Join us for sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026, a two-day celebration of all things mysterious, cosmic, and fun! Taking place on the last Friday and Saturday of January at the Cowlitz County Event Center, this legendary weekend brings together Bigfoot enthusiasts, UFO explorers, and families looking for a unique festival experience.
Enjoy presentations by renowned Sasquatch and extraterrestrial experts, browse a wide variety of vendors, and swap stories over specialty craft ales. Kids can dive into creativity and adventure at the popular Kids Cave, featuring crafts, a bouncy house, face painting, and more.
With everything from Bigfoot legends to alien mysteries, live entertainment, and hands-on activities for all ages, sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026 promises a weekend full of wonder, discovery, and unforgettable memories.
About sQuatch Fest
sQuatch Fest in Longview, WA is an annual celebration dedicated to all things Bigfoot. Held in the picturesque city of Longview, nestled in the lush greenery of Washington state, this festival brings together enthusiasts, researchers, and curious visitors alike to revel in the mystery of the legendary creature.
At sQuatch Fest, you can expect a range of activities and attractions designed to entertain and educate attendees about Bigfoot and its cultural significance. From expert speakers sharing their latest research findings to documentary screenings exploring sightings and encounters, there's plenty to satisfy both the curious and the dedicated Sasquatch enthusiast.
Of course, no festival would be complete without food and entertainment, and sQuatch Fest delivers on both fronts. Local vendors serve up delicious fare, ranging from classic festival favorites to Pacific Northwest specialties, while live music and performances keep the atmosphere lively in the beer and wine tent known as Brew Mountain.
Skeptics, true believers, and anyone looking for a fun and quirky experience will find something to enjoy at sQuatch Fest in Longview, WA. Grab your camera, keep an eye out for footprints in the forest, and join the hunt for Bigfoot at this one-of-a-kind festival — who knows, you might just catch a glimpse of the elusive creature yourself!
Jeff Davis
Jeff Davis is best known for his lifelong work exploring the strange and unexplained of the Pacific Northwest. An archaeologist by training, Jeff spent nearly a decade working in the forests of the Cascade Mountains—legendary Bigfoot country—while conducting fieldwork across national forests including Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Hood, Umatilla, and Boise. He holds a BS in Anthropology from Portland State University and an MA in Archaeology and Prehistory from the University of Sheffield, with academic focus areas ranging from Norse culture in Greenland to paleoanthropology and ethnobotany.
A U.S. Army veteran with multiple overseas deployments, Jeff later served as a military historian both in Afghanistan and back home in the Pacific Northwest. Alongside his military and academic career, he has authored and contributed to more than a dozen books, including the fan-favorite Weird Washington and Weird Oregon. His work blends rigorous research with a deep curiosity about the paranormal and unexplained.
Jeff has appeared on numerous television programs, including the History Channel’s Haunted History and the Travel Channel’s Alaskan Killer Bigfoot, The Dead Files, and Ghost Adventures. He currently hosts a podcast on the GroundZeroPlus.com network and continues to investigate, document, and discuss the peculiar world he’s called home for most of his life.
Thom Reed
Thom Reed is best known for his role in one of the most well-documented UFO encounters in U.S. history: the 1969 Berkshires UFO incident. As featured on
Unsolved Mysteries and numerous other outlets, Reed’s firsthand experiences began in early childhood and culminated in a community-wide sighting that continues to generate national conversation.
A lifelong advocate for disclosure and accuracy in paranormal reporting, Thom has worked to preserve the historical integrity of the Berkshires incident, even establishing a memorial park to honor it. His dedication to truth, despite years of public scrutiny, has made him a respected figure in UFO circles and beyond.
At sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026, Thom will share personal stories, rare insights, and what it means to live in the shadow of the unexplained.
Kathy Strain
Kathy Strain is a seasoned archaeologist and anthropologist with over twenty years of professional experience, currently serving as the Forest Heritage Resource & Tribal Relations Program Manager for the Stanislaus National Forest. She has spent nearly as many years investigating Sasquatch phenomena, blending scientific training with on‑the‑ground encounters.
Her work in “Area X” led to an encounter in 2012 during an extended field stay with the North American Wood Ape Conservancy, where Kathy directly witnessed multiple Sasquatch—alongside unexplained sounds, glowing eyes, rock‑throws, and strange log‑like shapes that turned out not to be logs at all.
At sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026, Kathy will share her rare, firsthand observations from the forest, the crossroads of scientific discipline and frontier mystery, and what it truly means to study the unknown with both skepticism and wonder.
Tobe Johnson & Alicia Phifer
Tobe Johnson & Alicia Phifer of the YouTube series Olympic Strange Days are no strangers to the weirder side of the truth. Whether they are interviewing an experiencer of Sasquatch, exploring a haunted castle, or traveling the backroads of the Olympic Peninsula, Tobe and Alicia are ready with camera and microphone in hand.
As part of the production team of A Flash of Beauty: Bigfoot Revealed, Olympic Strange Days dives into more than just the mysteries of bigfoot. Local lore, abductees, cryptid sightings and beyond. Watch their videos to get your fix for all things strange.
Cliff Barackman
Cliff has been doing bigfoot field research since 1994. His expeditions have taken him to 46 states and five continents in search of evidence supporting the existence of undiscovered hominoids worldwide.
As the evidence analyst on Animal Planet’s hit television show, Finding Bigfoot, Cliff has applied his skill and expertise to a variety of photographic, video, film, and sound evidence. He has appeared on many other television shows and documentaries as a bigfoot specialist and cryptozoologist.
Cliff is especially familiar with the footprint and handprint evidence for sasquatches, and he is the curator for one of the largest collections of cast evidence in the world. His collection includes impressions from North America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.
Cliff and his wife, Melissa own and curate the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon which features the largest public collection of bigfoot evidence in the Pacific Northwest.
Ben Hansen
Ben Hansen is a former FBI Special Agent, television host, investigator, and educator whose diverse career spans public service, emergency preparedness, and the study of unexplained phenomena. Raised in Utah, Hansen developed an early passion for adventure and learning, becoming a licensed land and sea pilot, Master Diver, falconer, amateur radio operator, and Eagle Scout.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Abnormal Psychology from the University of Utah, studied abroad in Australia, and later completed an Executive Master’s in Emergency & Disaster Management at Georgetown University, where his thesis explored “Reality Compromising Events” in the context of extraterrestrial contact.
Hansen served as an FBI Special Agent, investigating federal crimes and national-security matters before transitioning into the world of television. He became widely known as the lead investigator on Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files and later on UFO Witness and related documentary series.
Ben Hansen combines investigative expertise, scientific curiosity, and hands-on experience to explore mysteries while helping others stay informed and prepared.
sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026 is proudly sponsored by
