IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – Over the weekend, Iron Mountain’s event venue buzzed with excitement as hundreds of reptile enthusiasts flocked to the annual Reptile Expo. The venue, Maxx Entertainment Center, was packed with creatures of all kinds, from slithering snakes to chameleons, to crawling tarantulas, drawing in crowds from across the region.
“Today is our reptile show, and it’s everything from snakes, lizards, spiders, and all kinds of cool things,” said Dave Fraser, the owner of Maxx Entertainment Center. “There’s people here from as far as Eau Claire and Marquette, Houghton and Green Bay.”
Local children eagerly lined up for the chance to handle chameleons, snakes, and spiders. “This is one of those events that’s always really busy, too,” Fraser added. “The kids love coming, and it’s one of the feel-good events that we do.”
The expo featured exhibitors from various places, including a local family reptile business known for their library programming and birthday parties. Kristin Glaser, co-owner and CEO of Glaser’s Reptarium of Iron Mountain, showcased an array of creatures, highlighting the diversity of reptiles.
“We had a small show here about a year ago,” Fraser recalled. “The Glasers came to us and said, ‘Hey, let’s try to do this again, but let’s bring a bunch of people in.’ And that’s where we are now.”
Kristin Glaser, who’s been showing reptile exhibits locally with her family for about 2.5 years, emphasized the care and dedication required to raise reptiles. “They require a lot of space,” she explained. “You have to have heat lamps, the proper substrate, the proper food for them.”
Glaser’s daughter, Elizabeth, showcased her pet pink-toed tarantula, Charlotte, demonstrating how friendly and engaging these creatures can be. “Charlotte is very friendly,” Glaser said proudly. “Elizabeth gets her spider to give her a ‘spider-five’.”
Glaser shared how what started out as a family hobby turned into a family business that does local programming within the community.
“So we had a family hobby, our 4 daughters all wanted more pets, and the second living room in the lower level of our home; we renovated and turned it into an entire reptarium, and we started getting bookings in the community, so we opened it up as a business and now people can book us,’ stated Glaser. Glaser’s Reptarium books anything from birthday parties to boy scout & girl scout programming, expo’s, and they are opening several summer reading programs in May.
“We did 7 birthday parties last year, and we’ve got 3 booked so far this year. We have this show, we’re going to be at the library at the Nordic center at North Dickinson school for the library’s opening summer reading show on May 20th in the afternoon. And then we’re going to be at the main [Dickinson County] library from 6 – 8 p.m. on May 20. We’ll be at the Norway library on the 21st from 6 – 8,” informed Glaser.
Despite initial apprehensions, many attendees found themselves overcoming their fears and embracing the opportunity to interact with these fascinating creatures. “I think they’re probably very scared,” Glaser remarked about people holding one of the creatures for the first time. “You know, probably hyperventilating.”
Looking ahead, Fraser hinted at the diverse range of events Maxx Entertainment Center has in store for the community, from concerts like Afroman, Overtime, and Green Jello – to UPW wrestling matches. Addressing recent noise complaints, he assured the community that they were working to address concerns while still providing enjoyable events. Fraser mentioned the new changes with the end of the annual Memorial Day weekend veteran’s tribute ride, which will now end at Maxx Entertainment Center, sponsored by Riverside Auto.
“Next week, we’re actually going to talk with the code enforcement officer from the city, and he’s going to go to the area where the problem is. We’re going to tune our system in so that we can still have rockin’ events without, of course, rocking the people,” stated Fraser.
As the expo concluded, Fraser extended an invitation to anyone interested in participating in future events. “If you have a great idea for one of our shows, just hit us up,” he said, emphasizing the center’s commitment to engaging and entertaining the community.
The Maxx is accepting new ideas for shows by e-mail: bookthemaxx@gmail.com
Glaser’s Reptarium can be reached out to by e-mailing: kristing23@hotmail.com
