Nelsonville Launches its Own Bigfoot Festival

In the foothills of southeastern Ohio, tales of Bigfoot have been a part of the culture for generations now. The large, furry, humanoid creatures said to roam the forests of North America is celebrated across the region, and the Athens County city of Nelsonville is joining those ranks by unveiling its own celebration of Ohio’s most famous cryptid.

The inaugural Nelsonville Bigfoot Festival arrives Oct. 2 through 4 and was the brainchild of city councilman Cameron Peck, who noticed nearby communities were already embracing their ties to the big guy. After the Hocking Hills Bigfoot Festival moved from downtown Logan to the Vinton County Fairground in McArthur, there was a void of Bigfoot celebrations in an area the creature is said to roam.

“Several of the speakers and researchers had been kind of left behind when that festival got moved out of Hocking County,” Peck says. “This is a central base for what they see as their research, so they did not want to move it out of the Hocking Hills.”

Peck created a nonprofit group called Bigfoot Educational Group Nelsonville with the purpose of putting on its own festival. He says the hope is that this year’s inaugural outing will kick-start a new tradition in Nelsonville.

The family-friendly festival will feature educational Bigfoot and cryptid presentations from researchers, live music performances, food and craft vendors, inflatables and more held in the Public Square of downtown Nelsonville. Hear from researchers like Doug Waller, the founder of the Southeastern Ohio Society for Bigfoot Investigation and Joedy Cook who is the head of the North American Dogman Project.

In partnership with the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, festival goers can climb aboard the Bigfoot Spotting Express. Scheduled train experiences on Oct. 2 and 3 take riders through a portion of the historic Buckeye Route in hopes of catching a glimpse of Bigfoot himself.

When visitors aren’t immersing themselves in all things Bigfoot, Peck encourages them to explore the beauty of the Hocking Hills and all that Nelsonville has to offer. Grab a drink at Black Diamond Brewery and Distillery after traversing the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway or hiking at the state park, and head back into the festival for later-night music performances.

“Bigfoot, like many things, is just a reason to commune. This is simply a reason to come around and celebrate something,” Peck says. “These stories aren't exclusively Appalachian, but we have a very much our own vibe to them, especially if you've ever lived out in one of these hollers.”

To learn more about the Nelsonville Bigfoot Festival, visit nelsonvillebigfootfestival.com.

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