Something strange is stirring in Columbus…
In 1974, something green, hairy, and unexplained was spotted in Mill Race Park. The city mobilized, forming the largest monster hunt in U.S. history. A legend took hold and never left. This October, it rises again.
The Mill Race Monster Festival is a new celebration built on Columbus’ wonderfully weird history. Expect an immersive experience featuring art, music, creativity, and a spark of mystery.
Rooted in History
Read the actual newspaper articles reporting monster sightings in Columbus, Indiana, in 1974.
The Republic Newspaper: 11/2/74, 11/6/74, 11/8/74, 11/9/74, 11/11/74, 11/12/74, 11/20/74, 10/31/93, 10/31/03, 10/30/14, 3/12/2015, Indianapolis Star: 11/9/74, 11/10/74
Celebrating the weird side of local lore.
Mill Race Monster Festival
is an initiative of Columbus
Area Arts Council.
Festival Origins
The Columbus Area Arts Council began exploring the idea of a Mill Race Monster Festival in 2024 following the overwhelming response to The Monster Show exhibition at 411 Gallery. The exhibition marked the release of "The Mill Race Monster" comic by Kevin Zeigler and proved that this local legend still has creative energy.
The exhibition featured monster-inspired work by local artists Laurie Wright and Curtis Heartwell, alongside Zeigler’s original comic illustrations. What started as an exhibition quickly revealed something bigger: a shared appetite for storytelling, folklore, and art that feels uniquely Columbus.