By Tim Binnall
An often-overlooked cryptid is having something of a moment in the sun thanks to a Pennsylvania community that declared Wednesday to be 'Thunderbird Day.' Sitting on the edge of the legendary Chestnut Ridge paranormal hot spot, Derry Borough may sound familiar to cryptozoology fans as the town began an earnest embrace of Bigfoot back in the summer of 2024 in the hopes of attracting tourists to the area. After declaring Sasquatch to be its official cryptid and announcing plans for a public park celebrating the beast, the community extended its appreciation for legendary creatures beyond Bigfoot with a peculiar announcement earlier this week.
Taking to social media on Monday, Derry Borough mayor Nathan Bundy issued an official proclamation declaring Wednesday, February 25th, to be 'Thunderbird Day' in the community. The decree mused that the "massive and mysterious bird associated with awe, storms, and unexplained encounters remains one of the more compelling stories in the broader lore of our region." The announcement was cleverly timed to promote a forthcoming edition of the program 'Expedition X' wherein the show will search for the winged cryptid around Derry Borough and the surrounding area. Between its embrace of Bigfoot and now Thunderbird, the community is making the case for being Pennsylvania's cryptozoological capital, a crown one imagines the town would happily claim.