Photo courtesy of Destination McDowell
By Emma Castleberry
The WNC Bigfoot Festival returns to downtown Marion on Saturday, August 29, with a full day of music, educational programming, vendors and family activities centered around the legendary creature.
The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has grown into one of Marion’s signature annual events since its beginnings as a small gathering of Bigfoot enthusiasts. This year’s event includes educational panels, a Bigfoot Calling Contest, children’s activities in the Little Foot Zone, Sasquatch-themed vendors, local businesses and a wide variety of food offerings. A new Bigfoot Dash 5K begins at 8 a.m. at Marion Elementary School, and Honeycutt & Co., fronted by Marion native Jeff Honeycutt, will provide live music.
According to John Bruner of Bigfoot 911, the festival traces its roots to a simple meetup for members of the organization’s Facebook community. “The Bigfoot 911 group at that time had around 10,000 members,” says Bruner. “We expected around 50 to show up, but nearly 500 showed up. The City of Marion approached us about doing an upscaled version of our meet and greet. The rest is history!”
That unexpected turnout eventually grew into what organizers describe as one of the premier Bigfoot festivals in the Southeast. Bruner says the festival’s broad appeal comes from keeping the focus on fun while making it accessible to everyone. “Subject matter is the main driver,” he says. “It’s both new and old at the same time. Bigfoot is our Elvis. We don’t wade into politics, causes or things of that nature. Bigfoot is fun and interesting so if it’s possible to have fun and learn at the same time, that’s the effect we want. We also keep this festival free: no admission or ticket reservations required and we offer free parking and a free shuttle service to and from the event. That alone has been a big driver of our success.”
The festival also reflects the region’s longstanding tradition of storytelling and folklore, with educational programming that explores Bigfoot’s place in Appalachian history and culture.
“We have historic ties to the region going back thousands of years,” says Bruner. “The success of this festival tells me that our culture and folklore is alive and well in this digital age we’re in. Younger people are starting to take an interest in the past and want to hear the stories of our ancestors.”
For Marion, the festival has become far more than a one-day attraction. “The WNC Bigfoot Festival is significant to the City of Marion because it was the first organized Bigfoot Festival on the East Coast,” says Freddie Killough, executive director of the Marion Business Association “The inaugural event attracted 30,000-40,000 visitors and caused miles of traffic congestion. Although the festival organizers and the City of Marion were unprepared for the overwhelming interest in Bigfoot, the event forever tied Marion’s identity to Bigfoot. Marion enthusiastically embraced the new community mascot.”
Killough also says the festival taps into a mountain cultural tradition. “Appalachian people love a good story and are natural storytellers,” he says. “Bigfoot folklore is not new to WNC, but the popularity and novelty have created a fun marketing opportunity.”
Main Street will be closed from New Street to Henderson Street on the day of the festival. Learn more and see a map of parking locations at MarionBigfootFestival.wordpress.com.
