Pop Cryptid Spectator 10

Welcome to PCS number 10. Spring is nearly here. I can tell because I’ve been noticing a number of media reports ramping up for cryptid spotting. A key feature of pop cryptids is the idea that they are in your neighborhood and should be celebrated and marketed. So, I’m sharing some examples of these observations in this Spectator, as well as past and future ones. If you spot one from your area, drop me a message!

In this edition:

• California’s Bigfoot law – Spot the Sasquatch
• The British Bigfoot
• Wisconsin’s New Cryptid and Paranormal Convention
• Mothman-flavored chips
• First Nessie sighting of the year

California’s Bigfoot law – Spot the Sasquatch

Here is an update to PCS #9 issue that covered the proposed bill to make Bigfoot the official cryptid of California. While I explained that it makes sense to market your local famous monster for tourism dollars, the truth about this proposal appears to be much more… umm, shallow and dumb. In an article for a local CA paper, the assemblyman who introduced the bill admits that it was supposed to be a bit of a joke in terms of a “spot” or placeholder bill:

“…[W]e thought that it would be especially funny to introduce a spot bill regarding Bigfoot because typically spot bills disappear. We thought we would go over-the-top with AB 666 and that down the road if we needed to, we could amend the bill and tell people, ‘Bigfoot disappears; Bigfoot’s elusive.’”

Yeah, funny – wasting time with phony legislation. Hilarious, except the bill got a lot of attention. Now it’s not much of a joke.

The article goes on to note how deeply ingrained the Bigfoot belief is to the county. A volunteer for the Willow Creek China Flat Museum said that they had visitors from all ages and from around the world, noting the boost gained from TV shows:

“I think it’s generational. Every generation it seems to get legs again,” Nelson said. “A friend of mine who has a shop in Willow Creek that has some Bigfoot memorabilia was noticing that he was having grown adult (visitors), parents that were influenced by ‘In Search of …’ with Leonard Nimoy, and their children were motivated by or inspired by ‘Finding Bigfoot.’

“We have so many YouTube creators that come through. There are maybe four or five individual YouTube creators that filmed Bluff Creek content over the summer. It’s continual.”

So the Gen Xers had In Search Of… and the Millennials had Finding Bigfoot! The beat goes on with YouTubers and TikTokkers.

Wisconsin’s New Cryptid and Paranormal Convention

One new event this year is the Wisconsin Cryptids, Anomalies, and Paranormal Convention. This is organized by a local paranormal society: Cryptids, Anomalies and the Paranormal Society (CAPS). From a media report:

“Cryptids, Anomalies and the Paranormal Society is a research-based group out of Wisconsin,” said Barnaby Jones, founder and lead researcher for CAPS. “We research all aspects of the paranormal — UFOs, Bigfoot, the Beast of Bray Road, Mothman — any kind of creatures that are currently unidentified by modern science.”

“I’ve always been interested in the paranormal, ever since I was young,” he said. “I’ve always been interested in cryptids as well — the undiscovered animals. When I was younger, I always thought that Bigfoot was out in the Pacific Northwest. I never realized that he had been sighted in all 49 states aside from Hawaii.

There are a few notable items in these quotes. First, “I’ve always been interested in the paranormal” is a phrase uttered countless times. I could say it for myself, and if you are reading this, there is a good chance to you can also attest to it. Once the itch to read more about the mysterious and unexplained gets to you, it forever needs to be scratched. For Gen Xers and later, we were provided with plenty of paranormal media in books, on TV, and then on the internet, to stoke interest. This is a primary reason why paranormal events are so popular and making money! It’s nostalgic for many and feeds into the chosen identity for others.

Next, it’s important to note, once again, the association of cryptids with paranormal topics. More than ever, there is little to reference regarding the zoology of cryptids. The idea of it rings hollow even though it’s mentioned quite a bit by speakers invited to these conventions. Even though the phrase “modern science” is used in terms of investigating a cryptid, this is lip service only, as nothing in these town festivals is scientific; it is entirely cultural.

Finally, “Bigfoot was out in the Pacific Northwest” until suddenly, it was in every state. This is something I have heard verbatim from those not interested in cryptids but just living their lives and finding cryptids were in their backyard. They were shocked to learn that Bigfoot research was taking place in their state – Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio. In the 1970s, Bigfoot’s relations were noted nationwide and if you had what you considered to be a Bigfoot experience, it would not be considered that weird.

