2009 UFO Festival Wrap-Up

Thanks to everyone who attended McMenamins Hotel Oregon's 10th Annual UFO Festival, the second largest in the U.S. and growing! Guests enjoyed a forum at the McMinnville Community Center that featured keynote speaker and journalist Linda Moulton Howe, who discussed a 1974 New Mexico military encounter with a UFO; Kathleen Marden and Stanton Friedman, co-authors of Captured! The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Experience: The True Story of the World's First Documented Alien Abduction (2007); and down-to-earth and congenial UFO witnesses Kris and Marc Bales. This year, we were also truly honored to host several members of the Trent family, whose relatives Paul and Evelyn took the infamous Trent UFO photos at their farm in 1950.

In addition to the serious stuff, guests enjoyed the annual costume parade, complete with a replica of Hotel Oregon, an entire platoon of Storm Troopers accompanied by Darth Vader, Princess Leia and Chewbacca, aliens perfoming surgery on a human and, of course, a merry platoon of McMenamins Hammerheads and Rubys.

Festival-goers 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 to compete in the Alien Pet Contest. Upstairs in Hotel Oregon's Mattie's Room, guests young and old listened and watched Willamette Radio Workshop's free performance of “War of the Worlds,” done in classic 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 14 and 15, 2010, McMenamins hosts the 11th Annual UFO Festival -- planning is already underway! Sign up here for our UFO Festival Mailing List and we’ll keep you posted throughout the year on scheduled speakers, bands, events and more.

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

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.