Turtleneck Turtle Race for Alzheimers

When I moved to Alabama in 1976 I was amazed at all the little festivals there were. The cotton festival, the peach festival, the boll weevil festival(only in the south would there be a festival for a bug.) Four years after I moved here the greatest event I have ever attended kicked off. It was the Turtleneck Turtle Race for Alzheimer's. The tradition started in 1980 and pits amphibian against amphibian in a fun, family event. Few competitors leave empty-handed, awards are given in multiple categories, including best-dressed, best-decorated, etc. The coolest thing about this event is that all proceeds benefit Alzheimer's disease research. In 1980 that did not mean a whole lot to me because no one in my family had ever suffered from Alzheimers. In 2009 it means a great deal since I have two parents suffering from this dreaded disease. If you are not busy at 8 a.m. on Saturday, are the proud owners of a racing turtle, like to run(there is also a human race prior to the turtle event), or just plain bored....come to the T.C. Russell Airport Park and participate in the turtle races. When I decided to blog about this today it made me think....I wonder what events my blogger buddies know of and are willing to share. Heck...I might find a new event to attend. So what event takes place in or near your town? Care to share?