These points are essential to the framing of Pop Goes the Cryptid. The creatures became part of every small town and you knew of it. Then, everyone else knew of it too. Cryptid festivals capitalize on this knowledge and a pride in the local monster that reflects what it means to live in this state or town.

An updated list of cryptid festivals is kept at Modern Cryptozoology where I continue to update it as new events are publicized.

The British Bigfoot

Not only has Bigfoot spread to every US state and much of Canada, but it also made its way across the ocean to Britain. With England being a very unlikely place for a forest-dwelling wilderness creature to live, this great article from Esquire explains that you can pinpoint the surge in popularity of the British Bigfoot to 2015, associated with the arrival of the Finding Bigfoot crew.

“By the late 2010s, everywhere in the UK seemed to have a Bigfoot. Cryptid enthusiast Andy McGrath’s 2017 book Beasts of Britain is full of tales of people’s experiences and most sightings are reported as happening after 2010. Among these eyewitness accounts are the Box Hill Ape, the Haslingden Chewbacca and the Ape-Man of Scotland’s Abernethy Forest.”

Not to burst anyone’s balloon, but this is obviously a cultural phenomenon that has been easily adapted to fill the “wildman” niche for this part of the world.

“There’s a specific bucolic undercurrent in all these sightings, a notion that Bigfoot is a link back to a lost Britain — Edenic, gentle and free of urban sprawl. Believing that Bigfoot is happily sloping through forests and across hillsides makes our country feel like a more beautiful, rural place; at the same time, the improbability of his existence makes us mourn a landscape that is long lost. He’s a ghost of who we were before all the dark satanic mills and whatnot sprang up….He makes mundane surroundings seem vivid with possibility.”

The article keys in on the internet, particularly YouTube, that has aided in population Britain with Bigfoots. The proponents argue among themselves, disputing the legitimacy of tales and the reality of the creature. As is typical, when the zoology doesn’t make sense, the fallback is to the paranormal explanations, or what I call Supernatural Creep. People are insistent on what they saw, but because that doesn’t make natural sense, they drift to the para-natural to explain it rather than give up the belief. What are people seeing? It’s impossible to say except to note they are seeing what they believe in. Back in the day, they might have said they saw fairies and, not too long ago, ghosts or aliens. Today, it’s Bigfoot, because he’s reported to be literally everywhere, but found nowhere.

Mothman flavored chips

I don’t know if I can keep up with all the Mothman inspired products these days. The iconic creature is constantly featured in so many products including clothing, candles, and cocktails. Might as well capitalize on the popularity, right? Mister Bee’s, a snack company from West Virginia has introduced a potato chip flavor inspired by the cryptid legend. The spice blend is undisclosed but available locally in the Parkersburg area of WV. It will be statewide in time for Point Pleasant’s Mothman Festival in September, where I’m sure it will be a hit.

First Nessie sighting of the year

Scottish media outlets report the exciting news that Nessie has been seen for the first time in 2025. It seems the news brings with it hope that it will be a banner year for the creature. It doesn’t take much. The evidence for Nessie is found in ambiguous photos and dramatic eyewitness accounts, which is plenty to keep attention on one of the world’s most famous and beloved cryptids. This new account comes from the Loch Ness Centre, a key tourist destination that offers a museum of history and boat trips. An unnamed witness observed what appeared to be a dark form beneath the calm, still waters of the loch. The account leaves many questions, though. A photo accompanied the story, showing a dark blob under the water that is not exactly “calm”.

The object actually does not look particularly large considering the size of the waves (which are probably 10-12 inches, at most). The pixellation suggested the photo was greately zoomed and cropped. With the witness remaining unnamed, the photo is credited to the Centre, not the photographer. Hmm…. Off to a good start for tourist season, though! To the critical viewer, however, the image is entirely unimpressive.

Thanks for reading! Send comments, questions, or suggestions to sharon(at)sharonahill.com. If you want to send some cryptid plushies or other merch, or books to review, email for my physical mailing address.

For more, click on Pop goes the Cryptid landing page. Make sure you subscribe to all the posts – it’s always free and I don’t send annoying spam. 

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