Want an encounter of the weird and wonderful kind?

Then grab your grainy photos and collect your conspiracy theories – the Cardwell UFO festival is about to make contact.

The main attraction is C-Files, a forum for people to discuss their UFO sightings and encounters. Anyone with photos, videos or experiences they are keen to talk about is invited along and a file will be opened, and archived and compared with other events.

Scully and Mulder might not make an appearance but elsewhere at the festival there’s monster markets, rides, a sideshow alley and for the kids a space race treasure hunt and best alien costume contest.

There are also several bands playing in the evening, a fancy dress party for adults and a movie under the stars – Throwback, about the infamous Queensland Yowie.

The UFO festival is a natural unnatural fit for Caldwell – the region lays claim to the title UFO capital of Australia. Cardwell is known for the mysterious Cardwell Lights, most recently seen in 2014, and numerous UFO sightings, and up the road in Tully there was an outbreak of unexplained crop circles in 1966.

Cardwell UFO Festival is Australia’s only event of its kind and was recently named by lifestyle guide Hunter and Bligh as one of Australia’s Seven Most Eyebrow Raising Festivals.

The festival is on October 21. Click here for more info.