Some pretty famous dudes were born in 1948: Rockers Steven Tyler and Ozzy Osbourne, actor Samuel L. Jackson, soon-to-be-grandpa Prince Charles...
But not even His Royal Majesty can claim to be the official mascot of Manatee County. That honor belongs to another gent who was born in 1948: Snooty the Manatee.
Yes, world’s oldest known manatee turns 65 this weekend. (But he doesn’t look a day over 18. See for yourself on the Snooty Cam.)
To mark the occasion, the South Florida Museum and its accompanying Parker Manatee Aquarium in Bradenton is hosting Snooty’s 65th Birthday Bash, Arts and Wildlife Awareness Festival. The event happens Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission to the outdoor birthday bash is free. Reduced admission to the museum galleries is available for $6 to $8. For the soiree, 10th Street West will be closed; use this parking map to navigate the area. And because Snooty's a tech-savvy senior, there's a mobile website for the shindig: SouthFloridaMuseum.org/Snooty65.
Nearly 5,000 revelers attend Snooty’s annual birthday festivities, which will include entertainment, food trucks, children’s activities, wildlife presentations and a display of cards Snooty has received from well-wishers worldwide. And what’s a birthday party without treats? Have your camera handy to snap a photo of Snooty devouring his fruit and veggie “cake.”
Birthday bonus: Through July 31, 2013, anyone born in 1948 gets free admission to the property’s museum, aquarium and planetarium.
Get details at 941-746-4131 or SouthFloridaMuseum.org.
