Hobbyists and skeptics alike are invited to Pocatello Bigfoot conference

POCATELLO — Professionals, hobbyists and those who person specified liking successful nan fable of Sasquatch will stitchery successful nan Gate City this weekend.

The Bigfoot Rendezvous will return spot astatine nan Westwood Mall, 1800 Garrett Way, this Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The organizer said nan arena is for those who are passionate astir nan fabled creature, those who person astatine slightest a passing liking and skeptics alike.

“You tin look astatine it arsenic entertainment. You could travel successful pinch a consciousness of superiority and laughter astatine nan stories if you want and nan much you listen, nan much you’re going to find credibility. If you travel pinch an unfastened mind, those who are connected nan fence, you’re going to find a batch much credibility,” said Brandon Tennant, organizer of nan arena and nan proprietor of Falling Rock Productions and Sasquatchprints.com.

Tennant doesn’t shape nan arena annually, alternatively “every mates of years aliases so” because “I don’t want to pain everybody retired connected my hobby, my passion.”

He described it as, “a gathering of enthusiasts. Some group telephone themselves, researchers. There’s conscionable a tremendous magnitude of group that are willing successful nan subject. It’s conscionable a ample portion of nan civilization successful America.”

The keynote speaker will beryllium Jeff Meldrum, Ph.D., a professor of Anatomy and Anthropology astatine Idaho State University since 1993, and 1 of nan world’s starring Sasquatch researchers. Tennant describes him arsenic a “rock star” successful nan Bigfoot community.

“If you don’t locomotion distant from a talk wherever Dr. Meldrum is explaining things astatine slightest a small much convinced that these things exist, past you weren’t listening,” Tennant said.

While Meldrum has been connected galore Bigfoot documentaries and speaks astatine different Bigfoot conferences, Tennant said he doesn’t get to speak to this organization very often, truthful he often schedules him to speak astatine this event. Meldrum will beryllium speaking some days, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. connected July 26 and past from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. connected July 27.

There will beryllium a number of different speakers astatine nan event, arsenic good vendors trading merchandise. There will beryllium immoderate speakers trading their published material, section artists trading their activity and others trading Bigfoot merchandise.

The arena will besides characteristic a number of nutrient options, including pizza and wings from Outer Limits Fun Zone. The value to acquisition a summons for some days is $30. Tickets are disposable here.

Something other Tennant hopes group locomotion distant from nan arena pinch a amended appreciation of is nan value of preserving Idaho’s wildlife and wilderness.

“I conscionable dream that one, possibly 2 of nan group that travel attending this event, travel distant pinch 1 much logic that we request to protect immoderate of these chaotic lands,” Tennant said.

A schematic for nan event. | Courtesy Brandon Tennant