BLADENBORO, N.C. (WECT) – In 1953, a mysterious animal terrorized Bladenboro and drew hunters to the small town. Today, the story lives on as a Halloween-weekend festival.
“I was born two miles from here, and I was alive when the beast came through,” said Joyce Walters, who was a child at the time.
She remembers it as a very fearful time.
“A bloodthirsty creature came through and killed a lot of dogs, some goats, hogs. I understand it even killed a cow,” Walters said.
People described the animal as a large, catlike creature — like a black panther, but with a furry tail, she said. Some believed it was a vampire beast because it crushed its prey’s skulls and drained their blood.
“We didn’t have that many residents at that time, maybe 700 or 800 people but the population grew to 1,200 people or more because hunters came to hunt the beast,” Walters said.
Eventually, a local farmer killed a bobcat and brought it into town.
“They hung it up for everyone to see, and they said, ‘We have killed the beast,’ and things calmed down,” Walters said.
But Walters said she doesn’t believe the bobcat was the animal people had seen. It didn’t match their descriptions, she said, and more animals were killed afterward.
“There have been books written about it. It just doesn’t die,” she said.
As scary as it may have been, a lot of good came from the beast.
The legend brought attention — and an economic boost — to Bladenboro, Walters said. For the past 19 years, the town has marked the story with the Beast Festival.
“We’ll have rides, we’re going to have all kinds of crafts, food,” said Charles Ray Peterson, the festival chairman. “It’s one of the biggest festival’s, nicest festivals anywhere around.”
Peterson said all the money raised from the event goes back into the town.
“We’re ready to welcome people to Bladenboro,” said Peterson.
The festival’s weekend events kick off on Oct. 30 with a concert at 6 p.m. and will have a full day of fun on Halloween starting at 10 a.m.
“It’s turned into something people are not afraid about now,” Walters said. “I don’t think they think it’s coming back or anything, at least I hope not.”
For the festival schedule, click here.
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