The Festival kicked off with the Miss Mothman pageant on Friday night. Once Miss Mothman 2011 was crowned, they loaded her in the back of a pickup truck with the stage mascot and paraded her through town so the festivities could begin in earnest.
As a prank, someone had scattered mothballs all over the downtown area. I mean, boxes upon boxes of them, and most were smashed. The smell of mothballs was overwhelming. I guess it was somewhat funny, but it must have really done in the food booths. Nothing is appetizing when all you can smell is mothballs.
They didn't really do a hell of a lot to pretty up the downtown area, but it sort of worked, given the dark and ominous theme. This theater screened
Mothman Prophecies and also
Eyes of the Mothman, which is an excellent and thorough (but very, very long) documentary about everything that happened. It's available on Netflix instant, if you're so inclined.
There were guys dressed as Ghostbusters for no discernible reason.
There were Men in Black around town, but their out-of-character high school girlfriends usually ruined the effect.
There was a Men in Black dunk tank, letting locals score one against the terrifying government agents who once stalked them. My personal favorite thing about this picture is the lady on the right hand side.
Anyone in costume was an instant celebrity, so people flocked to these guys when they showed up.
Check out the sweet homemade puffy-paint jacket on this guy admiring the Cornstalk statue. They really seem to love chrome statues in Point Pleasant.
The Mothman Tram hauled tourists around. This one stopped to take a picture of me holding a must-have...the Mothman Pancake.