Pig Lady of Cannelton
Fall Folklore Festival | October 22, 2021
Listen to the complete live recording of the 2021 Pig Lady Festival
on Episode 28 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends and Lore Podcast
Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast explores the history and tales of ghost stories, mysterious crimes & murders, UFOs, witchcraft, and other occult happenings still thriving in the Greater Ohio Valley region of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio–and beyond.
Specializing in obscure paranormal and anthropological topics, Tony Lavorgne is an accomplished researcher, author, and public speaker on the subject of local legends and lore throughout Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio. He is a contributing writer to Supernatural Lore of Pennsylvania: Ghosts, Monsters and Miracles and co-author of Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania.
Festival Highlights
Special Guest
Recorded before a live audience, special storytelling guest Brian Seech retells the world famous 1966 UFO chase from Ohio to Conway in Beaver County, along with other tales of unexplained flying objects in our night skies. Brian also shares other paranormal tales of bigfoot sightings and more strange encounters throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Along with his wife Terrie, Brian Seech is an experienced investigator and researcher of local paranormal and unexplained events. For over thirty years the Seech family has investigated the paranormal through their Center for Cryptozoological Studies focusing on the study of unknown or hidden animals, and the Center for Unexplained Events gathering local and national research on UFOs, aliens, ghosts, and other strange phenomena.
Paranormal Investigation
Inspired by the last Pig Lady Festival, storytelling host Tony Lavorgne recounts before a live audience the paranormal investigation conducted on location in Cannelton, Pennsylvania with the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Team (O.P.I.T.) in search of Barbara Davidson (aka, the Pig Lady of Cannelton) and other spirits lingering on the 18th century log cabin homestead where Barbara was murdered and beheaded.
The investigation is chronicled in audio and video on Episode 27 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends and Lore Podcast. As an important example of local history and Beaver County’s rich folklore heritage, this performance will be inducted into the Listening Library of Beaver County and other local history archives to help educate current and future generations.
Storytelling Host
Recorded outdoors before a live audience, folklorist Tony Lavorgne explains the nature of local legends and lore, and he recounts the tale of Barbara Davidson, the Pig Lady of Cannelton.
Specializing in obscure paranormal and anthropological topics, Tony Lavorgne is an accomplished researcher, author, and public speaker on the subject of local legends and lore throughout Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio.
Tony is the author of Astonishing Tales of Pennsylvania, co-author of Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania, and he is also featured in Supernatural Lore of Pennsylvania: Ghosts, Monsters and Miracles. Tony also hosts Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, produced in Beaver County by The Social Voice Project.
As an important example of local history and Beaver County’s rich folklore heritage, this performance will be inducted into the Listening Library of Beaver County and other local history archives to help educate current and future generations.
Musical Guest
The Foster Family of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania and northern Beaver County make up East of Enon, a traditional bluegrass, country, and gospel musical group.
This was the Fosters’ first time performing at the Pig Lady Festival, entertaining the crowd with bluegrass and country standards, classics, and contemporary songs, as well as a few special selections befitting the folklore festival.
Conforming to bluegrass tradition, the Fosters perform acoustically around a single microphone, taking musical cues and inspiration from each other. This special recording produced by The Social Voice Project captures these authentic, artistic dynamics and fine nuances of music performed before a live audience.
As an important example of local history and Beaver County’s Appalachian musical heritage, this performance will be inducted into the Listening Library of Beaver County and other local history archives to help educate current and future generations.
Close Encounters
in
Beaver County
5:00pm – 7:00pm
Food & Games for the Kids
6:00pm – 6:45pm
Music
With East of Enon
7:00pm – 8:00pm
Local Tales & Storytelling
With Tony Lavorgne & Brian Seech
8:15pm – 9:15pm
Community Movie
Invasion of Chestnut Ridge
9:30pm – 10:00pm
Pig Lady Festival After Hours: Fireside Chat about Appalachian Folklore
With Astonishing Legends Podcast
Featuring
Host
Tony Lavorgne
Specializing in obscure paranormal and anthropological topics, Tony Lavorgne is an accomplished researcher, author, and public speaker on the subject of local legends and lore throughout Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio.
Tony is the author of Astonishing Tales of Pennsylvania, co-author of Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania, and he is also featured in Supernatural Lore of Pennsylvania: Ghosts, Monsters and Miracles.
Tony also hosts Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, produced in Beaver County by The Social Voice Project.
Featured Storyteller
Brian Seech
Along with his wife Terrie, Brian Seech is an experienced investigator and researcher of local paranormal and unexplained events.
For over thirty years the Seech family has investigated the paranormal through their Center for Cryptozoological Studies focusing on the study of unknown or hidden animals, and the Center for Unexplained Events gathering local and national research on UFOs, aliens, ghosts, and other strange phenomena.
Musical Guest
East of Enon
The Foster Family of Enon Valley, Pennsylvania make up East of Enon, a traditional bluegrass, country, and gospel musical group.
“We are a family that enjoys singing together for the joy and the glory of the Lord! We sing mostly gospel music and bluegrass!”
Special Guest
Astonishing Legends Podcast
The Pig Lady Festival After Hours presents a very special conversation about Appalachian folklore with the Astonishing Legends Podcast: The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. Over 85 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have shown that exploring and embracing the wonders of our world can be not only enlightening but exciting.
