WHAT: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ department of wildlife ecology and conservation will host a snake-focused awareness and education event, Fang Fest.

WHEN: April 27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Amber Brooke Farms, 3250 NE 140 Ave., Williston, Florida

CONTACT: Meredith Bauer, meredithbauer@ufl.edu

ABOUT: Come explore the sights and sounds of nature’s misunderstood reptiles at Fang Fest, a snake-focused awareness and education event hosted by UF/IFAS’ department of wildlife ecology and conservation.

The event will take place alongside Amber Brooke Farms’ Blueberry Festival and will require an entrance fee to the farm. Fang Fest will include activity tables about snake identification, coexisting with snakes, environmental conservation and identifying myths about snakes. There will also be live snakes to view, preserved snakes for education and a raffle to win prizes.

The focus of the event is to help people understand snakes’ place in the ecosystem and to help them live peacefully with snakes in nature. The event will educate participants on biology, ecology and human value, identification of species and behavior, common misconceptions, conflict mitigation, safety during encounters and conservation concerns.

Interview opportunity: Steve Johnson, associate professor in the UF/IFAS department of wildlife ecology and conservation

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