By Justin Andress The Mountain Times
Between Friday, April 11, and Sunday, April 13, the team at Mt. Hood Oregon Resort will welcome Bigfoot hunters from around the world to the first-ever Mt. Hood Sasquatch Festival.
For decades, the Mt. Hood area has entertained investigators who flock to our neck of Oregon in search of North America’s most popular cryptid, Bigfoot. To this day, the Mt. Hood area records more Bigfoot sightings than any other area in the state.
According to Lori Cabantoy, the woman planning the Sasquatch Festival, the Sasquatch festival is an opportunity to solidify the area’s reputation as a cryptid capital. The three-day celebration will blend vendors, experts, activities and live music into an extravaganza where everyone is welcome, whether you believe in the paranormal or you need some convincing.
Indeed, the deck of presenters is so stacked that even the cynical may find themselves giving their skepticism a second thought. Festival attendees can pay $40 for a three-day pass to presentations and discussions led by some of the most prominent cryptid hunters in the United States. Joseph Granda is providing a preview of his upcoming film. Renowned paranormal expert and author Jeff Davis will also be on hand. Cliff Barackman, the owner and curator of the North American Bigfoot Center and former star of Finding Bigfoot, will also be leading a presentation.
Those aren’t the only people who will offer insight into the Sasquatch phenomenon. The lineup of cryptid experts continues to grow as the festival date approaches. Education and speculation are the order of the day. Still, Cabantoy wants to ensure that the Sasquatch Festival is accessible to anyone who wants to make the trip.
An assortment of Pacific Northwest vendors will be on hand to offer any Sasquatch souvenirs you may need to remember your weekend at the festival. Presenters will also operate their own tables at the event so fans can speak with them one-on-one or purchase their latest offerings. There will be activities to occupy the kiddos, too. A kids’ area will have a coloring contest and lessons for tracking Bigfoot on his home territory. Kids aged 10 and under even receive free admission to the Sasquatch Festival.
The Resort is also working with a tattoo artist to give interested attendees fresh tattoos. There will also be a competition to determine who has the best existing Bigfoot ink. “Anyone who has an existing tattoo of Bigfoot, we’re going to take a picture of it and allow people to vote on it, and then the winner is going to get a free night’s stay.”
The Mt. Hood Oregon Resort will also provide meals from its in-house restaurant, Altitude, and live entertainment to people who want to accentuate their Bigfoot fun with good music and high-quality cuisine.
“We don’t want to cut off normal guests or the community from coming in and shopping the vendors or doing a meet and greet. Our Saturday night meal is being changed to an all-resort barbecue. Everyone who wants to come can come. We’re going to have live music. It’s going to be a party.”
In other words, locals who might spend their weekends at Altitude won’t have to change their plans between April 11 and April 13. They’re welcome to enjoy the revelry with festivalgoers. Anyone who has dined at Altitude knows there’s never a bad reason to eat there. Having the opportunity to chat about Bigfoot is just icing on top of an already delicious cake.
The Resort is also offering a special room rate during the event when visitors book a two-night stay. It’s the perfect getaway for both out-of-towners and locals who want a night away from home. Act fast, though, because Cabantoy says, “I know people are coming from all over for this event already. It’s super exciting.”
The Resort is a great place to spend some time that weekend whether you’re a Bigfoot fan or you love a Bigfoot fan. Lori explains that one guest traveling to the event plans to let her partner soak up the knowledge while she gets a treatment at the resort spa or explores some of the shopping venues, hikes, and restaurants available on Mt. Hood.
For more information, visit the Mt. Hood Resort website, and stay tuned for updates as this one-of-a-kind gathering nears.