The Goatman Festival, coined “Louisville’s Weirdest Festival,” took place at Pope Lick Park Oct. 10-11. With eerie events from a haunted train ride to a paranormal bus tour, the festival was perfect for horror fans during the Halloween season.
For attendees, there was food at a variety of food trucks, as well as the Legend at Pope Lick Outpost Cafe. The event also featured a variety of entertainment, such as live music, cryptid seminars and magic shows.
For vendors, festivals such as this one are a great opportunity for small businesses to make a profit.
“I sell price shirts primarily at festivals, and that’s how I sell around 90% of my shirts,” Chris Umhoefer, the owner of Lincoln Apparel, a t-shirt company with shirts depicting Abraham Lincoln, said.
For many, the festival is not only a place for vendors but a chance for individuals to make real connections with their community and fuel their passions.
“We love the community, and other vendors as well. The people you meet, just to actually participate in a group like this, you just sense the group effort, and it helps us meet people. Other vendors, other artists and customers as well. It helps branch us out further, and it’s just another lovely thing for us to do each year,” said co-owner of the artwork business The Dead Seas, Suzie Csea.
One of the main attractions at the festival is Haunted Pope Lick, a non-traditional trail experience that skillfully incorporates elements of a haunted house and an escape room in the woods at Pope Lick Park. As guests walk the course of the trail, a variety of characters share the dangers in the forest, which is transformed with intricate set pieces and props.
Those who dare to enter the woods of the Goatman have one objective: escape the forest without running into him. The actors’ costumes and make-up paired with their phenomenal improvisational skills are all part of the uncanny experience late in the night. Lights flicker and screams fill the air as visitors try to escape the woods before the Goatman attacks.
While the stories of the Goatman may be a myth, the dangers of looking for him are very real. According to the urban legend, the creature lives near a railroad trestle bridge over Pope Lick Creek. Over the decades, many people have climbed the trestle in search of the cryptid, which has resulted in several injuries and deaths.
The most recent tragedy occurred on May 26, 2019, when two teenagers, Savanna Bright and Kaylee Keeling, were on the tracks near the trestle. Bright was pronounced dead at the scene, while Keeling survived and was severely injured. Although many people who have been on the tracks assumed that the trestle was out of use, it is still active and not safe to cross at any time.
Horror fans come to The Goatman Festival for more than just a myth. Those who attend experience thrills, community and the chance to support local businesses.
“It’s [the festival] awesome. We love having a great time … I love that it’s local. I grew up listening to tales about the goatman. And I love the booths,” Stephanie Selhorst, who attended the festival with her mother, said.
The Goatman Festival is Oct. 10-11, but Haunted Pope Lick will continue on Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 25.
