I wasn’t sure what topic I wanted to cover for this next newsletter update. Since I touched on aliens and UFOs last time, I wanted to diversify for the next one. Then… it hit me.
This weekend is Memorial Day in the US, often marking the start of the summer season. I know back in New Jersey it was when the Jersey Shore really opened up for the summer and everyone went DTS (Down the Shore), if you had a beach house (I did not). Now, I’m mostly excited about it because it means a four day weekend for me.
It also means it’s safe to whip out your white pants. The rule of only wearing white between Memorial Day and Labor Day originates from early 1900s high society. White often indicated leisure and wealth, while the post Labor Day season marked a return to work and formality. Wearing white signified that you could get out of the city and vacation elsewhere as a means of flaunting wealth. It’s antiquated and classist, and knowing this actually makes me like the Fresno Nightcrawlers even more.
The Fresno Nightcralwers say “down with the bourgeoisie” because they wear white ALL. YEAR. ROUND.
The Fresno Nightcrawlers (also sometimes called Fresno Aliens) were first spotted in Fresno, CA in 2007 on backyard CCTV footage by a man named Jose, where he discovered what looked like… well, it looks like a pair of pants just walking through the yard.
But naturally, by the time authorities arrived to investigate, all evidence was gone from the security tapes and all that remained was a recording of the recording. Which like… naturally. The Fresno Nightcrawlers play an important role in Hayden and Hallie’s relationship development in Love and Other Conspiracies, and Hallie wastes no time pointing out that this is bullshit.
The Fresno Nightcrawlers are described as being about three feet tall with their little white bodies, and often depicted with big black eyes. They also appear to travel in groups, and as depicted in this footage from Yosemite, one is much larger than the other.
Spottings are sparse, to be honest, and the footage leaves much to be desired, so there isn’t that much lore on them. They are a real case of the pop culture phenomenon keeping them alive instead of actual sightings and I think that’s beautiful.
Common explanations for these Nightcrawlers consist of aliens, a possible primate with short arms (??), weird deer, or puppets on wires. The Nightcrawlers appeared on Syfy Channel’s Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, where the investigators simply categorized them as “unexplained”.
Fresno Nightcrawlers really go down as one of the least threatening cryptids in the world. They mostly just walk around, and honestly, they’re just notoriously cute. They’re everywhere on cryptid merch and I have stickers, art, and even a little plushie.
I want a lot of cryptids to be real because it’s just who I am, but I really want Fresno Nightcrawlers to be real. They’re not hurting anyone, aren’t scary, and I think they should be protected. They’re unabashedly silly guys.
Could these be a hoax? Some kids in weird pants walking around? SURE. It’s not impossible, but what fun is that?
I enjoyed watching this video explanation during the research process:
In Love and Other Conspiracies, Hayden and Hallie venture to Northern California to go Bigfoot hunting and investigate the Winchester Mystery House, but Hayden really wants to stop and look for Nightcrawlers en route. Hallie is not enthused about the idea of wandering into the woods to look for white pants, but this chapter is one of my absolute favorites.
It’s a crux in their relationship. Hayden has told her about so many theories. But the Fresno Nightcrawlers are one of the oddest so far, but she patronizes him and lets him have his fun because she’s falling hard for him and likes him most when he’s being a little odd. It also has one of my favorite lines in the whole book: “I’m not even thinking about bugs right now.”
Thank you to the Nightcrawlers for bringing these two together, tbh.
I don’t have any watching/reading/etc. recs since I am butting right up against my book 2 deadline, so… until next time!
Enjoy your summer fashion!