Citizens of Cockroach Bay, Florida have always felt a bit embarrassed about the unfortunate name of their community. In 1918 they came up with a way to turn the negativity of the name into a positive.
That year marked the first annual Florida Cockroach Festival. The event has caught on, and now Florida natives and newbies alike gather on April First each year in Cockroach Bay for the Florida Cockroach Festival.
The day is filled with concerts, a chili cookoff, and a contest to elect the annual Cockroach King and Cockroach Queen.