Mothman Festival Celebrates W.Va. Legend, Packs International Paranormal Punch 

The largest paranormal gathering in the eastern United States happens this weekend in Point Pleasant. The annual Mothman Festival commemorates the sighting of an infamous, red-eyed legend with wings.

What started out in 2003 with hot dogs and books on a couple of folding tables has grown to thousands who come to Mason County from across the country, and the globe. They flock to the Ohio River city to revel in all things Mothman…and then some.

Back in 1966, some locals claimed to spot a mysterious, red eyed, flying what-ever-it-was. Area school children were sheltered in place. And, as festival co-founder Jeff Wamsley explains, the Mothman legend grew. 

“There was a professor from WVU that came in and said it was a Sandhill Crane,” Wamsley said. “Some people just thought it was an enormous bird. One guy said it was as big as an airplane.  Some of the original witnesses said it resembled a man with wings and those prominent red eyes.”

This weekend’s Saturday and Sunday festival will have all the usual food vendors, kid-friendly areas and live bands playing on the riverfront. But there will also be plenty of the unusual.

Costumed creatures, including various versions of Mothman, Men in Black and numerous otherworldly beings, will descend on Point Pleasant’s Main Street. Visitors can get t-shirts and more at the Mothman Museum, then take selfies with the giant, gleaming silver Mothman statue. 

On Saturday, the fest includes presentations from several renowned paranormal experts and filmmakers.  

Point Pleasant Tourism Director Denny Bellamy says one festival highlight begins after dark. That’s when hayrides will loop the brave and curious through the abandoned World War II TNT bunkers just outside town, where the winged behemoth was first sighted.   

“It kind of brings that whole thing to life when you see the area out there,” Bellamy said.  “Knowing that it’s an abandoned facility where they made the explosives in testing the nuclear bomb goes along with the whole narrative.”

Bellamy says the Mothman legend has fueled an economic boom in Point Pleasant, making it the most filmed community in West Virginia. 

“We’ve made over 70 Mothman television shows in the last three years,” Bellamy said. “There’s a Mothman show currently running on probably 16 different networks. And for all of the paranormal people, other than Roswell, New Mexico out west, this is the place to be.”

For details on this weekend’s festival, including parking tips, a list of guest speakers and other TNT area tours, go to mothmanfestival.com.