CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KOAA) — Whether you're convinced Bigfoot is hiding in the mountains, fascinated by UFO sightings or simply enjoy a good ghost story, Cripple Creek is preparing to become Colorado's paranormal capital for a day.
The Cripple Creek Paracon is set for June 6 at the Chamonix Casino Hotel, bringing together paranormal investigators, authors, speakers, vendors and enthusiasts from across the country for a full day dedicated to the unexplained. Organizers describe the event as a gathering for anyone interested in paranormal research, ufology and cryptozoology, the study of legendary creatures such as Bigfoot and other mysterious animals.
Guests can attend presentations, panel discussions, workshops and vendor exhibits while exploring topics that range from haunted locations to unidentified aerial phenomena. Among the featured guests are several well-known names in the paranormal television world, including Amy Bruni and Adam Berry, who are known for their work investigating reportedly haunted locations. Additional speakers and investigators are scheduled throughout the day. The event is expected to draw both seasoned paranormal investigators and curious newcomers looking to learn more about ghost-hunting equipment, supernatural folklore and unexplained phenomena.
Attendees will also have opportunities to browse vendor booths and participate in activities such as tarot and medium readings. Paranormal conventions, often called "Paracons," have grown in popularity nationwide in recent years, attracting fans of ghost-hunting television shows, cryptid research and UFO investigations. Events frequently blend entertainment, storytelling and educational presentations while giving attendees a chance to meet personalities from the paranormal community.
For Cripple Creek, a town already known for its colorful mining history and reputation for haunted buildings, the convention provides a fitting backdrop for conversations about things that go bump in the night. Whether attendees arrive as believers, skeptics or somewhere in between, organizers say the goal is simple: explore the mysteries that continue to capture the public's imagination.
"The reason we chose Cripple Creek is actually very personal to our team," one of the event's organizers Ricky Gilpatric wrote to News5. "Two members of our paranormal team took a family vacation to Colorado and investigated the Outlaws & Lawmen Jail Museum in Cripple Creek. On the second-to-last day of their trip, a local woman and her father approached them and said they 'appreciated them' because they had watched them all week shopping and eating locally. That moment really stuck with them, and that’s when they knew they wanted to find a way to give back to the Cripple Creek community."
Click here for more information and tickets.
Ahead of the conference, News5 spoke to a self-proclaimed Bigfoot expert who claims to have discovered the body of a sasquatch in New York's Adirondack Mountains.
"The main reason I found the body was I could smell it," said Stuart. "These things are naturally stinky, but this was really stinky, really putrid. I like to say it was stink on top of stink."
Stuart said he found the body in marshy terrain west of Old Forge, New York, after focusing his searches near water sources during the fall, a season he said is associated with increased Bigfoot sightings in the region.
According to Stuart, DNA samples submitted to a veterinary laboratory showed what he described as Neanderthal DNA. He said the results were later reviewed by a Japanese documentary team and scientists associated with the project.
The claims have not been independently verified by mainstream scientific organizations.
The Bigfoot enthusiast said Colorado remains one of the country's most active regions for sightings.
"You guys have a lot of Bigfoot there," said Stuart of Colorado. "From what we've gathered from talking to so many people over the past 12 years, they vary in size and build and hair coloring."
When asked what advice he would give aspiring Bigfoot hunters, Stuart discouraged making loud noises in the woods.
"Bigfoots are naturally elusive," he added. "Banging on logs or making noise and causing trouble, it's not going to work for you."
Instead, Stuart recommends researching reported sightings, paying attention to seasonal patterns and looking for environmental clues.
"You have to think about it just like a human being," he said. "What are the natural resources that you would need?"
Stuart said his mission now is to convince more people that Bigfoot is real.
"We're in the age of acceptance and understanding, and Bigfoot is right there, right alongside the UFOs," he said. "This is all breaking through."
___
A second lawsuit was filed against Pueblo landlord over carbon monoxide poisoning claims in same unit
A second lawsuit has been filed against a Pueblo landlord over claims that renters suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at an apartment complex.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.