Hobbyists and skeptics alike are invited to Pocatello Bigfoot conference
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POCATELLO — Professionals, hobbyists and those who have mere interest in the legend of Sasquatch will gather in the Gate City this weekend.
The Bigfoot Rendezvous will take place at the Westwood Mall, 1800 Garrett Way, this Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The organizer said the event is for those who are passionate about the fabled creature, those who have at least a passing interest and skeptics alike.
“You can look at it as entertainment. You could come in with a sense of superiority and laugh at the stories if you want and the more you listen, the more you’re going to find credibility. If you come with an open mind, those who are on the fence, you’re going to find a lot more credibility,” said Brandon Tennant, organizer of the event and the owner of Falling Rock Productions and Sasquatchprints.com.
Tennant doesn’t organize the event annually, instead “every couple of years or so” because “I don’t want to burn everybody out on my hobby, my passion.”
He described it as, “a gathering of enthusiasts. Some people call themselves, researchers. There’s just a tremendous amount of people that are interested in the subject. It’s just a large part of the culture in America.”
The keynote speaker will be Jeff Meldrum, Ph.D., a professor of Anatomy and Anthropology at Idaho State University since 1993, and one of the world’s leading Sasquatch researchers. Tennant describes him as a “rock star” in the Bigfoot community.
“If you don’t walk away from a talk where Dr. Meldrum is explaining things at least a little more convinced that these things exist, then you weren’t listening,” Tennant said.
While Meldrum has been on numerous Bigfoot documentaries and speaks at other Bigfoot conferences, Tennant said he doesn’t get to speak to this community very often, so he often schedules him to speak at this event. Meldrum will be speaking both days, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 26 and then from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on July 27.
There will be a number of other speakers at the event, as well vendors selling merchandise. There will be some speakers selling their published material, local artists selling their work and others selling Bigfoot merchandise.
The event will also feature a number of food options, including pizza and wings from Outer Limits Fun Zone. The price to purchase a ticket for both days is $30. Tickets are available here.
Something else Tennant hopes people walk away from the event with a better appreciation of is the importance of preserving Idaho’s wildlife and wilderness.
“I just hope that one, maybe two of the people that come attending this event, come away with one more reason that we need to protect some of these wild lands,” Tennant said.
