An Unusual Festival

October 10, 2009

You may Listen or download this story in .mp3 format. or as a .wav file

Profile America — Saturday, October 10th. It’s seems Americans will use almost any excuse to put on a festival. That’s certainly the case this weekend in Marshall, Texas — which is holding a Fire Ant Festival. Thousands of people will take in arts and crafts, a parade and a bike race as well as a fire ant calling contest. The tiny, destructive fire ant entered the U.S. from South America at the port of Mobile, Alabama, in the late 1930s and has spread throughout the southeast. Texas has been especially hit by the voracious little predators, which have had a serious impact on the economy as well as biological diversity. Including the fight against the fire ant, American farmers use almost $9 billion worth of pesticides each year. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 501
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 801
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html