Danbury UFO Conference Seeks To Make Sense Of The Inexplicable

DANBURY, CT — The second edition of a highly-anticipated UFO conference gathers at the Danbury Library Saturday, where several presenters will guide a curious group of participants through an investigation of the shocking and supernatural. Organizers of the Western Connecticut UFO conference weren't sure what to expect last year, but showed up to find a line outside the library door.

No, this isn't a gathering of skeptics in tinfoil hats. It's a science-based event bringing together authors and researchers in the field giving the public a chance to share their own experiences, according to Linda Zimmerman, who has authored several books on the subject and will present at the conference.

"This is an opportunity for them to tell their stories without fear of being made to feel foolish," Zimmerman said. "Many witnesses think they are all alone, and no one else saw what they saw, or felt what they felt. The truth is, especially in the Hudson Valley and Western Connecticut, that there are tens of thousands of witnesses with shared experiences, which often comes as a great relief to learn."

Zimmerman has written three books on the topic of UFO sightings in the Hudson Valley and Western Connecticut. While she is a Hudson Valley native, her research suggests that the area is a UFO sighting hot spot.

The Merriam-Webster's definition for UFO is "an unidentified flying object." Resources such as the National UFO Reporting Center offer a way to report what appears to be the supernatural or unusual. Reports of sightings vary greatly in their content, but many feature descriptions of moving or stationary lights or flashing.

On September 12, someone in Danbury reported a sighting, describing a single red flashing light that was stationary but then took off. Zimmerman's research dates UFO sightings in Western Connecticut and Hudson Valley back to at least 1908. Many disregard such reports, saying that all can be explained by some sort of aircraft or hoax.

"In our area there were mass sightings of inexplicable objects in the sky going back at least to 1908. This is extremely important, because we did not have aircraft capable of exhibiting the characteristics of extended flight, high altitude flying, maneuverability and hovering in place," Zimmerman said. "So when people say that the UFO field is nonsense and it can all be explained by secret military aircraft, misinterpreted conventional aircraft, and hoaxes, these 1908 sightings set a precedence that it is a real and undeniable phenomenon."

Having written books and lecturing on ghost hunting, the zombie apocalypse and other topics, Zimmerman was continuously approached by people sharing their UFO stories. After several years, she felt she needed to dig deeper on the topic.

Before she decided to enter the field, Zimmerman witnessed her own UFO sighting in college. She described the phenomenon as three yellowish-white lights traveling at a low altitude. Her and a few friends chased after the lights, which eventually came together in a blue-green flash.

A state trooper came up to her and her friends to ask what they were doing in the park at that late of an hour, and turned "as white as a ghost" when he saw the light, Zimmerman said.

"There was no doubt in my mind that this was something beyond our capabilities," Zimmerman said."It is one thing to intellectually come to the conclusion that there is other life in the universe, and it is something else to witness it."

Zimmerman has written three books on the topic of UFO sightings in the Hudson Valley and Western CT. is well aware of the ridicule and criticism those who disregard the field. She was pleasantly surprised at the turnout last year, and hopes this year will bring similar results.

"We tread a very fine line in this field and credibility is everything," Zimmerman said. "Once that is lost you really can't get it back. So what I always strive to do is maintain a high level of professionalism and respect."

The conference runs all day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the library. All are invited to share experiences, and there will be dedicated staffers at the conference taking witness statements.

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