The Ripley’s Believe It or Not attraction on International Drive will participate in World Sword Swallower’s Day again.
Free lump-in-throat feats will be attempted Feb. 28 by a handful of swallowers, including Dan Meyer, co-founder of Sword Swallower’s Day and a former contestant on “America’s Got Talent.” He has swallowed as many as 21 swords simultaneously.
Other participants include Franz Huber of Germany and 16-year-old Haley Hall.
The event is designed to raise awareness of the contributions sword swallowers have made to the fields of medicine and science and to raise money for esophageal-cancer research. Organizers say sword swallowing has been around more than 4,000 years.
Sword swallowers prominently featured at the first Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. For the 2015 edition, there will also be participants at the Ripley’s attractions in Key West, St. Augustine, Panama City Beach and nine other locations.
The Orlando show at 8201 International Drive will start at 1:30 p.m. Sword-swallowing performances will be free, but admission will be required to tour the Odditorium. Admission is $16.99 ($10.99 for ages 4-12).
