MAYVILLE, N.Y. - "Now we believe truly, honestly that Chautauqua County has bigfoots here, and they're also known as Sasquatch, but they're in Warren County, they're in Cattaraugus County, they're probably in every county that has good stretches of forest and state forest lands," said Peter Wiemer, Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo Chair.

To help share that belief, local business owner Weimer played host Sunday to the first ever Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo at the Chautauqua Suites in Mayville.

The expo capped off a three day event dedicated to the mystique surrounding one of nature's most elusive creatures.

"I have been researching Bigfoot on the Internet for about four years, every morning for about a half hour and at least a few hours every night. I'm really kind of obsessed with it, but I truly believe he exists. I have no question about it. I would stake my life on it," said Cheektowaga resident Donna Klinko.

"Oh yeah its very exciting to me," said Gerry resident Clair Wisler. "I wish I could be out in the woods all the time just looking for it, but from what I see on TV its awfully scarce to get the information."

"And I've literally just went out and hunted for it," said Westfield resident Daniel Dunmore. "So I went and did it, didn't get anywhere, found a few footprints but not big enough to be bigfoot but it was just a lot of fun to do it."

The expo included live animal presentations, information and exhibits, as well as national experts who shared their research findings and eyewitness testimony.

"It perpetuates the idea what is it, what are these people seeing and I think that's what made the most interested to begin with, what are these people actually seeing out there if this isn't supposed to exist," said Melissa Hovey, American Bigfoot Society President

"It's the mystery behind it, the fact that there seems to be an animal out there that walks on two feet just like we do, and the amazing fact that it can stay elusive, stay out of sight," said Billy Willard, Sasquatch Watch of Virginia Director

Organizers hope to make the bigfoot expo an annual event. For more information visit www.chautauqualakebigfoot.com.