San Antonio Launches First Annual "Wonderland UFO Festival" August 31 2019   This year maked the first and possibly annual "Wonderland UFO Festival". I heard about the upcoming event thru a Facebook post, then a mention on the local news website 2 months before its arrival date. As far as I knew this was the first of its kind for the San Antonio area.   After reviewing the Facebook page and reaching out for more information from "Big Bang Bazaar" I was still unable to determine what to expect at the event. Big Bang Bazaar from what I could find was resposible for several small convention like events mostly horror movie related. They were also tied to several vendors who sell at these events.   I (ufocrashsite.com) debated about getting a booth for the website and possibly even presenting a topic. I also considered selling some type of merchandise, but with no inventory, and nothing prepared, I decided to just attending the event instead.
I attended the event which took place August 31st at Wonderland of the Americas (formerly Crossroads Mall) in Balcones Heights a suburb of San Antonio. As soon as I parked my vehicle, a family exited the mall wearing tin foil hats, a sure sign the event was underway. The "UFO Festival" event was located on the bottom floor of the mall, in the main hallway which has become host to many small convention like events throughout the year.   I took a quick walk down the hall to see who and what was available. Several vendors were set up with items both sci-fi and non sci-fi related. Comicbooks, jewelry, 80s, superhero, and art pertaining to all the aforementioned were displayed on tables down the hall. However the immediate tables at the intersection of the main mall hallways and nearest to the stage were dedicated to UFO material.   This area was occupied by a handfull of people, including the San Antonio MUFON group, MPS Midnight Paranormal Society, & UFO's Real? A Historical Review booth.

San Antonio MUFON Chapter

Midnight Paranormal Society

William Pullin - UFO's Real?

  The local MUFON chapter had 2 tables setup with a model UFO, alien under a saucer, and a few people selling MUFON merchandise while talking to passers by. The MPS booth consisted of a laptop playing some videos from paranormal investigations and a few of the devices used in said investigations. They too had merchandise for sell including Fiesta medals, and logo'd water bottles.

  The UFO's Real? booth was manned by local San Antonio UFO researcher William Pullin. No merchandise for sale, just UFO information and UFO related discussion. Mr Pullin was doubling as a panel moderator for the event, and after speaking with him briefly expressed an interest in having us attend next years event as a speaker and or vendor, stating that he would be possibly taking on a larger roll in the organizing part of the event and would like to see more UFO related tables.

I took a seat in the stage area for the panel talk, sort of a Question & Answer with the audience on all topics paranormal & UFO. The tables were mostly full, and for the limited number of speakers on ana open topic, the turn out was decent.   I sat down across from a woman who spoke with me briefly during the panel discussion. She was obviously well informed on many of the topics people were discussing as well as some I had never heard of myself. This only led me to believe that many of those attending this event were the more interested and hardcore UFO enthusiasts and less of the general public. After all, publicity for this event had been somewhat limited, it was a first time event, and many people I know had forgotten about the event by the time the date arrived.

Speakers Panel

  The vendor tables had a mix of sellers, most not UFO related in any way, but some offering items that crossed generes and were at least sci-fi/ufoish. One table had jewelry, and miniatures, Dr. Who Daliks, Star Trek logo pins and other items for sale. Another table had artwork that spanned 80's and 90's movies, including prints and paintings of scenes and characters from classics like Back to the Future & Jaws.

  After attending this years event and seeing what was offered I made the decision that I would most likely participate in the 2020 event assuming it happens. I would really like to see the event filled with UFO related booths, as this year the vendors outnumbered the UFO related content by far.However the scale of my participation is undecided at this point, Im not sure if I'll be speaking on a particular topic, or just speaking with people at my booth. I've lectured and presented at non UFO conventions, but never on this topic of UFOs. However the gears are already in motion and I've been searching out merchandise to help fund my booth, as well as putting together items for display.

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