24th Annual Worm Gruntin’ Festival

The little town of Sopchoppy is on the eastern edge of the Apalachicola National Forest, not too far south of Tallahassee.

We bill ourselves as the “Worm Gruntin’ Capitol” of the world. Worm gruntin’ is a technique to make earthworms come to the ground surface so they can be collected and used for fish bait.

In Sopchoppy, they call it “worm gruntin’,” and we’ve had an annual festival to showcase their skills since 2000. You’ll see a Worm Gruntin’ demonstration, and children 12 and under can compete in the worm gruntin’ contest.

There are plenty of arts and crafts vendors and food booths galore to keep you busy during the day. There are lots of children’s activities, like a hula hoop contest, train rides, pony rides, marine lab touch tanks, face painting, and much more.

Live music will keep your toes tapping, and you can also enjoy a beer tent, historical displays, a ceremony to crown the annual Worm Gruntin’ Queen, and more.

Don’t forget to come early enough to get the Famous Worm Gruntin’ t-shirt in your size and favorite color.

The busy day ends with our musical headliner. Sometimes it gets pretty crowded, and you might want to consider bringing your own chair or blanket to sit on.

The dancing and music go on until about 6:30 pm. You will be well fed and happy by this time and know a whole lot more about worm gruntin’ than you did before you got there.

Admission to the Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival is only $1.00, and kids under 12 are free.)