HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Hopkinsville is once again embracing its weird and wonderful history with the second GoblinCon UFO & Paranormal Expo in August. This event coincides with the anniversary of the Kelly Green Men encounter, which is considered one of the most well documented alien sightings ever.
The first ever GoblinCon was held mid-October last year, where hundreds of people from across the region arrived to shop vendors, talk to experts and attend presentations to learn about anything from alien invasions, to Mothman and Big Foot. This year, the two-day expo will be held on Aug. 22-23 at The Bruce Convention Center.
Speakers this year include people like Dave Schrader, who is a lead investigator on the Travel Channel series The Holzer Files and Ghosts of Devil’s Perch along with being part of several other paranormal shows. Geraldine Sutton Stith will also be a speaker, who’s family was involved in the local Kelly Green Men encounter in 1955. Other speakers include several cryptozoologists, paranormal investigators and researchers.
In addition to a variety of vendors ranging from spooky to cute, visitors will also find the ParaPeculiar Museum of Haunted Items and a History of Hopkinsville Goblin Interactive Museum. Three comedians are lined up to perform, as well as a puppet show inspired by the Kelly Green Men.
Local tattoo studio, Savage Heart, will be set up to provide paranormal themed tattoos for dedicated enthusiasts. A family zone will be available to kids with bounce houses, goblin games and a waterslide. There will also be a room dedicated to arcade games.
VIP passes are available with extra perks, with general admission available day of the event for $10. Find more information about what to expect on the GoblinCon website.
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Kelly Green Men encounter, August 21, 1955
The small town of Kelly tucked in north Christian County got its claim to fame after five adults and seven children reported seeing small alien creatures, also known as goblins, attacking their farmhouse on Aug. 21, 1955.
The family is reported to have held off the green men 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 extensive interviews with families and locals over the years. It even influenced the production of the 1982 movie “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” and is reportedly the inspiration behind the design of a Pokémon named Sableeye.
The Pennyroyal Area museum in downtown Hopkinsville has an exhibit dedicated to the encounter, and the Hopkinsville Visitors Center also has an area where people can learn more about it. Kelly used to hold Alien Days festivals every year to celebrate the anniversary of the invasion, with Visit Hopkinsville resurrecting the event with Alien Invasion Day and then GoblinCon.
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