SeeCalifornia.com

Each year around Halloween Coarsegold (named for coarse nuggets discovered in a nearby creek during the California Gold Rush,) celebrates the intriguing and often misunderstood Tarantulas of the Theraphosidae family at Coarsegold Tarantula Festival.

My first encounter with tarantulas came in a cross-country trip to Southern California. Stopping to fuel up at a gas station on a reservation in New Mexico, I asked if I could use the restroom. The attendant didn’t say a word, but pointed to a shack nearby. OK…it’ll be fine. I stepped inside and oh my! Looking down at the toilet I saw a huge, hairy tarantula sitting on the toilet seat. As much as I had to go (knowing there were no other stops for over a hundred miles,) I just couldn’t brave the prospects of making the big spider move from its perch. I had never seen a tarantula and imagined that it would jump on me and probably kill me with its bite.

Where was Diane Boland when I needed her? She’s the reason the quirky town of Coarsegold celebrates tarantulas each year after one hairy critter was killed on the road and its accidental executioner was severely admonished. Boland, founder of the Coarsegold Tarantula Festival, said she felt inspired to learn about the misunderstood creature and ultimately celebrate it.

Most people pass through Coarsegold on their way to see spectacular Yosemite National Park, but if you are so inclined, take time to explore a rustic Madera County town with a population of under 2,000 and elevation just over 2,200 feet. Be sure to brake for tarantulas!