Thursday, October 9, 2014

Post Event Report-2014 Honobia Bigfoot Conference and Festival

First We at the Honobia Bigfoot Club and Honobia Bigfoot Conference and Festival Committee would like to thank all volunteers and members of the scholarship fund organization for a very successful event this year. All the hard work and long hours paid off. Below is a brief report on what took place and some of the highlights. The scholarship fund and financial report is not out yet. This year proved to be in evidence of what it means to have a great team working together to accomplish a goal.

The conference and festival being led by the Honobia Bigfoot Club President Tom Hefner performed flawlessly and only through his leadership and motivation is why the conference and festival was such a great success. The conference lead organizer Farlan Huff was waking around with a big grin on his face. Farlan is one of the original organizers and brainstorm engineers of the first Bigfoot conference and festival in 2005. So he knows what to expect, and he didn't expect the size of the crowds each day. Unofficial report (not in as of yet) due to the wrist bands that were passed out at the front gate, the number of visitors on Friday (Oct 3rd) were in the area of 500+ and on Saturday (Oct 4th) indicated to be more than 1600+. The exact count has not been turned in as of today's date. But the numbers are far more than organizers expected. Assisted conference organizer Troy Hudson said this "The numbers this weekend surpassed the total attendance for the conference and festival for both 2010 and 2011 years combined".

The Festival

The festival was more than President Tom Hefner expected as well, there were only two food vendor trailers on site (in the past there are normally 4 food vendors) and the vendor cooks could barley keep up with the orders. The kids had fun in the bounce houses and the entertainment kept people coming back for more. There were vendors of every kind. Bigfoot T-Shirts, coffee mugs, stickers, and raffle tickets were on sale and they went fast. I was told that the Bigfoot Scholarship coffee mugs were sold out on the first day. There was even a trailer display of several Bigfoots and even a life sized Bigfoot for everyone to get their picture next too. Bigfoot was seen on the property making his appearance for everyone to get their picture taken with.

The Conference

Dr. Jeff Meldrum is no stranger to Honobia, he has been a guest speaker at the Honobia Bigfoot Conference more than enough times to understand and appreciate the beauty in which SE Oklahoma is well known for. Speaker Ron Morehead also spoke, this was his first time to speak and visit SE Oklahoma. I am pretty sure he will be back. The conference was a huge success, there were more people on Friday that any other conference since it's development. Usually Fridays are very low in attendance due to school and work, but this year there were more people in the conference by noon than ever before.

Organizers said next year's conference will be "Better than this years, we plan to take it to a new level"

The Storytelling was also a great hit and proved to be as in the past one of the most attended events of the weekend. Led by Troy Hudson, "Everyone had a great time, several youngsters even told a few stories of their own, I was told by few attendees that this is all they come for is the stories" Hudson said.

It is no argument that October in SE Oklahoma is the month of the Bigfoot, make sure you come next year for The Honobia Bigfoot Conference and Festival.

 
Dr. Jeff Meldrum presenting his lecture.
 
 


Ron Morehead talking about Sasquatch Language.
 
 
Dr. Jeff Meldrum and one excited Family.
 
 
Vendors inside the Steel Tent.
 
 
 
Bigfoot captured and in custody (for now)
 
 
Food Vendors
 
 
Kids Zone
 
 
Bigfoot Statues on display
 
 
Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Ron Morehead, Farlan Huff, and Troy Hudson on stage for Question and Answer Session during the conference.
 
 
Visitors enjoyed the weather.
 
 
 
Watch for our "Bigfoot Activity at the 2014 Bigfoot Conference and Festival" post. Coming up Next!