CHARDON, Ohio — Things got a little weird in Chardon Square on Saturday. For a second year, the spooky, unusual and macabre descended on the town for the Chardon Cryptids and Curios Festival.
“It is just a fun celebration to celebrate all things creepy and spooky and weird,” said Jessy Harper, the event creator.
Jess Kidd, who was helping with the event, added, “You’ve got some macabre, some cryptids, you’ve got some — all kinds of different things.”
Little green men, Mothman, and Bigfoot all came out of hiding for the occasion. The elusive creatures were among those celebrated during the festival.
“If you talk to the researchers, that’s the best time; that’s when the Bigfoots are out moving around,” said John Turley, who was taking a break from bigfoot hunting to sell Sasquatch merchandise at the event.
Organizers said the lore stokes the imagination.
“The mothman, the Loveland frog… just things where you’re like – I’ve been out in Hocking Hills, I’ve been out in the woods and I’ve heard noises. The eerie silence of the forest all of a sudden – could a bigfoot be around?” said Kidd.
About 50 vendors set up booths on the square, featuring everything from handmade crafts to witchy potions to souvenirs.
“It’s unique people, the unique ideas that people have, the creativity is just amazing,” said Phil Dzurinda, a vendor who traveled from Pennsylvania for the event.
The event creators have also been running the Ohio Viking Festival for more than a decade. They said they hope the Cryptids and Curios event becomes an annual tradition for like-minded fans.
“We have a lot of people who are interested in the same types of things, they’re just not necessarily together all of the time,” said Harper.
You can learn more about the Chardon Cryptid Festival and the Ohio Viking Festival by clicking on this link.
