This year’s festival is dedicated to the late Marsha Smith. Prior to her death, Smith served as the Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce executive director and was a member of the Mason County Tourism Center. She was very involved in community events, and was an avid volunteer of the Mothman Festival.
The Mothman Festival weekend also will feature a wide variety of entertainment, guest speakers, vendors and activities. Festival action will begin on Friday with the 2010 Miss Mothman Festival Pageant, slated to start at 5 p.m.
The pageant, which is currently the state’s largest festival pageant, will take place at the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park. Admission to the pageant is free. At the conclusion of Friday’s pageant, the 2010 Miss, Ms. and Mrs. Mothman will be crowned. More Mothman Festival royalty will be crowned on Saturday morning with the Tiny, Little and Junior Miss Mothman Pageant, slated for 10:30 a.m. at riverfront park. According to Delyssa Huffman, pageant director, 84 contestants are expected to compete in this year’s festival pageant.
Festival events will officially get underway on Saturday morning. The inaugural Mothman 5K Run/Walk will get things off to an early start. The 5K will begin at 8:30 a.m., with registration set for 7:30 a.m. The 3.1 mile race will start on Main St. beside the Point Pleasant River Museum and will end at the Mothman Statue. Participants who have not yet signed up for the event may do so Saturday morning. All participants will receive a goody bag and the first 50 entered will receive a T-shirt. Awards will be presented to the top male and female winners as well as all age group winners.
Following the 5K, additional festival events will take place, including the Rodders Car Club Show, set for noon on Main St. Live music, featuring primarily local talent, will begin at 1 p.m. Those set to perform are: Jesse Crawford Band, 1 p.m.; Jeremiah Meadows Band, 2 p.m.; Blue Z. Band, 3 p.m.; 40 lb. Snapper, 4 p.m.; and All of the Above, 5 p.m.
Guest speaker sessions also are scheduled to take place on Saturday. All guest speakers will present at the Historic State Theater, located on Main St. Spooktacular Talk Radio will host the guest speaker forums. Those set to speak include: Chad Lambert, creator of the Mothman Comic, 10 a.m.; Joe Clark, founder of Commonwealth Paranormal, 11 a.m.; Alan Caviness, UFO investigator, “Caviness Report,” noon; Susan Shephard, author and ghost hunter, 1 p.m.; Rosemary Guiley, author, 2 p.m.; and Tom Ury, Mothman eyewitness, 1966, 3 p.m. Also set for 4 p.m. will be a special screening of “Eyes of Mothman” as well as a question and answer session with Matt Pellowski.
Festival-goers also will have the opportunity to interact with the original Mothman eyewitnesses on Saturday. Eye witnesses scheduled to appear are Linda Scarberry, Faye Dewitt and Tom Ury. The hayrides, a festival favorite, will take place Saturday evening at the West Virginia State Farm Museum. Tickets for the hayrides, which begin at 7 p.m., can be purchased throughout the day on Saturday at the Mothman Festival information booth. The Mothman Band also will perform at the farm museum during the hayrides.
Additional festival entertainment will be provided by Ernie Brown, a.ka. “Turtleman.” Brown will showcase his ability to handle giant snapping turtles. Other activities set to take place are downtown tram rides and Mothman TNT area bus tours. The Mothman Museum also will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Festival fun will continue on Sunday with more live music and guest speakers. Bands set to perform Sunday include: Jeremiah Meadows, noon; Mark Smith, 1 p.m.; Jesse Crawford Band, 2 p.m. and Parry Casto, 3 p.m. Guest speaker forums will continue on Sunday as well, with the following set to present: Christa Carr, West Virginia State Social Studies Fair project winner, “Mothman,” noon; Ericca Cordier, author of “Mothman Returns,” 1 p.m.; Kurt McCoy, author of “White Things,” 2 p.m.; and Andy Colvin, author and Mothman photographer, 3 p.m. A bonus showing of the movie, “Eyes of the Mothman,” also will take place at 4 p.m.
In addition, the Mothman Museum will be open on Sunday from noon-5 p.m. The Point Pleasant River Museum and the Captain’s Creamery will be open on both Saturday and Sunday of the festival as well.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit www.mothmanfestival.com.
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