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Paranormal expo set for October in Connellsville

By Frances Borsodi Zajac fzajac@heraldstandard.Com 4 min read

Set for a time of year when interest in the mysterious and unexplained abounds, officials at Project Talent Theatre Workshops in Connellsville are working with a leading expert to present the first annual Fayette County UFO, Bigfoot and Paranormal Expo.

The expo is slated to take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Porter Theater in the Greater Connellsville Community Center, 201 E. Fairview Ave., Connellsville.

“Last year when I was working for the library, Stan Gordon was a guest speaker and we talked about having the expo but we couldn’t schedule it. He called me earlier this year and asked if we wanted to try to put together the expo and the timing was better,” explained Shirley J. Rosenberer of Project Talent Theatre Workshops.

Rosenberger is owner/production manager/promoter while Ann M. Nicholson is owner/director/marketing for Project Talent Theatre Workshops, which produces plays, summer camps, flash mobs and promotes events such as the upcoming expo.

They are working with Stan Gordon of Greensburg, who is recognized as a leading expert in his field. Intrigued with UFOs as a child, Gordon began doing research and eventually formed three volunteer groups to investigate paranormal reports before going to work on his own. He has written several books and appeared in television and radio programs as well as documentaries. Gordon’s investigations include the famous 1965 Kecksburg, Pa., report of a UFO landing in a wooded area of this village in Mount Pleasant Township in Westmoreland County, as well as several incidents of UFOs and Bigfoot sightings in Fayette County.

Rosenberger said, “UFOs, Bigfoot and paranormal activity have always been of interest to me but I never realized how it interested so many others. I thought it would be a great way to get people to discuss the research that is taking place in these areas.”

She noted these areas are considered separate subjects most of the time but said, “The reason for including all three is because UFO sightings, Bigfoot sightings and paranormal activity tend to occur in the same locations, according to some researchers. The Laurel Mountain range is one of those locations.”

Gordon will serve as keynote speaker for the expo, talking about “Strange Encounters of Pennsylvania.” His presentation will include Fayette County sightings as well the Kecksburg incident.

Gordon also arranged for speakers who include John Ventre, also of Greensburg, who is director of the Pennsylvania Mutual UFO Network; Fred Saluga, a Fayette County native now living in West Virginia, who is an authority on UFOs and Bigfoot; Diane and Jim Trick, of Goosebumps Paranormal Society in Pittsburgh; and Dave Dragosin of Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society. All of the speakers will address cases in Fayette County.

The expo will include the showing of two films: “Kecksburg: The Untold Story,” a 1998 award-winning documentary narrated by Gordon, and “Mountain Devil, a 2013 documentary about Bigfoot that was written, directed and produced by Ryan Cavalline.

Singer-songwriter Walter Shrum of Uniontown will perform from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Earlier this year, Shrum this year released a CD titled “Tribute to the Stars of Bigfoot,” which honors some of the leading Bigfoot enthusiasts.

Vendors who have information and products that pertain to expo subjects will be located on the second floor of the community center near the Porter Theatre. Other vendors will be located on the first floor. The third floor will be used for overflow.

Rosenberger said vendors are being asked to donate an item for a Chinese auction. Proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to the community center for repairs and maintenance of the building that will observe its 100th anniversary next year.

Tickets are $15 at the door. Advanced tickets are now on sale and can be purchased for $10 at these locations: Project Talent Theatre Workshops’ website at www.projecttalenttheatreworshops.com; or at the Community Center in the thrift store and the office, both located on the first floor, or in the Project Talent Theatre Workshops from 4:45 to 6:46 p.m., on the third floor. Checks or money orders can be sent to Project Talent Theatre Workshops, 201 E. Fairview Ave., Connellsville, PA 15425 to reserve tickets that can be picked up the day of the event.

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