You could be a resident of the small Florida town of San Antonio.

It has no Alamo, no river taxis and only 830 people. But it has the rattlesnake.

And right now, most of the 830 residents are getting ready to rattle. San Antonio is home to the Rattlesnake Festival, which will kick off Saturday and end Sunday.

Beauties will parade in the Miss Rattler Pageant, and a cowboy king will be crowed at the Western Wear Contest.

Gophers will race. Experts will lead a snake and reptile show. Pancakes, chili and barbecue chicken will fill bellies. And corn will be tossed.

The 43rd annual Rattlesnake Festival will be a community affair of the grandest order.

Thank goodness we don’t live in San Antonio. And thank goodness we have something better than snakes.

When it comes to small town festivals, Natchez ranks at the top of the list. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race isn’t just colorful and elegant, it is fun.

The balloons are unique — more unique than snakes — and the entertainment is typically a step above the rest.

But in its 24th year, it becomes easy to take our great race for granted. By now, most Natchez residents have seen a hot-air balloon up close if they ever wanted to do so. We all know imperfect weather conditions can call off the beautiful flights. And unfortunately, the best ballooning happens early in the morning — when some of us would prefer to be in bed.

But it’s mornings like the Sunday of last year’s balloon race that make all the conditions of the sport fade away.

Balloons by the dozen floated elegantly right across the Mississippi River, on either side and on top of the bridge. The sunlight was perfect. The weather was nice. The sight was breathtaking.

It was no gopher race.

The balloon race is special, and our community is lucky to have it. Countless volunteers and sponsors have made the race possible year after year, and we owe the wide-eyed wonderment of our children to them.

And to James Biglane, Cappy Stahlman and Ron Riches — the originators of the balloon race idea in Natchez — well, we are glad you thought of balloons, not snakes.

Small town festivals across America make our communities tick. Each carries a sense of pride for its townspeople, but some simply have to make you wonder.

While Natchez flies and San Antonio rattles this weekend, here are a few other events you could be attending across our country.

4 The Indiana State Hand Corn Husking Contest, Plowing Contest & Machinery Show in Huntington, Ind.

4 The Gautier Mullet Festival on the coast.

4 The Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, N.C., complete with worm races and cash prizes.

And next weekend, be sure to check out the Tarantula Festival in Coarsegold, Calif.

To each his own, I suppose. I’ll happily stick with the hot-air balloons.

The first flight is scheduled for 7 a.m. Friday, weather permitting. Flights will continue Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning and afternoon, weather permitting.

The gates for the glow open at 6 p.m. Friday.

Let’s just hope no one from San Antonio, Fla., shows up with any creepy crawlers. Those, they can keep.

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.