Thursday Thirteen #28
1. Toad Suck Daze is a 3-day festival of Food, Family and Fun held on the downtown streets of Conway, Arkansas.
2. What is "Toad suck?" Well, the name doesn't refer to what you're thinking. Back when steamboats traveled the Arkansas River, they could only travel when the water was at the right depth. When it wasn't, the captains and their crew had to wait on the river at what is currently the Toad Suck Lock and Dam. They, being good sailors, waited at the local tavern and the locals said that , "suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads." That's where legend says the name of the town comes from and festival is named after the town.
3. Toad Suck Daze is also home to ‘The World Championship Toad Races’.
4. It has free admission and proceeds go to support higher education in Faulkner County. During the last 25 years, over $482,000 has been given to close to 153 students.
5. The difference between toads and frogs...Frogs are green, slick, and slimy while toads have a rough, warty skin.
6. Toad Suck has a population of 288.
7. This area has long produced sugar cane, sorghum, molasses.
8. It has also been said that Toad Suck is an English corruption of the French "Taudis Sucre," meaning "sugar shack."
9. Toad Suck Daze was named the 1998 Festival of the Year by the Arkansas Festival Association
10. Facilities don't include a tavern now, but the original Toad Suck Ferry towboat is still on display.
11. Originally held at Toad Suck Park near the Arkansas River Lock and Dam, the festival was moved to the downtown location in 1990 due to flooding at the river and has remained in the downtown area ever since.
12. During the 1995 festival, Toad Suck Daze made an appearance on The Tonight Show. Edd Hall, announcer for The Tonight Show, reported from Toad Suck Daze and interacted with Jay Leno, who was in studio during the segment.
13. Toad Suck Daze has an "official" website. This is where most of this information came from!
19 comments, add yours here:
Neat list! Sound cool! Happy Thursday!
Oh gosh what a name ! I imagine my address on my visit card showing "Toad suck" !
well that is certainly more than i ever thought i would know in my lifetime about toad suck! ha ha
great tt!
smiles, bee
I think it would suck to be a toad.
Interesting facts! It sounds like fun :)
Happy TT!
This is my first TT! Sadly I can't put the linkies in wordpress.
Hard to understand why we haven't heard more about this culturally abundant town. . .
This is a great post, Crazy. 13 things I never know... and didn't know that I didn't know. Haha.
See you at my blog :o)
Again, another interesting lists you have posted. Thanks for sharing.
My T13 is up too.
Excellent....
I still think it should be called "Toe Suck" like I thought it was when I was listening.
LOL.
Happy TT!!!
I think it's hilarious there really would be a place named Toad Suck. I love your TT's, you're so fun!
What, NO ToadSuck Queen pictures???
I'm devastated!!!
;)
Thanks for the cool ToadSuck info!
Even if we didn't get any ToadSuck Queen pics!!!
Not participating, but must comment. How cool Tisha. You are so clever. Great job...Mo loved it too. Have a great day. :)
Oooooh, I´d love to visit -
are you sure I don´t have to suck any toads??? *LOL* - well, even if... I´d love to visit!
Great TT. More information that I probably wanted to know but great stuff.
Well, this is the most original TT post I've seen today! I love the explanation of the name.
I'd never heard of this before. That's pretty cool.
You're so informative!
Tisha, you win the prize for the week!!! I didn't get a list up but in cruising by your gorgeous new site, spotted the now infamous Toad Suck and had to get the news...Way to go, girl!!!
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