Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026: Local Guide
The Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most fun weekends of the summer in our corner of Pennsylvania. We are Michael and Amanda, locals who grew up here in the woods and have spent eight years hosting guests at Hemlock Haven Retreats. We have watched this little festival grow from a quirky community gathering into a full weekend event that brings thousands of curious visitors, Bigfoot believers, and families up to Marienville.
If you are planning your trip, this guide will walk you through everything we tell our own guests: when and where the festival happens, what to do at each event, where to eat, what to see between sessions, and where to stay. We will keep it practical, honest, and local, the way we like it.
The 2026 festival runs Friday through Sunday, June 12 to 14, and the heart of the action is right in downtown Marienville at the Town Circle. The event is free to attend, and the only paid activity at the core festival is the Bigfoot 5K Walk/Run on Sunday morning.
What Makes the Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026 Worth the Trip
The Forest County Bigfoot Festival is run by a local nonprofit that pours every dollar back into the Marienville community. For one weekend in June, our small town fills up with food trucks, craft vendors, guest speakers, costumed Bigfoot hunters, and live music. The vibe is somewhere between a county fair, a cryptozoology convention, and a forest scavenger hunt, and that mix is exactly what makes it special.
Here is what is confirmed for 2026:
- Dates: Friday June 12 (6:00 PM start) through Sunday June 14 (4:30 PM close)
- Main festival site: Marienville Town Circle, 100 W Spruce St, Marienville, PA 16239
- Admission: Free Guest speakers: 12 confirmed researchers, eyewitnesses, and Bigfoot experts
- Signature events: The Bigfoot Hunt in the Allegheny National Forest, the Kids’ Bigfoot Hunt around town, and the Sunday 5K
The Festival Hubs in Marienville
Most of the weekend’s action happens in or right next to downtown Marienville. These are the spots you will pass between again and again, so it helps to know the lay of the land before you arrive.
Marienville Town Circle
The Town Circle is the literal and figurative center of the festival. Food and craft vendors line the perimeter, the speaker stage and live music setup sit nearby, and the Bigfoot registration table where you pick up Hunt clue sheets is here too.
- Address: 100 W Spruce St, Marienville, PA 16239 (Route 66 and Cherry Street)
- Best for: Vendors, speakers, live music, family activities, the festival’s main gathering area Sunday
Local tip: Park along the side streets a block or two off the circle, then walk in. Spruce, Cherry, and the side streets near Route 66 all have curbside parking, and walking saves you from the main festival traffic.
Marienville Train Station and Trailhead
The old train station and bike/walk trailhead is where the Sunday 5K starts and finishes. Even if you are not running, it is a great little spot to stretch your legs and take a few photos of the historic depot. Full 5K details are in the race section below.
- Rating: 4.6 stars (63 reviews)
- Address: 105 S Forest St, Marienville, PA 16239
Where the Bigfoot Hunt Happens
The Bigfoot Hunt is the festival’s signature event and the one our guests ask about the most. Organizers set up 10 numbered Bigfoot silhouettes, each about 10 feet tall, throughout the Allegheny National Forest. You can hunt them down at your own pace, or you can sign up for the competitive division and play for prize money. Either way, you spend the afternoon in some of the prettiest woods in the state.
How the Bigfoot Hunt works:
All participants must purchase a Bigfoot Hunting License at the registration table to receive the clue set. The license costs $10 and is valid only for the assigned hunter. Your hunt begins the moment you purchase your license. You can search on foot or from a vehicle, and night hunting with lights is permitted. Firearms of any kind are prohibited. Record each find with a photo on your phone showing the unique number on each silhouette. To be eligible for prizes, you must return to the Registration Table before noon on Sunday, June 14 with all your photos. The winner is the hunter who finds all 10 silhouettes in the shortest time. If no one finds all 10, the hunter with the most finds wins.
The Kids’ Bigfoot Hunt runs separately in town with 5-foot silhouettes placed in walkable locations around Marienville. It is free, and clue sheets are available at the Bigfoot registration table on the Town Circle.
Allegheny National Forest
The ANF wraps around Marienville on three sides, so the moment you leave town you are in deep, mature forest. The Bigfoot silhouettes are scattered along accessible forest roads and trails, with clue sheets handed out at the Bigfoot registration table on Town Circle. Bring water, bug spray, and a phone charger because cell service inside the forest can be spotty.
- Address: Pennsylvania (Forest, Elk, McKean, and Warren counties)
- Best for: The Bigfoot Hunt, hiking, scenic drives, wildlife watching
Local tip: Download offline maps before you drive in. We have lost more than one guest’s morning to a missed turn on a forest road Wildlife to look for: White-tailed deer, wild turkey, the occasional black bear, and yes, the Pennsylvania elk herd if you wander far enough north.
The Bigfoot Festival 5K
The Sunday morning 5K is the natural close to a weekend that has already had you deep in the forest. On June 14, 2026, runners and walkers of all levels start from the historic Marienville Train Station at 107 S Forest St, one of the most photographed spots in town and a great place to be at dawn.
