Bigfoot Researcher Mike Familant at the So. Chas. Public Library!

The South Charleston Public Library has one heck of a summer reading program for adults! All summer long, patrons can enjoy various cryptid craft activities, trivia, movie night, and…on June 21st, a lecture on Bigfoot by researcher, Mike Familant.

Mike, a New Jersey native, has been researching and investigating the Bigfoot phenomenon all over the eastern United States for quite a number of years, following his own experiences during a public Bigfoot Hunt in Florida. Now, as the owner of the YouTube channel, Sussex County Bigfoot, he shares his knowledge both through his ‘In the Shadow of Big Red Eye’ docu-series and website, as well as his lectures at various public libraries. 

The activity room was packed with curious Bigfoot enthusiasts who listened attentively to the hour-long talk. It was a well-informed, humorous, and interactive look at the Bigfoot phenomenon and the scientific data backing up the suggestion that a large, relic hominid actually does exist. Mike displayed some of his own track castings, as well as shared some audio recordings and photos of suspected footprints. His stories about his own investigations and experiences was really interesting, but he also covered a lot of more objective info, such as investigation equipment, what to look for when trying to distinguish a footprint, and various other facts about the suspected diet and characteristics of our beloved cryptid. 

Mike holds the opinion that Bigfoot is a living, breathing creature, not unlike any other form of wildlife found out in the woods. Personally, I enjoy delving into the possibility of a supernatural element to the Bigfoot and relish in the woo…but I totally respect looking at this phenomenon from a strictly scientific standpoint and presenting more…measurable…types of data to support those claims. But, overall, it was a fantastic talk and I learned a few new things (for example, did you know the average Bigfoot sighting only lasts 5 seconds?). I also just had fun being with ‘my people.’ Not only was my good buddy, Ike, in attendance, but so was Amber and her daughter, from Amber’s ParaWorld. There were also a ton of other like-minded folks who were genuinely interested in this subject and eager to learn more. One lady bravely stood up and told of her encounter, but I was surprised that more people didn’t share publicly. 

I’m sure they made up for it afterwards, as Mike was swarmed following the lecture with people eager to take a closer look at the casts he had brought, pick up a keychain, or just talk to him and hopefully share their experiences! I managed to snap a quick picture with him (thanks, Amber!) but time was short, and the library was ready to close. But, I walked away completely happy knowing that there are so many people right here in this area who are open-minded and eager to accept the possibility of Bigfoot…and maybe a few other unexplained things.

As an added bonus, while outside talking with Ike and some new paranormal buddies we met, I got to witness a little raccoon emerge from the sewer and boldly approach the trash can we were standing beside! It was cute, but we gave it a wide berth just in case! A large part of Mike’s message was to just get out and enjoy nature as much as possible, but I wasn’t expecting to get that close to nature out in front of the library’s main entrance, lol. 

Anyway, make sure you follow Mike at the links provided above, and if you missed his lecture at the library, don’t worry! He’ll be speaking this Saturday at the West Virginia Bigfoot Festival in Sutton! There’s an awesome lineup of speakers and events, as well as plenty of vendors and activities on Saturday, and a special banquet on Friday night (sorry, but as of this writing, ticket sales on Friday’s banquet have closed, but check with the event organizers for more info!)  And, for you Kanawha Valley folks who are itching for MORE Bigfoot learnin’, Wild and Weird WV is once again hosting a Bigfoot Workshop at Kanawha State Forest! Tickets are $40, which includes a ton of hands-on activities, food, and a small Bigfoot hunt in an area with plenty of known sightings. This year’s event will be July 15th, and ticket sales are limited, so hop on over to the Wild and Weird website to sign up. 

Happy (Bigfoot) Hunting, Y’all and Stay Spooky!