Monsters&Moonshine
An Appalachian storytelling competition benefiting Mountain Valor Veteran Services
The Evening
Grab a drink. Take a seat. Tell a tale.
Monsters and Moonshine brings storytellers from across the region to a front porch built just for the night, sharing true tales, strange creatures, and local legends. The winner isn't picked by a panel, it's decided by you. Every ticket includes one vote, with extra votes on hand for $5 if a story really gets you.
Along the way there's charcuterie, a cash bar pouring moonshine and non-alcoholic options alike, a silent auction, a raffle, and a roster of Appalachian cryptids sponsored by local businesses standing life-size around the room. All of it benefits Mountain Valor Veteran Services, a veteran-led nonprofit supporting veterans and their families across rural Southwest Virginia.
251 Parkway Ln S, Floyd, VA 24091
How the Night Unfolds
The Run of the Evening
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6:00
Doors Open
Silent auction opens, charcuterie and the cash bar are ready, and the Sponsor a Monster roster is on full display.
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6:30
Welcome
A word from Mountain Valor on the mission behind Monsters and Moonshine.
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6:35
Dr. Cory Higgs
Virginia Tech Appalachian Studies on Appalachian cryptids, and why we tell monster stories in the first place.
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6:55
Storytelling Begins
Storytellers take the porch in two blocks with an intermission between, each with 7 minutes to earn your vote.
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8:20
Winners Announced
Voting jars close, votes are tallied, and cash prizes go to the top three storytellers of the night.
Storytellers Wanted
Got a Monster Story?
If you've got a ghost story, a family legend, or a run-in with something that shouldn't exist, the porch is yours for seven minutes. Sign up is free, and free admission comes with it.
Spots are limited, so sign up early to reserve your place.
Register to Tell a Story- 7 minute time limit per storyteller
- No entry fee, storytellers attend free
- Winner decided entirely by audience vote
- Sign up in advance, spots are limited
Sponsor a Monster
The Roster
Local businesses put their name behind an Appalachian legend for the night, complete with signage, a program mention, and a life-size cutout guests can pose with. $500 per creature, or $250 per business for a shared tier if you'd rather split it with someone. This year's featured cryptid, Mothman, is tied to the main raffle prize: a stuffed Mothman, two tickets to the Mothman Museum, two tickets to Mothman black light minigolf, and a couple of books on the legend's history.
Bigfoot
Mountain Witch
Mothman
Still Available
We'd love to hear which creature you want to see. Here are a few Appalachian legends for inspiration, but don't let that stop you from pitching your own.
Wampus Cat · Sheepsquatch · Moon-Eyed People · Snallygaster · Flatwoods Monster · Not Deer · Tommyknockers · The Haint · Woodbooger · Raven Mocker
Interested in sponsoring a creature? Email support@mtnvalor.org.
Opening the Evening
“Why do we tell monster stories in the first place?”
Before the storytellers take the porch, Dr. Cory Higgs opens the evening.
Higgs grew up in Meadows of Dan, a small, isolated community in Patrick County, giving him a personal stake in the questions his research explores. He teaches in the Appalachian Studies Program at Virginia Tech and holds a Ph.D. in Social, Political, and Cultural Thought, also from Virginia Tech. With a background spanning digital, print, and radio media, his research focuses on visual rhetoric, iconography, and vernacular creativity online. His current work looks at how Appalachia gets re-imagined online, especially through cryptids, digital folklore, and storytelling itself.
He'll begin Monsters and Moonshine with a talk on why we tell spooky stories, and what they tell us about what we value, setting the stage for a night built entirely around that question.
Join Us
Get Your Ticket
Standard Entry
- Entry to Monsters and Moonshine
- Charcuterie included
- One audience vote
- Access to cash bar, silent auction & raffle
Admission + Mug
- Everything in General Admission
- Custom Monsters & Moonshine canning jar mug
- Sip your moonshine from it that night, keep it forever
Parking
The theater is small. Overflow parking is available at the Jeep dealership, with our van running demo rides between the lot and the venue.
Food & Drink
Charcuterie is included with every ticket. Moonshine and other drinks, including nonalcoholic options, are available at the cash bar.
Two Intermissions
Storytelling runs in blocks with 15 minute breaks between, plenty of time for the bathroom, another drink, or another look at the monster roster.