INDIANTOWN, Fla. — As other towns in South Florida have boomed, Indiantown in Martin County is being eyed as perhaps the next big area for growth with thousands of potential future homes on the horizon.
But it was a big weekend for what is still the small Village of Indiantown.
The Indiantown PRCA Rodeo is a family favorite.
"It’s all of the different booths we get to visit. It’s all of the different food we get to sample," Palm City resident Meghan Shirey said Saturday.
The rodeo is big dollar event for the community. ndiantown Mayor Susan Gibbs Thomas said. "The effect of it lasts all year," she said. "Tens of thousands of dollars that the chamber of commerce is able to raise in this event going back to the community — to the young people, to help with field trips scholarships.”
The event was sold out both days with a turnout of over 2,600 people per night. They came from all over to spend their money in town.
Justin White, co-chairman of the Indiantown PRCA Rodeo, said, “we have people as far as Jacksonville, Florida, all the way to key west.”
Vendors like Gilbert’s Rib King BBQ get a chunk of those dollars. “We got about a 150 pounds of just pork," vendor Stewart Reese said. “That will probably go before closing time of the event.”
Those positive signs mean challenges for organizers to keep the event growing. Jamie Kirby, co-chairman of the Indiantown PRCA Rodeo, said: “Our goal is to not have to turn people away. We would love to be able to seat everybody.”
Plans for next year's rodeo are already in the works. City leaders and rodeo organizers say they expect next year to be an even bigger event.