Resources:
Lee Van Roth's Feature Article: Inaugural Ypsilanti Cryptid Festival will celebrate creatures of folklore and rumor
Ypsilanti Cryptid Festival on Facebook
Transcription:
Lee Van Roth: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is On the Ground Ypsi. If you are looking for free spooky fun this October, there is no shortage of it here in Ypsi. Spooky Market Days with the Ypsi Farmers Market, trick-or-treating and a costume contest at the Ypsilanti District Library, and the newest addition to the Halloween lineup, the Ypsilanti Cryptid Festival on October 24th at the Freighthouse. It's the first local fest spotlighting cryptids. Think Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or Ypsi's own Smeet Frog. And it's bringing together artists, musicians, storytellers, and fans of the unknown for an evening that's part education, part community celebration, all around fun. Today, I'm joined by the festival's creator, local filmmaker Krista Kangas, to talk about what inspired her to bring this supernatural gathering to life, what people can expect when they stop by, and how it captures that unmistakable Ypsi Halloween spirit. Hi, Krista! Thanks so much for being here!
Krista Kangas: Yes! Thank you for having me!
Lee Van Roth: What draws you personally towards this kind of subject matter? What is so fascinating about that to you, and why take that fascination and turn it into an event like this?
Krista Kangas: Yeah. So, I started off studying UFOs. And I think the thing that got me into it was a documentary I saw. Oh, gosh! It was like early 2005. But I think there's one on the Phoenix lights. And that's the one that....I studied the phenomenon a little bit, but that's the one where I was like, "Oh! Actually, I'm taking this a little bit more seriously now." And I think I started to study UFOs for...it's been a while. So, I know all of that real well. And then, I later on got into like other cryptids, so it's like actually there's a podcast called "The Sasquatch Chronicles." And that's the one that really got me to actually take Bigfoot sightings more seriously as well. And then, I learned more about Dogman and Mothman and, like you said, the Smeet Frog and Goatman. I got Spider-Man...no. So, yeah, I think it's just I've always been drawn to the supernatural and the paranormal for some reason. I mean, technically, I did have a sighting. I didn't actually tell you this.
Lee Van Roth: No, I would love to! That was another question that I wanted to talk with you about was do you have a personal like history with seeing. Like, have you seen one of these creatures in passing? Have you seen a UFO? What is your personal connection there?
Krista Kangas: Okay. So, if you actually look up I think it was like "Black Panther," there's like a whole thing when people say, "Well, technically it's not black. It's like these other colors." And one of the cryptids is actually these Black Panthers that will just kind of appear out of nowhere sort of thing. And I was really young, and me and my mom were biking. And we both saw one just there!
Lee Van Roth: Oh, my goodness!
Krista Kangas: And it was just in a side street. And obviously, this could be somebody who just has an exotic pet.
Lee Van Roth: Sure.
Krista Kangas: But I have also heard other cases of this exact thing appearing to people in places it normally wouldn't be. That one seems kind of normal, you know? Black Panther, but it is interesting because I've had a whole book that talks about that exact thing. So, maybe that started. I'm not sure. Spirit realm's been in my life as well.
Lee Van Roth: Well, it's interesting, and I I wanted to talk about your personal experiences with this kind of phenomena because I'm wondering if Cryptid Fests could or if you see Cryptid Fest as this potential space for Ypsi residents and folks to come out to who may have also had similar experiences and find community that way or just be able to say, "Hey, I saw this thing that I don't understand."
Krista Kangas: Yeah.
Lee Van Roth: And be around like-minded people in that way. Was that a goal of yours?
Krista Kangas: Yes. That thought has crossed my mind.
Lee Van Roth: Okay.
Krista Kangas: But that wasn't the intention with this. I liked the idea of just having conversations with people about different topics in general. And, like, in Ypsi, they do have like the Paranormal Club, so you could go to stuff like that. And I was a guest speaker there, so I did a presentation on cryptids.
Lee Van Roth: And there's so much fun, quirky, weird stuff in Ypsi, too.
Krista Kangas: Yeah, there is, especially Depot Town. Like that's why I'm like, "This is a great spot for it!"
Lee Van Roth: Well, that's another thing I wanted to touch on you about. Obviously, we've got all sorts of fun and quirky, strange vibes and things here in Ypsi. There's this really big push to make Ypsi this Halloween kind of central to this.
Krista Kangas: It really is!
Lee Van Roth: This is the place to go if you want to do all of this fun and spooky stuff. And I'm wondering if that was the primary draw to host something like this here in Ypsi or if there were other pieces or other aspects that were like, "Okay, Ypsi is the place to do it! There's nowhere else this can take place!"
