Community members gather in search for Bigfoot in Mill Creek Park

“Does he exist, does he not exist?”

To some, Bigfoot is just a myth. But to others, he is a real creature yet to be found.

On Friday, dozens of people gathered in Mill Creek Park to begin an adventure into the whereabouts of Bigfoot.

“Mill Creek Park, there’s a mystique about it and there’s a mystery. We thought it would be fun, given it’s fall, it’s October, Halloween is right around the corner,” said Lynn Zocolo, an educator with Mill Creek MetroParks.

This is the first year of the Bigfoot Weekend event in Mill Creek. It runs from Friday through Sunday, with different activities for each day.

“To be in the park after dark is quite something special. So tonight is for older kids and adults that are interested or curious,” Zocolo said.

Amy Bue is a local investigator who said she has had her own Bigfoot experiences. Now she travels to different areas looking for him and teaching others how to investigate.

“The first time I ever heard about the fact that — or the idea that Big Foot could be a real creature was after I saw something just right here in Mahoning County in 2012,” Bue said. “I was a passenger in a car going over Meander Reservoir and across the reservoir on the opposite side, holding onto a tree was what, immediately, what I thought looked like Bigfoot.”

On Friday, the group heard a little of Bue’s experiences, then split up to go searching through the park.

On Saturday, there will be some kid-friendly activities and Sunday, there will be a presentation on Bigfoot at the MetroParks Farm in Canfield.

Zocolo said Saturday’s event is full, but Sunday is open to the public and anyone can join.

For more information on the events, you can visit their Facebook event page.

Bue also encourages people to reach out to her with their own experiences. Her email address is bigfootamy@gmail.com.