Annual Idaho Falls reptile expo back for another scaly year
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IDAHO FALLS — The annual Beast Pets Marketplace of the Rocky Mountains Idaho Falls Reptile Expo is back again this weekend with even more vendors and slithery, scaly friends for attendees to encounter.
It will take place at the Bonneville County Fairgrounds, 1542 E. 73rd South, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. It goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Annabelle Elsass, the expo’s owner, started it several years ago when she was 16. Now, four expos later, she said it’s coming back with 36 vendors, three food trucks, and too many animals to count.
Elsass and Shannon Hogoboom, owner of Exotic Evolutions, visited the EastIdahoNews.com studio Thursday and brought some reptiles to show off. See the whole encounter in the video player above.
They said the expo is a great opportunity for any prospective reptile owners to get a feel for what they’d be getting into. It can also be a good opportunity for anyone to interact with these reptiles.
“If you want to come see reptiles, and if you can’t own one, you can come in and just play with them, and you can support our local vendors,” Elsass said, as a snake rested on her shoulders.
Hogoboom said her business will be at the expo and running an educational booth. If anyone has any questions about reptiles or just wants to see one, they can stop by and chat.
“We will have much more than what we brought here today,” Hogoboom said.
Tickets to the expo can be purchased online. Tickets are $10 for those aged 7 and up; kids 6 and under get in free. Tickets to cover both days of the expo are $15.
“Just come to our expo and have fun,” Elsass said.
