THE WEIRDEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR

For one weekend a year the tiny North Devon village of Woolsery becomes the weirdest village in the land. The largest gathering of scholars of esoteric natural history in the English-speaking world, is set to take place in rural north Devon. The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s annual conference, the Weird Weekend, will see speakers from all over the country gathering Woolsery to discuss their work and discoveries.

The Weird Weekend, held over the weekend of the 17-19th August, now in its 13th year is the largest convention of its kind in the English-speaking world. This year’s speakers includes Glen Vaudrey, a researcher from Cheshire, talking about Scottish Sea Serpent carcasses, and Paul Screeton from Hartlepool telling the peculiar story of the Hexham Heads; a convoluted tale involving werewolves, and a model head of Adolf Hitler.

Other speakers include Richard Thorns, a British explorer and ornithologist, who has made several expeditions to Myanmar (Burma) in search of the pink headed duck – the rarest duck in the world – which mainstream science has considered extinct since 1950.

Also featured is Jan Bondeson a senior lecturer and consultant rheumatologist at the Cardiff University School of Medicine, who is also an expert on the folklore of dogs. He will be talking about the legend of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray (Old Jock), until he died himself on 14 January 1872.

Cryptozoologist Richard Freeman will be talking about the Centre for Fortean Zoology’s latest expedition that took them to Sumatra for the fourth time, in search of a unknown species of upright walking ape; the orang pendek.

As well as monstrous creatures, other esoteric subjects are covered. Author and researcher Kevin Goodman asks whether a belief in UFOs is akin to a new religion, and the irrepressible Ronan Coghlan, a retired Irish Classics teacher will be looking at the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor.

As well as a series of talks there will be stalls, workshops and events.

The Weird Weekend raises funds for village charities dealing with children and for the Centre for Fortean Zoology, the only full time organization in the world dedicated to the investigation of mystery animals.

The Weird Weekend takes place from 17 - 19th of August.
For further details visit http://www.weirdweekend.org/
Or ring 01237 431413

NOTES TO EDITORS

* The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is the world’s largest mystery animal research organisation. It was founded in 1992 by British author Jonathan Downes (52) and is a company limited by guarantee registered with HM Government.
* Life-president of the CFZ is Colonel John Blashford-Snell OBE, best known for his groundbreaking youth work organising the ‘Operation Drake’ and ‘Operation Raleigh’ expeditions in the 1970s and 1980s.
* CFZ Director Jonathan Downes is the author and/or editor of over 20 books. His latest book is Island of Paradise, his first hand account of two expeditions to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico in search of the grotesque vampiric chupacabra.
* The CFZ have carried out expeditions across the world including India, Russia, Sumatra, Mongolia, Guyana, Gambia, Texas, Mexico, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Illinois, Loch Ness, and Loch Morar.
* CFZ Press is the world’s largest publishers of books on mystery animals. They also publish Animals & Men, the world’s only cryptozoology magazine, and The Amateur Naturalist, Britain’s only dedicated magazine on the subject.
* The CFZ produce their own full-length documentaries through their media division called CFZtv. One of their films `Lair of the Red Worm` which was released in early 2007 and documents their 2005 Mongolia expedition has now been seen by over 118,000 people.
* The CFZ is based in Jon Downes’ old family home in rural North Devon which he shares with his wife Corinna (55). It is also home to various members of the CFZ’s permanent directorate and a collection of exotic animals.
* Jonathan Downes presents a monthly web TV show called On the Track which covers cryptozoology and work of the CFZ.
* Sponsors of this year’s event can be found:
http://forteanzoology.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/sponsors-of-2012-weird-weekend.html
* Following their successful partnership with Capcom www.capcom.com on the 2007 Guyana expedition, the CFZ are looking for more commercial sponsors.