By Brad Dickson from The Omhaha World-Herald
Are you looking for a romantic post-Valentine’s Day getaway? Look no further than Hastings, Nebraska, which this Thursday through Saturday is hosting the second annual Nebraska Bigfoot Conference.
I was intrigued when Hastings held the inaugural Nebraska Bigfoot Conference in 2017, but when I heard there was going to be an encore I was utterly enchanted. (Just not enchanted enough to drive all the way to Hastings.)
According to the conference website, the event is dedicated to sharing information on research into the creatures roaming the Midwest. It’s partially sponsored by the Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau (“Who needs the Shriners when we’ve got Bigfoot hunters, right?”). Tickets cost between $10 and $30. That’s not including scalpers’ prices.
It’s a weeklong celebration of Bigfoot, which doesn’t seem right when you remember that Mother’s Day and Presidents Day are 24 hours each.
I’ve always been interested in the concept of elusive sasquatches traversing the countryside. When I was in seventh grade I made a faux sasquatch costume to scare my friends. It earned me the endearing nickname “That Bigfoot Clown” from some of the parents on my block – a name that sticks to this day.
I also admit to watching “Finding Bigfoot” on Animal Planet, which is a lot of fun since the people on the program never spot a Bigfoot. You’re more apt to see Bigfoot at the Container Store than they are to find one roaming rural Oklahoma. The Bigfoot hunters are likelier to run into Elvis, D.B. Cooper, Michael Bolton, Oprah and Jimmy Hoffa camping together in a clearing than to spy a Bigfoot. To me this adds to the offbeat charm.
Convention attendees in Hastings will hear from experts and watch a movie containing Bigfoot footage. There will also be food vendors, for those who like their Sasquatch grilled or fried.
Are you looking for a romantic post-Valentine’s Day getaway? Look no further than Hastings, Nebraska, which this Thursday through Saturday is hosting the second annual Nebraska Bigfoot Conference.
I was intrigued when Hastings held the inaugural Nebraska Bigfoot Conference in 2017, but when I heard there was going to be an encore I was utterly enchanted. (Just not enchanted enough to drive all the way to Hastings.)
According to the conference website, the event is dedicated to sharing information on research into the creatures roaming the Midwest. It’s partially sponsored by the Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau (“Who needs the Shriners when we’ve got Bigfoot hunters, right?”). Tickets cost between $10 and $30. That’s not including scalpers’ prices.
It’s a weeklong celebration of Bigfoot, which doesn’t seem right when you remember that Mother’s Day and Presidents Day are 24 hours each.
I’ve always been interested in the concept of elusive sasquatches traversing the countryside. When I was in seventh grade I made a faux sasquatch costume to scare my friends. It earned me the endearing nickname “That Bigfoot Clown” from some of the parents on my block – a name that sticks to this day.
I also admit to watching “Finding Bigfoot” on Animal Planet, which is a lot of fun since the people on the program never spot a Bigfoot. You’re more apt to see Bigfoot at the Container Store than they are to find one roaming rural Oklahoma. The Bigfoot hunters are likelier to run into Elvis, D.B. Cooper, Michael Bolton, Oprah and Jimmy Hoffa camping together in a clearing than to spy a Bigfoot. To me this adds to the offbeat charm.
Convention attendees in Hastings will hear from experts and watch a movie containing Bigfoot footage. There will also be food vendors, for those who like their Sasquatch grilled or fried.
The focus is on the Nebraska Bigfoot – which immediately made me picture a large, hairy creature with a red rubber corncob on its head, vaping and waving a half-eaten Runza.
Last year’s conference drew 750 Bigfooters. This year organizers hope to nearly double that. At the current rate of growth, by 2030 there will be more people at the Nebraska Bigfoot Conference than are packed into Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
All of which raises the question: Is this really necessary? If so, why? And then I saw the key phrase on the website – “merchandise vendors.” “Get your official Sasquatch yo-yo right here.”
But it’s easy to make fun of this event and the people who attend. In an age where seemingly everything is upside down, I have to ask: What if they’re right? In a world where former reality TV reality hosts run for president and where NBA players gain followers after claiming the Earth is flat, is it not possible that Bigfoot is real?
I’m open to the idea of Bigfoot wandering the expansive Nebraska landscape. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they outnumber humans in Cherry County by 3-to-1.
It’s plausible that very few of us ever see a Bigfoot. They purportedly hang out in areas where humans don’t. I’m talking desolate, uninhabited spots like dry creek beds, hidden forests and Sears.
All of which raises the question: Is this really necessary? If so, why? And then I saw the key phrase on the website – “merchandise vendors.” “Get your official Sasquatch yo-yo right here.”
But it’s easy to make fun of this event and the people who attend. In an age where seemingly everything is upside down, I have to ask: What if they’re right? In a world where former reality TV reality hosts run for president and where NBA players gain followers after claiming the Earth is flat, is it not possible that Bigfoot is real?
I’m open to the idea of Bigfoot wandering the expansive Nebraska landscape. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they outnumber humans in Cherry County by 3-to-1.
It’s plausible that very few of us ever see a Bigfoot. They purportedly hang out in areas where humans don’t. I’m talking desolate, uninhabited spots like dry creek beds, hidden forests and Sears.
If only these creatures could be lured out of their shells. Imagine how much fun it’d be to spot a family of sasquatches sliding down the new zip lines at Mahoney State Park.
Legend has it Bigfoots communicate by crude grunts and growls, which would make them a natural fit for the Unicameral.
It’s feasible that history will remember the Bigfooters as pioneers of sorts. The rest of us may be relative scientific illiterates like our ancestors who thought the sun revolves around the Earth. (Note to those who get all their news from their Facebook feeds: The sun does not revolve around the earth.)
In a world gone mad, it’s possible the Bigfoot hunters are right and these nomadic, reclusive beasts are real. What if they’re not right? Well, searching for one probably beats paintball and glamping when it comes to outdoor hobbies.
I’m willing to give the Sasquatch chasers the benefit of the doubt. These folks are nothing like those Loch Ness Monster-searching posers. This might be the real deal. And just in case it’s not, I may dig out my old seventh-grade Bigfoot costume and head for Hastings.
Legend has it Bigfoots communicate by crude grunts and growls, which would make them a natural fit for the Unicameral.
It’s feasible that history will remember the Bigfooters as pioneers of sorts. The rest of us may be relative scientific illiterates like our ancestors who thought the sun revolves around the Earth. (Note to those who get all their news from their Facebook feeds: The sun does not revolve around the earth.)
In a world gone mad, it’s possible the Bigfoot hunters are right and these nomadic, reclusive beasts are real. What if they’re not right? Well, searching for one probably beats paintball and glamping when it comes to outdoor hobbies.
I’m willing to give the Sasquatch chasers the benefit of the doubt. These folks are nothing like those Loch Ness Monster-searching posers. This might be the real deal. And just in case it’s not, I may dig out my old seventh-grade Bigfoot costume and head for Hastings.
Source: The Omhaha World-Herald
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