The festival is built around the Van Meter Visitor, a strange creature reported by townspeople in 1903 and now embedded in local folklore. Accounts of the mysterious winged visitor and the search near an abandoned coal mine have given the small Iowa community its own enduring monster story.
Festival programming brings that legend into town through guided monster walking tours, paranormal and cryptid presentations, themed games, vendors, food and other activities. The Veterans Reception Center serves as a central gathering point, while some activities may extend elsewhere around Van Meter. The event is generally held in September.