Rabbit Fest returns to Copperas Cove

By BRITTANY FHOLER

Cove Leader-Press

The crowds came out in force for the return of the annual Rabbit Fest after a hiatus last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The annual festival, held annually by the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce the third weekend in May, saw fair weather conditions for three of its four days this weekend, with the sun holding strong through Saturday before rain and flash flood warnings caused the festival to be canceled on Sunday. The carnival rides opened up when the sun came out on Sunday afternoon, however. 

City and Chamber of Commerce officials kicked off the festival with an opening ceremony Thursday evening. Mayor Bradi Diaz and Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce Interim President Ross Oliver each welcomed the crowd to the event. 

“I want to welcome you to the 41st Rabbit Fest, and a special thank you because last year, we didn’t get to have it, so this year has double meaning, so this is the 40th and the 41st,” Oliver said. 

Diaz read a poem written by CCISD Trustee and long time resident, John Gallen, to kick off the festivities.  

Titled Rabbit Fest 2021 Redo, the poem reads, “Once again, Copperas Cove is out to play. What happens in the third week of May. The Chamber is on the ball and one of the best. They planned and planned for Rabbit Fest. Vendors, booths, a carnival and a parade. The Fest is ready to make the grade. After a year of hiatus, the Fest is back. It’s time to play and even have a snack. 2020 was year of pandemic stress, a year of few gatherings and events no less. 2021 bodes to be a better year. That’s why we’re gathering now and right here. Now, let’s open this fest with much delight. It’s time to have fun into the night. There’s much to do and enjoy Rabbit Fest because Copperas Cove does it the best.”

Thousands made their way to the Copperas Cove City Park to enjoy carnival rides from Crabtree Amusements and festival treats such as lemonade, corn dogs, funnel cakes and more. Across the park, more food vendors, including some local food trucks, set up to offer even more tasty options, and local craft vendors and merchants set up shop near ball fields 1 and 2. Other attractions include Central Texas Gellyball, an inflatable bull riding experience, petting zoo, and pony rides. 

Local groups and students performed at Fester’s Stage throughout the weekend, including violinist Hayley Sawyer, Self Defense America, Cove Charter Academy Cheer, Temple VA Band, S.C. Lee Cheerleaders and the Cougarettes Dance Team, the Copperas Cove High School Copperettes, the Sparklettes House of Dance, the CCHS Starlettes Dance Team, Kingdom Grind, Rising Star Elite, Lily’s Hosanna Korean Traditional Dance Group, UXO, Refit and Baila Pacifica. 

Friday night featured live music from Michael Carubelli before a fireworks show over the ball fields, and Saturday night’s entertainment featured live music from Curtis Grimes and Luke Prater, before another fireworks show. 

For long-time Cove resident Sharon Tabor, who served as the event chair approximately 20 years ago, Rabbit Fest was about seeing friends and mingling. 

With it cancelled last year, Tabor said she missed “just everybody getting together. Not worried about social distancing and everything like that. I think this year it’ll bring out more people to come out, have fun, and they have great entertainment this year.”

Tabor said that she loved the food at Rabbit Fest and loved how everyone has such a great time. 

Rabbit Fest has grown over the years and gone through some changes as the city has grown, but Tabor said that it has only improved. 

“It’s great because Copperas Cove is a neat community, and I think a lot of people don’t give Cove the credit that it deserves, but Covites, when we do something like this, we all gather together and support it, and the Chamber that we have is amazing,” Tabor said. “I’m amazed that the city supports every event that the Chamber puts on, like crazy.”

Julie Moser, with the Pink Warrior Angels of Texas, joined her daughter, Loren Nesler, over in the craft vendor and merchant section at their booth, selling Hope squares, Tori Belle Cosmetics products and items from Nesler’s small business “Neslers Family Creations”, which sells natural homemade candles, room sprays, bath salts and more. 

Although the booth was focused more on Nesler’s products, Moser said that she was also spreading the word of Pink Warrior Angels of Texas, which is a non-profit organization for people affected by cancer, and the events the organization has planned this year, which includes three races between this month and December. 

“We’re excited because we took a year off,” Moser said. “It’s exciting to be out here. The people are going to be out here, and today’s the most perfect day for that. I think it’s great that people are out.”

Another favorite activity also returned this year with the annual Rabbit Fest Parade held Saturday morning. The parade started just after 10 a.m., and participants rode down Avenue D from the Copperas Cove High School rear parking lot to the Cove Terrace Shopping Center. 

List of entries and winners not available of of press time.