News Release

SOUTH WHITLEY — On Saturday, May 24, South Whitley Community Public Library will be hosting Mike Familant, producer and lead investigator of the show “In Search of the Big Red Eye” as he shares his experiences researching and tracking down the truth behind North America’s most iconic cryptid, Bigfoot.

Whatever name you call large, bipedal hominids — Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Grassman, Skunk Ape or Big Red Eye — Familant has probably tried to track it down. He has been researching the creature for more than 14 years and has captured some evidence along the way. He will exhibit some of the evidence backed by facts that he and his team have collected throughout his journey, along with some of the unfortunate experiences that come along with “Bigfooting.”

Familant first got into Bigfoot research after he and a friend experienced rocks being thrown at them while sitting beside a campfire during a trip to northern Florida. Since that experience, he has tracked the creature from Florida to the north woods of Maine in an effort to find out exactly what is roaming in the woods of America.

The presentation will take place in the auditorium from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 24.

Marionettes Perform ‘Oz’

Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion will come to life when the Elsenpeter Marionette Troupe brings its marionette show to the auditorium at South Whitley Community Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5, with a performance of the classic, “The Wizard of Oz.”

The Elsenpeter Marionettes have entertained millions of children with live shows for more than 139 years. The Elsenpeter Marionettes tradition of puppetry was started in Elen, Germany, by Richard Elsenpeter’s great-grandfather. Their traditional form of puppetry has been handed down through four generations. 
Each program is specially written for the marionettes theater. Manipulation of the marionettes transforms the 2-foot-tall, hand-carved, wooden dolls into living characters with definite personalities. 

This will be your last chance to see the troupe perform because they are retiring at the end of the season.

Summer Reading

The theme of the summer reading program is “Level Up at the Library,” and the library is expanding the program to include teens and adults as well kids.

Kids will have game-related programs at either 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The same program will happen at both times each day giving parents and kids the flexibility to choose which works best with their schedule.

Each group will have weekly reading goals to achieve and be rewarded with prizes and a ticket for the grand prize. Once each level is achieved, participants will have a chance to level up to additional grand prize entry tickets by taking that week’s game challenge.

There will be a family kickoff event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 7, featuring a video game trailer, Julia’s Tacos and Tamales food truck, Huntington 7 GQT movie theater prize table, carnival games, face painting and more.