Fyffe UFO Day Celebration and its History
Fyffe UFO Day Celebration and its History
Written By Stephen V. Smith
Local festivals are an important part of small-town culture. Across DeKalb County (indeed, throughout the South), many towns host annual events that provide fun activities and an opportunity for neighbors and friends to gather and celebrate their communities.
While most of these events focus on seasons (Mentone Fall Festival), music (Fort Payne Boom Days), or local history (Collinsville Turkey Trot), Fyffe celebrates a moment in time when an unexplained series of strange sightings brought national attention to the small Sand Mountain town.
On the fourth Saturday in August every year, people gather in Fyffe Town Park for arts and crafts, food, live music, and more in celebration of Fyffe UFO Day. But what sets this festival apart is that attendees will be looking upward as hot air balloons take to the skies (weather permitting) in a colorful aerial display.
Welcome to Fyffe UFO Day.
The balloons may be “identified,” but that was certainly not the case with the events of 1989 that inspired this festival. In the evening hours of February 11, calls flooded into the local police department reporting sightings of an unidentifiable object flying. Police Chief Junior Garmany and Assistant Chief Fred Works patrolled the area where the sightings occurred, eventually encountering something that defied explanation.
The object matched the description from the callers, with its bright lights and curved angle. Triangular in shape, the object hovered and moved — but emitted no sound.
Statements from the officers at the time indicated their surprise at such a large object moving through the air while making no noise. Compared to planes and helicopters they were accustomed to in public service, they knew they were witnessing something entirely different.
More sightings were reported the following night, and it didn’t take long for word to spread across the region. Visitors came from miles around in hopes of catching a glimpse of a UFO.
And it wasn’t just sightseers finding their way to Fyffe. Reporters from newspapers and TV stations descended on the town, creating a media circus. While some treated the sightings as a true news story, other outlets made light of the events and even poked fun at local residents.
Interest in the sightings eventually subsided, but Fyffe’s identity was forever linked to UFOs.
When Larry Lingerfelt became mayor of the town in 2004, he had the idea to turn that identity into a celebration. Playing off the concept of flying objects, he envisioned a festival much like the Alabama Jubilee at Point Mallard Park in Decatur, Alabama, where hot air balloons filled the skies. He formed a committee, and they got to work organizing an event filled with music, food, games — and, of course, hot air balloons.
Beyond the balloons, UFO Day offers something for the entire family. This year’s event, which will take place on August 24th, will feature arts and crafts, antique tractors, lots of food, and a street dance. A day of live music will be capped with a performance by Ricochet, the country music group whose hits include “What Do I Know,” “Daddy’s Money,” and “Love Is Stronger Than Pride.”
A new event has been added to UFO Day 2024. The 1st Annual UFO Day CASA Superhero 5k race will raise money for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of North Sand Mountain. These trained members of the community are appointed by the Family Court Judge to represent the best interests of a child in court. Children helped by CASA volunteers include those who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. You can sign up online for this wonderful event.
UFO Day may be rooted in a series of events more than three decades ago that were jarring, disturbing, and downright frightening to many local residents. But today this fun celebration provides Fyffe and surrounding communities with a breathtaking sight of colorful balloons soaring across Sand Mountain. Bring your family and join the fun at UFO Day, Saturday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Fyffe Town Park. For more information or to sign up for balloon rides, contact Fyffe Town Hall at 256.623.2222.
