The festival began in 1987 to honor the legend of Two-Toed Tom. “Old Tom” was a massive alligator that prowled the swamps along the Alabama–Florida line in the early 1900s. He was said to have only two claws on his front left foot, leaving distinctive tracks wherever he went. Stories claimed the red-eyed gator attacked livestock and even people. But when Tom eventually settled in Esto’s Sand Hammock Lake, the legend says he gave up his wicked ways.

Today the festival celebrates this colorful piece of Southern folklore while welcoming visitors from across the Florida Panhandle and beyond. Over the years, the Two-Toed Tom Festival has been featured in statewide and national media highlighting unique local traditions and Southern storytelling.