The Two-Toed Tom Festival is getting an exciting new twist this year as Esto’s most infamous
legend takes a starring role in the upcoming video game South of Midnight.
A timeless piece of Southern folklore, the tale of Two-Toed Tom—a massive, red-eyed alligator said to
haunt the backwaters of Florida and Alabama—is now making waves in the world of gaming. Set for
release on April 8, South of Midnight introduces a new generation to this raw and powerful legend,
reimagined through a haunting Southern gothic lens.
South of Midnight is an acon-adventure game developed by Compulsion Games and published by Xbox
Game Studios, scheduled for release on Windows and Xbox Series X/S.
Set in a fictionalized Deep South, the game follows Hazel, a young woman whose life is upended aer a
hurricane devastates her hometown of Prospero. Pulled into a magical version of the South where
folklore creatures walk among the living, Hazel must become a Weaver—a mystical mender of broken
bonds and spirits. Along her journey, she encounters reimagined versions of classic Southern legends,
including Huggin’ Molly and Two-Toed Tom.
In the game, Two-Toed Tom appears as a decayed, albino alligator of massive size—so large he carries an
island on his back, complete with trees and structures. This new interpretation of the legend is embraced
by the organizer of Esto’s annual festival.
“Folktales aren’t fixed—they’re living stories meant to be reimagined for each generation,” said Ben Tew,
organizer of the 2024 Two-Toed Tom Festival. “Tom’s legend isn’t about the details—it’s about the feeling
it evokes. And with Two-Toed Tom, that feeling is awe: nature is wild, powerful, and way bigger than us.
Seeing our local legend come to life in South of Midnight is a thrilling way to share that legacy with the
world.”
According to local lore, Two-Toed Tom was a massive alligator that roamed the swamps along the
Alabama-Florida state line around the turn of the 20th century. Known for killing cattle and livestock,
Tom earned his name after losing all but two toes in a steel trap—his distinctive tracks became his
signature.
In the 1910s, Tom allegedly fled Alabama and took up residence in Esto’s Sand Hammock, a 75-acre lake
near town. As documented in Holmesteading: A History of Holmes County, Florida by E.W. Carswell,
residents of the me reported seeing Tom’s tracks and nong many missing animals in the area.
South of Midnight isn’t the first me Tom has surfaced in popular culture. In 2015, the gator made a brief
appearance in Go Set a Watchman, the posthumous novel by To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee.
The Two-Toed Tom Festival began in Esto, Florida in 1987 to honor the town’s most notorious resident.
Much like the legend itself, the festival has come and gone over the years—but returned with new
energy in 2024. The 2025 Two-Toed Tom Festival will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at
John Clark Park from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
For more information about the Two-Toed Tom Festival or media inquiries, contact:
Ben Tew, Esto Town Clerk 850-263-6521 [email protected] http://www.TwoToedTomFest.com.
