Sasquatch, Bigfoot or Yeti- whatever you call it will be coming to the Eldred Town Hall as the subject of a presentation on July 3rd. Mythically Bigfoot is described as a large hairy muscular human like cryptid  who appears to be about seven to nine feet tall with glowing red or yellow eyes and inhabits the forests of America and Canada. Sightings of Bigfoot or the “wild man of the woods” have become a steadfast cultural phenomenon. There are TV shows, podcasts, YouTube videos, merchandise, and media of all sorts of those hunters and investigators who take to the woods and surrounding mountains looking for evidence of its existence. Legend has it that back in the 1980’s a large bigfoot-like creature stalked and completely terrorized families in upstate New York and to this day, residents in the community stand by the claims made decades ago of the terror caused by the “Kinderhook Creature.” A new book released last year and written by author Bruce Hallenbeck called the “Kinderhook Creature and Beyond” details more about the events that unfolded in Kinderhook, New York a small town near the foothills of the Catskills of about 8,000 rural residents located near Albany. In 2019 the FBI released its four decade-old files on Bigfoot findings and test samples. For several decades, sightings of Bigfoot has remained a hot topic and the local event coordinator John Bocchino of Yulan told me “Whether you are a believer of Sasquatch or not, Mike Familant’s explorations may shed new light on the possibility of the existence of an undiscovered species that scientists cannot yet explain. He is a native of Sussex, New Jersey and has done major research in our local area, and approaches each of his investigations with an open mind based on science and actual evidence.”

On Wednesday July 3rd at the Highland Town Hall, Mike Familant a former EMT, firefighter and graphic designer is now a producer/director, lead Bigfoot investigator and has been researching this amazing creature for over twelve years and has captured some impressive evidence along the way. From the swamps of Florida to the coast of Maine and every Bigfoot hotspot in between, Mike is the full-time lead investigator and producer of the show “In the Shadow of Big Red Eyes.” Mike is a proponent of cryptozoology-a pseudoscience that investigates and studies extinct, unknown or legendary creatures whose existence at this point is unsubstantiated by hard evidence. But in recent years with new technology available, this is rapidly changing. During the presentation on July 3rd which is a part of the 2024 Bigfoot Experience Tour, Mike will be sharing his most recent findings and present compelling evidence recently collected by his team of investigators. After decades of researching in the sometimes-treacherous conditions in the woods and mountains all across the country, Mike also will speak about survival tools and techniques he has developed over the years to stay safe in the woods. The event will include an open question and answer session. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the world of Bigfoot research with professional investigator Mike Familant on July 3rd at 6pm at the Highland Town Hall located at 4 Proctor Road in Eldred. The presentation is free of charge and sponsored by the Sunshine Hall Free Library and no registration is required. For more information go to sunshinehallfreelibrary.org.