Is anyone interested in having a conference in the Eastern US to discuss current events, share evidence, tactics, etc? Anyone interested in presenting? I would be interested in doing a presentation on how to properly handle a track find, trace evidence find etc from a forensic point of view).

Any suggestions as to where to have it, when, etc?

My ideas include to have workshops ("Track casting 101", etc). This would allow us newbies to learn from the wisdom of our elders.

Any proceeds from such a conference would go to fund further research (i.e. counter some of the cost of field work so that there would be no reason to charge $1000+ for a week of field work), etc. Such proceeds could also be used to purchase high-end gear (thermal imagers, etc) that could be lended out as needed to established investigators.

I'd go if it was close enough. Maybe somewhere in the middle of the East Coast...........say North Carolina???????

That sounds as good as anything else I can think of. I like NC too.....pretty state, especially out by Ashville. Any places to hold it?

Oh my gosh yes!!!! Ashville is very pretty and there are lots of B & B's and hotels in that area. Charlotte, where I am has a huge convention center and hotels downtown. I'm sure Raleigh/Durham has a convention center too but I'm not real familar with that area.

JMO but I think Ashville would be super cool!!!!

I don't think we should shoot for some sort of super huge arena as a site.....I am not expecting more than 150 people (at very most) to attend. Something along the lines of a school auditorium or something would work. Perhaps work out a deal with a local restaurant to give discounts on good food....same goes for local hotels to provide discounted housing.....

There is already an East Coast Bigfoot Conference/Expo held in Pennsylvania annually. This year's event is scheduled for September 25, 2004. Here is the link for the event.

^ I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem finding a space to accomadate you. A mid size hotel even would be able to handle 150 people in a ballroom.

If I can help in anyway let me know

Sounds like a serious "scientific" meeting- I mean look at the headliners!:

Dr. Travis McHenry: Founder of the Paranormal Research Response Team
Norfolk Virginia


Rick Fisher: Director of the Paranormal Society of Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
as an added special Bonus, Rick Fisher, World renown Ghost hunter and founder of the Pa Ghost Hunters Society and Paranormal society of PA. will be speaking on hauntings and ghost cases he investigated.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley: Author and Paranormal Researcher
Baltimore, Maryland
as an added special bonus, Rosemary Ellen Guilley, Author of over 30 books and paranormal researcher will speak on hauntings and paranormal investigations she has investigated




Why don't you just invite the news director for the weekly world news? I'm trying to organize a scientific symposium on sasquatch- a primate, not a paranormal phenomena.... We're never going to be taken seriously until we start seperating ourselves from the fringe "sciences".

I'm as much for garnering a "mainstream" scientific study of bf as anybody else, but isn't that a little like the pot calling the kettle black?

Edit - I posted a message to you in your research thread before it got hijacked but I'm not sure if you saw it. Drop me an email as there's some things I'd like to discuss with you.

Question--

Does the conference in PA also discuss Ghosts, Hauntings, etc.? If that is the case then I would rather attend something that dealt with BF only. JMO though

I know the last PA Bigfoot conference I attended they also had speakers talk about UFO sightings and stuff. It looks like this year it's Bigfoot and ghosts.

I just think that it's a bit much to lump sasquatch with UFO's, ghosts and that like. We get laughed at enough because of our belief in BF, we don't need to be giving people the impression that we also think that there are little green men running around or that there are paranormal phenomenon. You all know if we did that then laypersons are going to assume that bigfoot appears only after he catches the 8:15 bus in from Alpha Centauri via the parallel universe parkway......

Does anyone else see where I am coming from?

Ok, hold on! Before anyone judges anything, attend and get the facts!!! Find out for yourself. I find it quite funny, but the EAST COAST BIGFOOT CONFERENCE attendance was over 200 people last year and over 400 the year before. I havent heard any complaints from anyone who attended any of the past 5 EAST COAST BIGFOOT CONFERENCES, other then the comment just made by New Yorker about the UFO speaker. Let me correct you on the UFO speaker. Last year we had one speaker who mentioned a few sightings which were not of the normal. He talked about sightings reported that involved UFO's and Bigfoot. He did not condone the reports nor did he say the reports were factual. Just that they were reported. Does that make the conference paranormal? No! It was one speaker, that was it, NO ONE else spoke on UFO's. I even had Mary Green and Jan Coy attend to speak about Mary's Green Book and the research going on in Tennesee. Since it was the topic of overwhelming discussions. It was a great opportunity for anyone to attend and talk to them in person and ask questions. Now, to address the reason the ghost speakers were added this year. It is because alot of people who attended the conference last year showed interest in it. The group I run is called the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society. We research Bigfoot, and the majority of the conference we have is about Bigfoot. However, we work with another group that does other paranormal investigations including ghosts and it was suggested to add one or two ghost speakers to see how it was recieved. The ghost speakers have NOTHING to do with Bigfoot. There will be No UFO's, no Ghost Bigfoot, no Alpha Centuri bigfoot, nothing like that at all. There are 4 excellent speakers on Bigfoot, and two on ghosts. I usually keep my mouth shut and dont say anything on this forum, but quite frankly to attack a conference that I work my @$$ off for every year to put on without even attending it is wrong. That woud be like me attacking your family and I never even met them. I think before anyone passes judgement on anyone, you should get the facts. Until then, the adult thing to do would be to keep opinions about things you dont know about to yourself. And yes, if anyone else feels like attacking me, go right ahead, just proves to me the maturity level.

