"Couple Sees Man Sized Bird...Creature...Something."
The Fall season is fast approaching us and as I sit down to watch Hocus Pocus, I think about the day I had traveling to my first Mothman Festival!
This festival is only about bringing people into their community selling corn dogs, lemonade and funnel cakes to families to celebrate folklore that been passed down in recent history but it's shrouded in mystery of man, bird like creature who has been known to torment innocent bystanders.
November 15, 1966 the first sighting of the Mothman was reported by a couple in Point Pleasant, WV. The sighting made all local news and became talk do the town. The first news headline was "Couple Sees Man Sized Bird...Creature...Something." However it wasn't really the first sighting that took him to what he's known for today; that tragic event happened on December 15, 1967 when the Point Pleasant Silver Bridge collapsed flaming the lives of 46 people. Investigators state it was an important pinning that came loose causing the largest bridge collapse in the US during that time; however, others claim they saw the Mothman attached to the bridge and beneath it as it fell.
The creature is said to be seven feet tall with a wingspan of 10 feet wide. It is said to be almost human like without a head and two scorching red eyeballs implanted on its chest.
Point Pleasant has come together to commemorate the mysterious Mothman. During this festival hundreds of vendors lined the Main Street of point pleasant with goods forms kettle corn to Mothman embossed Christmas ornaments. Activities such as zip lining, haunted houses and inflatable attractions, brought out the fun side in all children and adults of different ages.
In 2002 "The Mothman Prophecies" a major motion picture was released based off the book written by Author John Keel, a paranormal investigator that was in the area in 1967 to research the claimed UFO sightings in Point Pleasant.
In 2003 the famous statue depicting the Mothman was reviled. During our time at the festival people lined up to take selfies with the creature. Various visitors were also dressed up as variations of the monster.
On the waterfront they provided live performances with entertainment from tap dancing to singing; boats were docked around the levee. Guests traveled from all over the tri-state to take part in this memorable festival. As we began to weave through the hundreds of people it was obvious we were apart of an interesting attraction.
Somehow over the past 16 years this community has been able to turn their tragedies into a fun family oriented event! It allows everyone to show their creativity in appearance without being judged or feeling out of place and allowing them to escape our reality and join the mysterious Mothman in a different dimension.
I encourage all that are able to get out of the house and make memories, take selfies, and support our community's fall festivities!
Until next time Life, taxes and...
Josh
