Snooty Memorial Open House Planned for Sept. 10th

Since Bradenton’s beloved mascot, Snooty the manatee, passed away last month the local community has taken to commemorating him in their own unique ways. Building a makeshift tribute outside of Snooty’s longtime home at the South Florida museum, creating numerous memorial Facebook pages, and sharing personal stories and photos online.

Sunday September 10th, the South Florida Museum will make it official.

From 12pm – 5pm the museum will open its doors for free to bring Snooty’s biggest fans together in a day to honor this community staple. They will host hands-on and educational activities, an opportunity to see the museum’s other rehabilitation manatees, and the Bishop Planetarium will air a special movie about Snooty’s life.

While the death of Snooty just days after his 69th birthday has certainly caused a lot of sadness, it hasn’t been without its share of drama.

The accidental drowning of the world’s oldest known manatee has seen some backlash, protests, and accusations regarding Snooty’s death. Conclusive details to the direct cause are still under investigation.

The museum hopes to make September 10th a day for positive and fond nostalgia.

Museum CEO Brynne Anne Besio shared, “The Snooty Memorial Open House will pay tribute to Snooty’s legacy, while we celebrate his remarkable life and all that he has brought to the Museum and the world throughout his record-breaking 69 years.”

They also invite guests to share their Snooty memories from over the years on the museum’s website to add to their ongoing memorial efforts, www.southfloridamuseum.org/remembering-snooty

The South Florida Museum is located at 201 10th St. W., Bradenton.

For more information, call 941-746-4131 or visit www.southfloridamuseum.org

photo courtesy of South Florida Museum