On Friday, February 11, 1989, the No. 1 song in the country was Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up.” That's also the direction many people were looking that same night in a small northeast Alabama town. They were all bewildered at what they saw.
Local law enforcement officers set out to investigate the first call about a mysterious aircraft. Not long after they said they saw one themselves, report after report began to roll in from people throughout the area.
More than three decades later, the UFO sightings in Fyffe, Alabama, remain a topic of local lore and the namesake for the annual Fyffe UFO Days Festival.
If you’ve not heard of Fyffe, it is midway between Lake Guntersville State Park, which is 20 miles west. Fort Payne is 14 miles east.
The UFO sightings in Fyffe, Alabama, included reports from approximately 50 people in and around the town. They all claimed to have seen one or more unidentified flying objects* in the skies. Descriptions varied from a flat triangle with three lights to a banana-shaped craft.
*If you’ve not figured it out, this is a more recent image of a strategically positioned car antenna topper. There do not seem to be any images available from the night itself.
Fyffe is a rural community with a population that has hovered around 1,000 people for many years.
In a place so small, UFOs could hardly go unnoticed. While the sighting reports were different about what shape of objects people saw, most agreed the object was eerily quiet.
Witnesses included the town’s police chief and assistant police chief, a police chief and an officer from two other nearby towns, state troopers, and multiple residents.
The quantity and credibility of witness accounts prompted the state to declare Fyffe the UFO Capital of Alabama. The town made local and national news. Thousands descended on Fyffe hoping for a repeat visit with no luck. Meanwhile, the story was handled lightly by many media outlets. It may have been in part because some residents served up irresistibly quotable quips like they didn’t see it, but their dog did. I mean, that may not have been wrong. Humor aside, the people who made reports stuck by their stories.
In 2004, the town’s mayor adjusted the meaning of UFO to “Unforgettable Family Outing" and created the Fyffe UFO Days Festival. Among its many activities, hot-air balloons are a highlight.
Even with the redefined name, you’ll see signs of extraterrestrial creatures here and there.
Community organizations get in on the fun with decorations and giveaway items at the festival. People could pick up alien stress balls at the Northeast Alabama Marine Corps League Toys for Tots booth.
Festival vendors promote their services, sell crafts and products, or serve up otherworldly-delicious treats.
As far as we know, there’s been no unexplained communication with outer space lately for Fyffe residents. Of course there are the more run-of-the-mill transmissions between satellites. The festival is still going strong.
Is this the first time you've heard about the UFO sightings in Fyffe, Alabama? If you're considering a visit to go check out the place yourself, this cabin is on the west side of Fort Payne near Fyffe. While we can't promise any brushes with UFOs, it does offer excellent views of the land and skies.
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