54th annual Possum Festival anniversary
WAUSAU, Fla. (WMBB) — The first Saturday of every August means it’s time to celebrate America’s only native marsupial, the beloved possum. The annual Wausau possum festival has been going on …
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Did y'all make the festival this year? I met a possum queen once.
The first Saturday of every August means it’s time to celebrate America’s only native marsupial, the beloved possum.
The annual Wausau possum festival has been going on for 54 years now, and many people are saying this is the biggest one yet.
Developed in 1970, the possum festival has been a fan favorite for the people of Wausau.
Possum ice cream, over 50 different food vendors, live music, and donkey ball are just some of the few things that can be experienced.
The big day started off with a parade showcasing some of the residents and businesses that make up the city.
For those who are veterans of the possum festival, they say this is the biggest one by far.
“It’s actually bigger. We got more vendors this year. There are a lot more people I know. It’s not quite an election year. It’ll be more next year. But for what it is this year, it has built up exponentially from last year,” said attendee Derek Blount.
Another thing to celebrate is the return of the donkey ball, mix between softball and riding a donkey, it’s less about the ball playing and more about having fun.
“The donkey ball game tonight? That’s the super bowl. That’s the finale of that. So come on out if you’ve never seen a donkey ball game. We’re excited about it. It’s been over 20 years since we had one,” said Possum Festival Chairman James Walsingham.
The possum festival does more than just supply good eating and good times but also gives back to the community
“Every year, our biggest thing is we give scholarships in Washington County to graduates and seniors. We give a four year. It’s $1,000 a year, $500 per semester for four years to a qualified senior. So that’s where all this money goes. We got a great bunch of development clubs that worked together much hard work. It’s all volunteer,” said Possum Festival President Steve Taylor.
Even though the possum festival just started, elected officials are already saying they can’t wait till the next one.
“Well, we just hope everybody is safe today and have a good day. And we look forward to being back next year,” said Wausau Mayor Roger Hagan.
If you’re curious about the possum ice cream, it’s not actually made of real possums but persimmons, the reason behind this is because persimmons are a particular favorite in the possum diet.