Featured Film Begins at 8:15pm
Invasion on Chestnut Ridge
The terrifying, true story of Pennsylvania’s “Chestnut Ridge,” a mountain range where decades of reports of bizarre happenings have been reported, beginning with the Kecksburg UFO crash, and tracking stories of Bigfoot, prehistoric birds, strange dog-like creatures and much more. From the director of The Mothman of Point Pleasant comes this truly frightening glimpse into the unbelievable . . .
Mortal Mirror Studio says . . .
Really enjoyable documentary for anyone with even a passing interest in the paranormal. I have been peripherally aware of many of the strange happenings happening in the state of Pennsylvania and its borders for quite some time. The sheer volume of high strangeness, not to mention the extraordinary confluence of what is traditionally perceived as opposing or starkly separated phenomenon happening here is astounding. This documentary provides an intimate glimpse into a smattering of events, told from the point of view of eyewitnesses and devoted local researchers. I only wish the documentary was longer! I’d love to see the full length interviews and outtakes from this film. Highly recommended for curious newbies, longtime researchers, enlightened experiencers, and hardened skeptics alike.
D. Fink writes on Amazon . . .
Small Town Monsters has done it again. A detailed documentary on the scary goings on with the Kecksburg crash and everything that has gone on since. There’s no hokey acting in anything these guys do and I love that. I would much rather watch these type of productions than anything that the television producers put out. Keep up the great work! There are so very many stories yet to be told, people have no idea.
Another Amazon watcher declares . . .
You had me at UFOs and Bigfoot. But then adding all the other weird and unusual occurrences… wow.. Dogmen, dragons, lights, hauntings, Thunderbirds, weird sounds. I was hooked on this show.
Visit Small Town Monsters, an award-winning production company dedicated to documenting small town America’s strange tales and occurrences.
In the News
The Genesis Collective Podcast
Episode 7: Community Storytelling – The Pig Lady Festival
On episode 7 of The Genesis Collective Podcast, we celebrate community storytelling as an art form; discuss the influence of history on our folktales, legends, and lore; and we listen to the tale of Barbara Davidson recorded live at The Pig Lady Festival.
Festival Merchandise
2021 Festival Partners
Little Beaver Lions Club
The Social Voice Project
The Genesis Collective
If you would like to be involved with the festival as a volunteer, storyteller, or creative partner, please contact us.
Visit the Pig Lady Festival
More Stories about the Pig Lady of Cannelton & Other Local Legends and Lore
2019 Pig Lady Festival Live
On episode 26 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends and Lore Podcast, we go on-location to Darlington, Pennsylvania to cover the 2019 Pig Lady Festival, hosted by Tony Lavorgne and featuring the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Team.
The Pig Lady of Cannelton Tale
On episode 21 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, Tony presents one of Western Pennsylvania’s most haunting, criminal—and declared true—legends of all time: The Pig Lady of Cannelton.
The Barbara Davidson Investigation
On episode 27 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends and Lore Podcast, we go on-location to Cannelton, Pennsylvania with the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Team (OPIT) in search of Barbara Davidson (aka, the Pig Lady of Cannelton) and other spirits lingering on the 18th century log cabin homestead where Barbara was murdered and beheaded.
Indigenous Perspectives on Native Americans and Local History
On episode 18 of the Beaver County History Podcast, we talk with public historians David Holoweiko, Mark Grago, Michael Kishbucher, and Tony Lavorgne about the complicated cultures and histories of Native Americans in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
Michael Kishbucher: Legends & Lore of Little Beaver Creek
On episode 14 of the Little Beaver Historical Society Podcast recorded and broadcast live at the 2019 Darlington Days Community Celebration, guest host and noted paranormal investigator Tony Lavorgne talks with Darlington native Michael Kishbucher about his latest book Legends & Lore of Little Beaver Creek, an entertaining and factual investigation exploring the origins and history of a variety of local tales including the legends of Esther Hale, White Lady of Sprucevale, Gretchen’s Lock, Indian Rock, and the Pig Lady of Cannelton.
The Ghost of Danny Chabot
On episode 13 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, Tony learns about the Ghost of Danny Chabot with Michelle Long of the Rochester Area Heritage Society and Melissa Rhodes Hornbeck of the Ohio Paranormal Investigation Team. The O.P.I.T. crew investigates and makes contact with Danny Chabot at the old high school, in Rochester, Pennsylvania.
James Madonna: Mason Road
On episode 17 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, Tony talks with James Madonna (Mason Road Podcast) about a yet to be solved–or explained–mystery of a severed head found along Mason Road in Economy, Pennsylvania.
Brian & Terrie Seech | Researching the Unexplained
On episode 6 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, we talk with paranormal investigators Brian and Terrie Seech and discuss researching unexplained events and creatures using evidence and an open mind. For over thirty years the Seech family has investigated the paranormal through their Center for Cryptozoological Studies focusing on the study of unknown or hidden animals, and the Center for Unexplained Events gathering local and national research on UFOs, aliens, ghosts, and other strange phenomena.
Dan Hageman: Butler Organization For Research of the Unexplained
On episode 4 of Tony Lavorgne’s Legends & Lore Podcast, we talk with Dan Hageman of the Butler Organization For Research of the Unexplained (B.O.R.U) about UFO sightings and other unexplained paranormal activity in our night skies.
Strange Tales of Beaver County
Brian & Terrie Seech of Center for Unexplained Events has created this Facebook page as the official reporting center for all strange and unexplained phenomena in Beaver County, Pa and to collect and research data on all unexplained phenomena in the county.