe contest, a hula hoop contest,
and arts and craft vendors. Food and drink vendors are on the festival grounds,
which consumes most of downtown
Sopchoppy.
The grand finale is the "Grunters' Ball" ... an outdoor dance and celebration
with live music. There is no admission charge for the festival, and all events
and entertainment are free.
Activities & Facilities
Restaurant
Picnic shelter
Dogs allowed
Arts/crafts vendors
Live music
Short hiking trails