Drivers along Highway 17 may be forced to do a double take while driving past Vermillion Bay, Ontario.
Outside of a Piston Ring store stands a 20-foot tall Bigfoot statue giving a thumb’s up—already eye-catching—but this time, it looks a little different.
He’s clad in green, with some shamrocks, a hat, and carrying a leprechaun in his hand, for St. Patrick’s Day, of course.
It’s the work of the Municipality of Machin, revitalizing an old idea for the beloved statue in the community, which has stood since the 1980s.
“It was originally brought in by Max Lang in the 80s for their business, Bigfoot Auto Parts and Marine Accessories,” said Max Nagy, economic development officer with the municipality. “So, Max and his wife, Liz, at the time owned the business, and Liz actually used to make handmade costumes for Bigfoot.”
Bigfoot would appear dressed as Batman or have a different look for holidays and events, such as the local carnival. However, the decoration of the statue soon fell by the wayside, and Bigfoot was no longer dressed for occasions and holidays.
However, things changed.
In 2024, Liz Lang donated the statue to the care of the municipality, and this year, they decided to revive the tradition of dressing the statue. Several volunteers in the community dressed him up, giving him a St. Patrick’s Day makeover.
“They really hit the nail on the head with all of the decorations,” Nagy said.
The statue is now the responsibility of both the economic development community and the revitalization committee, and discussions are underway on bringing the tradition of dressing up Bigfoot again to help draw people to the community.
“With Easter approaching, I can see some bunny ears in his future, maybe a basket with some eggs,” Nagy said.
