Crowds beam down for Alien Invasion Day on Kelly Little Green Men encounter anniversary

Hopkinsville locals and out of town visitors celebrated the city's connection to a piece of unique supernatural history exactly 69 years after the Kelly Little Green Men encounter in 1955.

HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Hopkinsville locals and out of town visitors celebrated the city’s connection to a piece of unique supernatural history exactly 69 years after the Kelly Little Green Men encounter in 1955. Alien Invasion Day took place about 15 minutes south of the town of Kelly, where the original Alien Day’s festival occurred for years.

Visit Hopkinsville revived the tradition, with food trucks, kids’ activities, drinks, and an outdoor viewing of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Beginning in the early afternoon and into the evening, hundreds of visitors filtered through at the Hopkinsville Visitors Center and participated in an alien costume contest, met relatives connected to the original encounter, and shared their love of aliens.

Alien Invasion Day in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Aug. 21, 2024 (Daynnah Carmona)

With the last festival taking place in Kelly in 2019, they were unsure what the local reception would be, but volunteers and staff at the event told Christian County Now they were surprised and excited by the steady flow of people coming through. They even met several out of state visitors ranging from Atlanta, Indianapolis, and beyond.

“Kelly Little Green Men is a part of Hopkinsville history,” Visit Hopkinsville Executive Director Amy Rogers previously told Christian County Now. “I’ve always had an obsession with the supernatural and all things paranormal. It’s just interesting and fascinating to witness through the years the number of folks that share in my sentiments.”

August 21, 1955 encounter

The Kelly Little Green Men encounter is considered one of the most well documented and detailed alien sightings. The small town of Kelly tucked in northern Christian County got its claim to fame after five adults and seven children reported seeing small alien creatures attacking their farmhouse.

Visit Hopkinsville’s website further explains this bit of history, detailing that the residents held off the aliens with gunfire for nearly four hours before reporting the incident to Hopkinsville Police. They claimed to see 12 to 15 short, dark figures popping up in windows and doorways.

This encounter has inspired documentaries, several investigations by ufologists, and even helped inspire the creation of the hit movie E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.

“People have been, and still are drawn to the history and mystery surrounding the account in 1955. Folks have come from all over to learn more about the story and simply connect with their supernatural side. Just like with any part of history, if we continue to tell the story and share all the facts it will never lose its value and will be a story people can share for years to come,” said Rogers.

She is hoping this event will attract an influx of visitors to the area and revive the curiosity of people living in Christian County.

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Crowds beam down for Alien Invasion Day on Kelly Little Green Men encounter anniversary | PHOTOS

August 21, 1955 encounter