Krista Kangas: I think it's just because I like doing stuff in Ypsi anyway. Like, I like the fact that, on a Friday night, you could go to like do putt-putt or like the escape room or paint and pour. There are so many different things. Like you said, the unique shops and stuff. The Freighthouse is just a great location. And so, I thought it'd be fun to do something there. Anytime we can do something local in Ypsi, I think it's great because we get overshadowed by Ann Arbor. You know, there's big downtown stuff. And so, I like to do stuff that's local, like Rumble of the Bumble, I think, was a great example of something that brings the city together. You know, seeing bees wrestle outside in a wrestling match was awesome.
Lee Van Roth: Where else are you going to see that?
Krista Kangas: I know! Exactly! Yeah! And it's also part of the event is to get people to like actually go inside businesses. So, it's like you don't have to buy anything expensive, but the idea is like, "Okay, if you regularly buy at least small things from your local businesses, you can actually have a downtown." Whereas, if you don't, guess what? They're going to close, and you're not going to have a downtown.
Lee Van Roth: Sure.
Krista Kangas: So, part of this is also I'm involving a few local shops that are partaking in the Cryptid Festival, so people actually go inside those shops and look for things.
Lee Van Roth: Oh, how fun!
Krista Kangas: Like a scavenger hunt kind of thing, yeah.
Lee Van Roth: What else can folks anticipate from the event? Obviously, there's the scavenger hunt and getting folks involved with the local businesses and business owners around here. You know, if I'm walking into the Freighthouse on the 24th, do I need to know what a cryptid is? Am I going to learn what a cryptid is? Am I just there to have fun with the community? What can I expect?
Krista Kangas: I got you! I officially have the lineup now.
Lee Van Roth: Okay! Let's hear it!
Krista Kangas: So, it starts at 4, and I'm going to start with presentations earlier in the day because I feel like the people who want to have fun and party aren't going to come earlier anyway.
Lee Van Roth: Sure.
Krista Kangas: So, I have a presentation on cryptids, and I have another one on the history of ufology, which is study of UFOs and the whole UFO phenomenon. So, those are the educational ones. And then, I also have a short film festival. And so, all that's going to be before seven. Then at seven, the band Fangs and Twang is going to be playing. And they're a cryptid-themed band.
Lee Van Roth: Local too!
Krista Kangas: Yes, they're a local band! I met them at Top of the Park this year. And I was like, "Oh, this is perfect! I got to have them!" So, yeah, it's basically the educational stuff, film festival, the band plays, and then the vendors are there throughout the whole time. And then for the scavenger hunting, it'll probably be on the earlier site as well. And so if you can find the things in those stores, you get like a small little prize kind of thing. But I didn't want to make you know, have the stores have to stay open later than I usually do. So that'll probably be on the earlier side.
Lee Van Roth: This is WEMU's On the Ground Ypsi. I'm talking with Krista Kangas, the mind behind the upcoming Ypsi Cryptid Fest. So, Krista, we talked a little bit about involving the local small business community within the event. You mentioned directly collaborating with a few businesses to get folks in through the door that are participating in the event.
Krista Kangas: Yeah.
Lee Van Roth: Are there any collaborators and folks that you want to shout out that are really helping this event be possible?
Krista Kangas: Yeah, so there's a few places. One is Lucky Haskins. That's my favorite place to go. It's all sci-fi fantasy, pop culture, merchandise--stuff I always want to have in my dream house. This, That, and the Odder Things. Claire Broderick, she owns that business. She's the one who helped me figure out how to actually host this festival because she hosted Rumble of the Bumble. And so, I was able to kind of figure out, "Okay, how do you make something?" Mine's still not nearly as big as that.
Lee Van Roth: You got to start somewhere.
Krista Kangas: Yeah. So, she was helping me to really get figure out how to do this and things like that.
Lee Van Roth: So, it sounds like a community effort, both in terms of the organization side and then also just wanting more folks to come out and enjoy these beautiful downtown spaces that we have here in Ypsi.
Krista Kangas: Yeah.
Lee Van Roth: What more can you ask for really?
Krista Kangas: Yeah.
Lee Van Roth: And then you also have Bigfoot and aliens.
Krista Kangas: I know. Right?
Lee Van Roth: What is the goal for you? If someone comes up to you to talk about Cryptid Fest, what are you hoping that they have to say? What's on their mind? How do they feel?
Krista Kangas: Honestly, it'd be cool if, like I said, it could have the same effect as.... I'm going to go back to Rumble of the Bumble because it was such a unique thing. We already have lots of festivals in Ypsi, and there's lot of like artist markets and stuff like that. So, I want this to be something really unique that people remember. And they're like, "Yo! That was so cool! It was like this Cryptid Fest, and there was, like, this crazy stuff going on!" You know, it's like one of those stories you can tell people later kind of thing.
Lee Van Roth: And thank you so much for being here to discuss this with us!
Krista Kangas: Yup!
Lee Van Roth: Hopefully there's some folks that their interest has been piqued, and, hopefully, the Freighthouse is as full as it should be. For more on today's conversation and a link to the full article, visit our website at WEMU dot org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-Fm Ypsilanti. Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting at Eastern Michigan University!
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