An out-of-this-world festival returns to Carbondale this weekend, commemorating a mysterious incident in the city’s history.
The Carbondalien Festival was founded in 2024, marking 50 years since a glowing object – believed by some to be a UFO and by skeptics to be a lantern – crashed into the pond at Russell Park.
“Fifty years of storytelling within the community – I think the significance of that and the nostalgia that comes with it, too, was something that a few of the local residents wanted to celebrate,” said festival co-chair Stefanie Colarusso.
Now in its third year, the festival continues to bring people together over local folklore and an interest in the unexplained, keeping alive the mystery of what happened in 1974.
“We don't really know what actually happened that night. It's open for people to come up with their own ideas and imagine what probably took place,” Colarusso said. “The festival itself has become not only a celebration of that, but also a way to provide some education on what's out there in the universe.”
Celebrating the paranormal
The two-day festival officially kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday with the unveiling of a new landmark sculpture that will become a permanent fixture in front of the Carbondale Public Library.
Following the unveiling, the annual light parade will step off at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Neon Nebula Glow Party at Hotel Anthracite at 7:30 p.m., both featuring costume contests.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, attendees can browse more than 60 food and craft vendors at the Landing Pad Marketplace, hear the supernatural speaker series at Hotel Anthracite, enjoy live music and magic shows, play alien mini golf at the Carbondale Public Library and much more.
“There's so many fun things to do this year,” Colarusso said.
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A staple of the festival is the Russell Park Experience, where visitors are invited for an immersive, interactive tour through the park with characters written by a local playwright Brenda Fager. There’s also a 1970s-themed outdoor museum in the park prepared by the Lackawanna Historical Society.
The Twilight Zone and Orbit Village are new this year. The Twilight Zone in the Canary Room in Hotel Anthracite will have piercers, tarot reading, tattooists and tooth gem vendors. Orbit Village is a family-friendly zone at the Anthracite Center with children’s activities.
“We wanted to expand on our children's programming,” Colarusso said. “This is a great opportunity to feature a new venue, but also have some really fun things for all ages.”
There’s a new alien of the year, the Zooks, designed by animator and character designer Virgil Hare. If visitors get a stamp from at least one local business on distributed passports, they will get a trading card of the 2026 Carbondalien.
Colarusso said the festival has been an effective economic driver, becoming one of the busiest days of the year for Carbondale businesses.
“We are really focused on activating the downtown,” she said. “We love having visitors from out of the area. We love having the community participate as well and creating that immersive experience, something that people look forward to every year.”
What actually happened in 1974?
The real-life mystery at the heart of the festival is one that inspires new interest in local folklore, from locals and outsiders interested in the otherworldly.
It brings people together to discuss theories about what happened in 1974 – a question that has no clear answer.
WVIA's Alexander Monelli and Kat Bolus created an Emmy-winning VIA Short Take about the historical event and the circulating theories.
According to their documentary, teenagers reported seeing a glowing light in the silt pond at Russell Park that hissed when it hit the water.
“Well, we seen a big bright light,” Robert Gillette, who was 15 at the time, told WVIA reporters at the scene 52 years ago. “It looked like a star, that’s what we thought it was at first, a fallen star. We seen it coming down at an arch.”
Some believe a UFO, a Russian satellite or “space garbage” landed in the pond. It spawned a supernatural investigation that brought paranormal investigators from all over to Carbondale.
A diver, Mark Stamey, eventually pulled an old railroad lantern out of the pond, and the case was considered closed. Stamey told Carbondalien Festival founder and co-chair Nicole Curtis that he believes the lantern was planted. Speculation continues, as many recall a flat-bed truck hauling something covered by tarp from the pond.
Monelli and Bolus will hold a Q&A session during the festival from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Council Chambers at City Hall.
If you go
Colarusso suggested visitors take the Extraterrestrial Express, departing from Steamtown National Historic Site, to the festival.
Parking will be available at Carbondale High School and on nearby streets in Downtown Carbondale. There will be a shuttle running from the high school parking lot to the festival and back. There will also be a shuttle running from the downtown to Russell Park.
Visit carbondalienfestival.com for a full line up of events.
