Swamp Cabbage Festival
The Swamp Cabbage Festival is a local event that my town, LaBelle, has put on for over 50 years. It is named after the Heart of Palm, which is the inner core vegetable found inside of palm trees. Locals call it Swamp Cabbage, as we are very close to the Everglades National Forest, which is a huge swamp that hosts millions of palm trees. The festival is loaded with many southern foods and souvenirs, primarily Fried Alligator, Frog Legs, and Fried Swamp Cabbage Fritters. The festivities take place at the local park, which include carnival attractions, armadillo races, fishing contests, and more. Younger, more wild people tend to go out to the "Mudhole", which is a large empty lot full of nothing but dirt and mud. They bring huge hand crafted machines to ride around in, or just use their own personal vehicle. Think of it as a demolition derby, but without the demolition.
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