EUSTIS — The allure of the legendary Bigfoot drew hundreds of people from across the state and beyond to Maine’s Bigfoot Festival on Saturday in Eustis.

Most attendees dressed in attire that announced their belief in the elusive creature, filling the sidewalks, vendor booths and businesses of the small north Franklin County town.

Throughout the day, speakers from the Maine Bigfoot Foundation and the International Cryptozoology Museum shared their knowledge during workshops at the Eustis Community Center.

At the Spillover Inn at Stratton Brook, vendors sold Bigfoot-themed goods, ranging from T-shirts to tote bags.

Steve Barnard of The Squatchy Chandler traveled from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, to sell his wares. He and his wife, Heather, support Clear Path for Veterans through their business. Clear Path supports veterans through a wide range of programs such as building homes, training support dogs, and addressing PTSD.

“My wife is the veteran. I am the Bigfoot guy,” Barnard said.

Rangeley Wild was on hand to raise awareness and support for a proposed regional wildlife rehabilitation facility.

“We support the care of all animals, including Bigfoot. If Bigfoot needed health care, we would provide it. Confidentially, of course,” said Britt Ferland of Rangeley Wild.

On Main Street, attendees approached the Maine Bigfoot Foundation booth to have photos taken with a Bigfoot couple and to share their experiences with the foundation’s co-founder, Mike Vachon.

Vachon said his knowledge started with his uncle, who investigated across the country for more than 50 years. Vachon has personally had 17 encounters where he was within 200 yards of Bigfoot. A team of investigators recently logged three encounters at a site on Long Falls Dam Road in the Lexington area, he said.

“A lot of people don’t realize what is out in the Maine woods,” Vachon said.

Asked if there was one particular sign that indicated an encounter could take place, Vachon said, “Have you ever been in the woods and suddenly, you don’t hear a bird, a squirrel, a chipmunk or a mouse? That is when you should start paying attention.”

Joe Meldrum, of New Vineyard, said he has experienced that sudden stillness countless times, often accompanied with a feeling of being watched.

Meldrum recalled a time when he was alone in the woods on his property. He was struck with a feeling that something was behind him and, when he turned around, he saw something he could not easily identify as the deer, coyote and other animals he usually sees on his property.

“I didn’t get a good look at it and I am not going to assume what it was. I just caught the top of its head as it ducked down,” Meldrum said.

The two-day festival included campfire stories and a Bigfoot calling contest Saturday evening. The festival wrapped up Sunday with guided walks in the woods to search for signs of Bigfoot.

Ultimately, the festival was not just about bringing people together for a creature that seemed to fascinate folks of all ages. The festival was about supporting the rural community.

“Anytime we can bring income to a community, it is a good thing. If we can build a community up, and do it every year, this will get bigger,” Vachon said.