Goose-a-palooza
Sumner, Missouri (population 142), prides itself on being the “Wild Goose Capital of the World.” Up to 80,000 Canada geese...
Sumner, Missouri (population 142), prides itself on being the “Wild Goose Capital of the World.” Up to 80,000 Canada geese winter on nearby Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a fact commemorated by Maxie, “The World’s Largest Goose.” The statue stands 40 feet tall, weighs 5,500 pounds and has a 65-foot wingspan. It was christened at Sumner’s 1976 Goose Festival by the Goose Festival Queen with a bottle of water from the nearby Grand River.
The festival draws thousands of visitors each October. Organizers say this year’s event (Oct. 21-22) is sure to be the biggest yet, with a goose-calling contest, a gooseberry pie cook-off, a trap shoot and arm wrestling. (660-938-4667; goosefestival.com) –Keith Sutton
