2008 UFO Festival Wrap-Up

Thanks to all who attended McMenamins Hotel Oregon's 9th Annual UFO Festival, the second largest in the U.S. and growing! Guests enjoyed a speaker's forum at the McMinnville Community Center that featured Rich Dolan, noted expert on the U.S. military’s involvement with UFO research. Our second guest, filmmaker Robert Nichol, screened his fascinating documentary about the crop circle phenomenon. Both gentlemen also participated in a Q&A panel along with Peter Davenport, director of the National UFO Reporting Center, so that guests could pose their own questions to our distinguished guests.

Moving on to lighter fare, the costume parade is always a big hit with the crowds. This year, it came complete with an alien pirate ship, creepy all-in-black stiltwalkers, a dancing dragon and, of course, a platoon of McMenamins Hammerheads and Rubys to entertain the crowds. (And who got to see the Red Bull skydivers floating high above Third Street?)

People also shopped for t-shirts, books, videos and more before enjoying burgers and handcrafted Alienator Ale in the outdoor tent. Pets of all kinds braved the heat (and the costumes) to compete in the Alien Pet Contest. Upstairs in Hotel Oregon's Mattie's Room, guests young and old listened to Willamette Radio Workshop's free performance of “The Thing,” done in 1930s radio-style theater. Big Mama Gayle & Her Sugar Daddies helped round out the weekend at the Alien Costume Ball at Hotel Oregon, a night full of great tunes, dress-up contests and conga lines that continues to grow every year.

SAVE THE DATE!

On May 15 and 16, 2009, McMenamins hosts the 10th Annual UFO Festival -- planning is already underway! In fact, we’ve already booked our keynote speaker – Linda Moulton Howe, an Emmy Award-winning and internationally recognized investigative reporter for “Coast to Coast with George Noory,” the hugely popular syndicated radio talk show that deals with topics of the extraordinary. Howe is also the editor of Earthfiles.com, on which experts, eyewitnesses and viewers meet to share the latest updates in earth and astronomical mysteries.

Reserve a room or package deal with Hotel Oregon now -- the weekend sells out quickly.

If you'd like email updates about our 2009 event, join our UFO Festival Mailing List.

In the meantime, have a look at this fun UFO Festival video. (Make sure your sound is on!)

About the UFO Festival

The festival began as a way to honor the famous 1950 Trent sighting in which two local citizens witnessed and photographed a UFO, said to be some of the most credible images of UFOs to date. Read a detailed history of the Trent sightings.