Washington UFO Festivals issue debate challenge to Roswell

Two Washington State UFO-themed community festivals have organized to form the “United Festivals of UFOs” (“UFO-UFO”), and they’ve issued a serious challenge to Roswell.

The purpose? To create awareness of the Northwest’s prominent role in launching 1947’s UFO wave, labeled the “Summer of the Saucers.” UFO-UFO’s founding festivals are the Des Moines-based Men in Black Birthday Bash (MIBBB Fest, each year in June), and The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party (September).

The festival organizers seek to underscore the historical and pop-culture significance of Washington’s 1947 UFO sightings, both famous (Kenneth Arnold’s June 24, 1947, Mt. Rainier sighting of nine flying discs) and infamous (the notorious Maury Island Incident, featuring the origins of the iconic, so-called “Men In Black”).

Debate Challenge Issued to Roswell

While the UFO-UFO festivals take the historical record seriously, the two festivals are also fun, light-hearted celebrations of pop culture. In that vein, UFO-UFO is issuing a challenge to the Roswell UFO Festival to meet in 2025 and debate the history, legacy, and to celebrate all the events of the Summer of the Saucers.

They already have a neutral-site venue to host.

“There is only one place for this that makes sense to us – and that is Truth or Consequences, New Mexico,” said MIBBB Fest Co-Founder Steve Edmiston. “And Truth or Consequences (T or C) has agreed to provide the venue in the form of the Truth or Consequences Brewing Company.”

“We’re excited to host a forum for extraterrestrial debate,” said Marianne Blaue, co-owner of T or C Brewing. “Whether you are a believer or not, New Mexico has always captured the imaginations of those interested in space, our city even has a regional spaceport for any unexpected guests that might choose to crash the party. Our city name says it all – named after a game show, we embrace quite a lot of playfulness here in the events we put on, but the name “Truth or Consequences” also invites us to ask big questions, all the better to do it with a great beer in your hand.”

UFO-UFO plans to formally submit its challenge in conjunction with this year’s Roswell UFO festival set for July.

Why challenge Roswell?

In the speculative world of UFOs (now re-branded “UAP”), the Washington UFO-UFO festivals want the world to get the story straight.

“Washington is the launchpad of the modern UFO era,” said Vince Ynzunza, co-founder of the Chehalis Flying Saucer Party, now in its third year. “Kenneth Arnold’s extraordinary account was incredibly well-documented and Arnold became a celebrity-investigator. His story, his credibility, his 1952 book – these are the spine of UFO pop culture.”

Edmiston, co-founder of MIBBB Fest, agrees.

“People just don’t realize that nearly everything we know think about in terms of ‘flying saucers’ and ‘the men in black’ was spawned in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “And yes, that creates some issues with pop culture narratives around UFO history that start and stop with Roswell.”

The issue, UFO-UFO organizers believe, is that the alleged flying saucer crash-and-cover-up Roswell narrative has, from a historical viewpoint, “sucked the oxygen out of the room.” According to Jason Mattson, Chehalis co-founder and Director of the Lewis County Historical Museum, “when one historical narrative becomes so dominant, it can erase what might be the more important larger context.”

About Chehalis Flying Saucer Party

Today, there are few images or ideas more universally accepted than that of the “flying saucer”. And it all started in Chehalis, WA, with the sighting of nine flying saucers at Mt. Rainier. The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party celebrates this historic moment through compelling speakers, great music, unique vendors, museum displays, a one-of-a-kind Saucer Drop, a film festival – and so much more! The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party provides a light-hearted and imaginative space for individuals to let their curiosity soar and engage in a community that shares an interest in extraterrestrial phenomena. It’s a chance to embrace the unknown, connect with like-minded individuals, and enjoy a day of extraterrestrial-themed fun.

Find more information at: http://www.flyingsaucerparty.org/

About the Men in Black Birthday Bash Festival (MIBBB Fest)

MIBBB Fest is held each year on or about June 22. On that date in 1947, Harold Dahl of Tacoma was visited by a Man in Black, just one day after Dahl reported an encounter with flying saucers. This is the first recorded appearance of the iconic Men in Black. The saucer sighting is recounted in the film The Maury Island Incident. MIBBB Fest is held annually on the shores of Puget Sound, in view of Maury Island. To learn more, visit MIB622.com and follow MIBBB Fest on Facebook and Instagram.

About Truth or Consequences Brewing Co.

Truth or Consequences Brewing Co. is a craft brewery in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The owners see their laid-back craft brewery and taproom as the “living room of the community.” It’s located in the historic hot springs bathhouse district, and features handcrafted ales and lagers and beers and wines from other New Mexico producers. Its mission is to make great beer and make people happy.

Truth or Consequences Brewing Co.

410 N Broadway

Truth or Consequences, NM