A brief history of Chalo Nitka: Seminole for “Big Bass,” Chalo Nitka is a festival that originated in 1948 to celebrate the paving of then Main Street in Moore Haven, the event had a week-long fishing contest for residents around the lake. Bringing home the biggest bass got you crowned the King or Queen of the Bass.
About Chalo Nitka
About Chalo Nitka
About Chalo Nitka
About Chalo Nitka
About Chalo Nitka
About Chalo Nitka
Since that time, the Annual Chalo Nitka Festival has evolved into what it is today, a week-long series of events that showcase the southern hospitality of Glades County and our friends from the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Now one of Florida’s oldest continuous festivals, Chalo Nitka has turned into Glades County’s fair with events sure to delight everyone. From livestock shows to alligator wrestling, to a ranch rodeo, Chalo Nitka is the place to be the first weekend in March. For more information on the festival’s events please see the schedule as it gets closer to the date. We hope you stop by and enjoy Chalo Nitka and get a sense of the natural beauty Glades County and Moore Haven have to offer.
Named partly for the Florida Everglades, Glades County is located on the southwest edge of Lake Okeechobee in South Florida and was developed in 1921. On the bank of the largest freshwater lake in Florida, Glades County is a rural county known mostly for its primarily agricultural land use for citrus, sugar cane, and other crop production. Also, since Glades County is connected with Lake Okeechobee, eco-tourism is a draw for many bird watchers and amateur/professional fisherman because of some of the best bass fishing in the world. The total area of Glades County is 986 square miles with 774 square miles being land and 213 square miles comprised of water. The population of Glades County is approximately 12,126 including Moore Haven, named after founder, James A. Moore. Also, the Caloosahatchee River runs through Glades County which is part of Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway. There are five unincorporated communities in Glades County: Buckhead Ridge, Lakeport, Ortona, Palmdale, and Muse along with the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation located in northeast Glades County, home to the Brighton Seminole Casino.
Glades County residents appreciate nature which is evident in the rich history and traditions that have been present for generations. Recreational opportunities are abundant in Glades County, whether visiting The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail which winds its way through the county, canoeing at Fisheating Creek or taking advantage of the numerous hunting and fishing opportunities Glades County has to offer.