And as for a workshop, A year ago, the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society held a Bigfoot workshop in central Pennsylvania. It included how to make tracks, what to pack for an investigation, what equipment can be used, and how to identify animal tracks, plants, etc. It was a full day event. It was open to the public, we had over 30 people from the surrounding states attend.

Ive been doing conferences for over 5 years with the 6th one comning in September. Anyone who has ever attended the conference has gotten in for free and the only way we raised monies for the conference was from other generous researchers who donated to an Auction we held. This year we are only asking for a $5.00 suggested donation. and the money we raise pays for the conference hall, speakers, speaker accomidations, meals for the speakers, renting chairs, printing, press releasese, etc. There is alot of costs involved that most people dont even think about.

So, before criticizing something you have never attended, or know about, get the facts, find out for yourself. Then if you still think you can do a better job putting on a conference, try to put on a conference yourself. You will quickly find out that it isnt as easy as it sounds. Just ask some of those who have, Craig Woolheater, Don Keating, Matt Moneymaker, Ray Crowe, Chester Moore, just to name a few.

Isnt there a large BF conference in Ohio as well?

Yep Primal... Don Keating of EOBIC puts one on in Newcomerstown in Southeastern Ohio early in April. Been once, keep wanting to go back again, it was very interesting.

Bigfootboy--

Thank you for the detailed information on your conference. No attack coming from me, I was curious is all.

Planning large events are amazingly difficult, even with help, and I wish you lots of success this year!!!!

I agree with Eric, putting on a Bigfoot Conference is not as easy as it may look or seem. The 4th Annual Texas Bigfoot Conference is scheduled for October 22 & 23, 2004. Below is the link for the event. I am still working on a few more speakers.

Texas Bigfoot Conference website

Easy there BigfootBoy! I think (and correct me if I am wrong, usafmedic) that what he's trying to get at is, he wants to have a BF confrence, about BF alone. I have corresponded with him a coupla' times, and he seems to be a real nice person. I doubt he meant anything against you, or your work.

Good luck to him then. Ive held 5 Bigfoot only conferneces in Pennsylvania, over the past 5 years. As I said, we are trying something different but that doesnt make us paranormal or a paranormal bigfoot group. For some reason, everyone seems to think so.

This past Spring, (April 3rd, I believe)I made it to the Tri-State Study Groups' 16th Annual Bigfooot Conference at the David Barber Civic Center in Newcomerstown Ohio. We timed our trip pretty well and arrived about 4:15. Parked in one of the last spaces, it seemed like it was going to be a good turnout. Lots of pick-ups and SUV's. They had three speakers scheduled: Daniel Perez who talked about the Patterson-Gimlin film, Rick Fisher who covered some incidents in and near Waynesboro Reservoir, and Eric Altman who is one of the founders and current director of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society who had an eight-minute video presentation of some investigations and he also spoke about some recent research in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately due to time constraints I could only stay for the first two speakers. But it was interesting. The first guy showed parts of "Sasquatch:Legend meets science." He also spoke of interviewing Roger Pattersons widow and finding out that once and for all that Patterson was right-handed. The second guy talked about some tracks found near a low-level reservoir and a super-skinny Bigfoot-type creature that vanished right in front of his eyes while driving down the road one night. All in all, it was pretty informative and fun. The crowd was rather interesting as well. Pretty much what I'd expected, except for the guy (that I end up sitting at the table next to, of course) who decided to bring a whole COOLER! Not a can of pop, or a bottle of water, but a whole freakin cooler. This guy had sandwiches, chips, licorice, pop and who knows what else. If the guy wouldnt have been talking the entire time and rattling his ice, I would've found him funny. However due to his inconsideration for other people, I was forced to move up closer so I could hear clearly. I picked up a few pamphlets and checked out casts made of the tracks from Waynesboro. I'm looking forward to next years because they will be having it at Salt Fork State Park- conventioneers get a Bigfoot discount on cabins-woo-hoo! I can make a weekend of it!

P.S.- The Salt Fork State Park and surrounding area has a pretty good history of sightings.