- Date: Sunday, June 14, 2026 Check-in: 8:00 AM | Race start: 9:00 AM
- Course: Flat and fast through the heart of Marienville Registration: $30 via RunSignup T-shirts guaranteed for registrations completed by May 31, 2026
- Register for the 2026 Forest County Bigfoot Festival 5K here: runsignup.com/Race/PA/Marienville/ForestCountyBigfootFestival5k
The race is open to all levels. Most of our guests who do the walk division tell us it is the most pleasant way to spend a Sunday morning in June. The air is cool, the crowd is friendly, and after a day and a half in the Allegheny National Forest you already know this land in a way that makes the course feel different than a regular race.
Our suggestion: do your big Bigfoot Hunt day on Saturday, come back to the cabin with time to eat well and rest, and get to the trailhead by 7:30 AM on Sunday. Parking fills faster than you would expect for a small town. After the race, the Town Circle opens for one last pass before the festival closes at 4:30 PM, and Cook Forest State Park makes a perfect stop on your drive home.
One scheduling note: if you are also doing the competitive Bigfoot Hunt, your forest photos need to be submitted to the Registration Table by noon on Sunday. The 5K finishes well before that window closes.
What to Do Between Festival Sessions
The festival runs in waves, so you will have mornings and a chunk of Saturday afternoon free. Our first recommendation is always the same: head south toward Cook Forest.
Cook Forest State Park and the Clarion River
About 30 to 40 minutes from Marienville, Cook Forest is one of our absolute favorite places on earth and the reason we built Hemlock Haven Retreats here. The Forest Cathedral section holds some of the largest old-growth white pines and hemlocks left in Pennsylvania, and the Clarion River runs right through the park.
Park at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Center lot and hike into the Forest Cathedral on the Longfellow Trail, a short, easy loop with the biggest trees you have ever stood next to. If you want to get on the water, several outfitters in Cooksburg rent kayaks and tubes for half-day floats on the Clarion. Either way, plan a few hours and bring your camera.
- Rating: 4.9 stars (682 reviews)
- Address: Leeper, PA 16233 (main entrances near Cooksburg) Best for: Old-growth hiking, river paddling, scenic drives, photography
Our Suggested Three-Day Plan for the Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026
Here is the rough weekend our guests tend to enjoy most. Swap things around to fit your group, and leave room for the unplanned stops, those are usually the best memories.
Friday, June 12
Arrive in the afternoon, check in to your cabin, and grab a quick bite Head to Marienville Town Circle for the opening night vendors (4:00 PM to 9:00 PM) Walk the side streets, listen to live music, and pick up your Bigfoot Hunt clue sheets at the registration table Back to the cabin for an early night, you will want energy for Saturday
Saturday, June 13
Slow start with coffee on the deck Late-morning: drive into the Allegheny National Forest for the main Bigfoot Hunt Lunch from a food truck on Town Circle Afternoon: catch one or two guest speaker sessions Late afternoon: drive south to the Clarion River for an hour of paddling or a walk Dinner at The Summit Lodge and Grill in Ridgway, or back at the Town Circle for live music and food trucks
Sunday, June 14
5K morning at the Marienville trailhead, see the race section for everything you need Brunch and one last walk through the vendor area Stop at Cook Forest State Park on your way home for the Forest Cathedral hike Festival closes at 4:30 PM
Plan Your Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026 Getaway
The Forest County Bigfoot Festival is one of those small-town weekends that gets in your bones. The forest, the people, the costumed Bigfoot hunters wandering around with clue sheets, it is genuinely special. We hope this guide gives you a head start on planning a weekend you will want to come back for next year.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay that is close to the festival, the Allegheny National Forest, and Cook Forest State Park, we would love to host you. Come check our available treehouses and cabins for June 12 to 14, and feel free to reach out with any local questions. We are happy to help you plan.
Spending your days surrounded by the nature is no longer a fantasy. See you in the woods.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Forest County Bigfoot Festival 2026?
The 2026 Forest County Bigfoot Festival runs Friday, June 12 through Sunday, June 14. The festival opens Friday evening at 6:00 PM and closes Sunday at approximately 4:30 PM.
How much does it cost to attend the Bigfoot Festival?
Admission to the main festival at Marienville Town Circle is free. The Bigfoot Hunt requires a $10 hunting license per participant. The only other paid event is the Sunday 5K at $30 to register.
Where exactly is the festival held?
The main festival site is Marienville Town Circle at 100 W Spruce St, Marienville, PA 16239, near the intersection of Route 66 and Cherry Street. The 5K starts at the Marienville Train Station and bike/walk trailhead at 105 to 107 S Forest St.
What is the Bigfoot Hunt and how does it work?
The Bigfoot Hunt is the festival’s signature event. Organizers place 10 numbered Bigfoot silhouettes, each about 10 feet tall, throughout the Allegheny National Forest. Purchase a $10 hunting license at the registration table to receive your clue set, then photograph each silhouette showing its unique number. All photos must be submitted by noon on Sunday, June 14. The winner is the hunter who finds all 10 in the shortest time. There is also a free Kids’ Bigfoot Hunt in town with smaller silhouettes and walkable clues.
