10/13/2026
Almost everyone has heard of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Chupacabra. But do you know about the Arizona Thunderbird, Enfield Horror, or Fresno Nightcrawler?
Join folklorist Jess Tucker and author Jon Black for a fun-for-the-whole-family look at some of the weirdest, wildest, and most wonderful denizens of legend, rumor, and urban folklore. Jess and Jon will begin close to home, including some North Texas critters you might not have heard of before, before going global in discussing interesting cryptids wherever they can be found (or not found).
For Jon and Jess, whether cryptids actually exist is not the real point. Much more interesting is why conceptions of such creatures are so consistent across cultures and era and why we still love to tell stories about them today. Come out and share their passion for creatures which may or may not live in our world, but certainly live in our hearts.
JESS TUCKER researches and presents on a number of folklore topics, most recently on Denton’s Old Alton Bridge at the 2025 American Folklore Society conference in Atlanta. By day she is university archivist for the University of North Texas.
JON BLACK is an author of award-winning historical fiction, often with supernatural, mystery, or pulp twists. His work includes the novel Chupacabra vs. Rougarou, a high-adrenaline cryptid mash-up with a healthy dose of punk rock thrown in just because.
Photo Description: An informative graphic featuring a winged cryptid in front of a full moon.
