On Friday night, Oct. 10, 2025 in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, believers in the Roswell UFO crash will face off against defenders of Washington state’s lesser-known Maury Island Incident in a public debate.
One side cites a UFO crash with alien bodies in the desert; the other points to slag, a Man in Black, and a doomed B-25 bomber with the first two casualties for the newly-independent Air Force near Kelso, Washington.
But this won’t be just a fight over flying saucers — it’s about which version of 1947’s “Summer of the Saucers” deserves the spotlight.
The event will be hosted by Resident Roswell Researchers and the Washington-based United Festivals of UFOs (UFO-UFO), two camps often at odds over UFO lore. They’ve issued a rare joint statement announcing the debate in hopes of settling their differences — or at least spotlighting them.
The purpose? According to the Joint Statement:
“To jointly and publicly address long-standing questions and controversies (some might say, grievances) relating to the history, mythology, and legacy of the 1947 Summer of the Saucers, specifically including 1947 UFO incidents (both famous and infamous) occurring in Roswell, New Mexico, Mt. Rainier, Washington, and Maury Island, Washington.“
The Washington State and Roswell representatives agree on many of the facts and circumstances of these iconic UFO episodes: that UFOs have become “big business,” and that current popular culture relating to UFOs and UAPs, the so-called “Men in Black,” and even aliens, is directly descended – with little change – from the events of 1947.
However, the Joint Statement asserts that “central to our disagreements are the facts, circumstances, and competing legacies of Roswell, Kenneth Arnold’s Mt. Rainier sighting, and Maury Island.”
The Joint Statement identifies debate topics that include:
- Who’s to blame (or credit) for launching the 1947 Summer of the Saucers? Is it the businessman pilot who first brought these objects to the public attention? Is it the unfortunate Maury Island eyewitness who failed to heed the warning of the Man In Black? Or could it be the long shadow of Roswell, obscuring all that has come before or since?
- Do the current legacies of these three 1947 events accurately reflect their true historical and mythological importance?
The festival organizers seek to underscore the historical and pop-culture significance of Washington’s 1947 UFO sightings, both famous (Kenneth Arnold’s June 24, 1947, Mt. Rainier sighting of nine flying discs) and infamous (the notorious “Maury Island Incident,” featuring the origins of the iconic, so-called “Men in Black”).
Neutral Debate Site
Organizers selected a neutral site for the Oct. 10 debate: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, at the Truth or Consequences Brewing Company. Organizers seized upon the wordplay in concluding the Joint Statement:
“These important questions, and others of less importance, will be debated on October 10, 2025, in the neutral territory of Truth Or Consequences, NM, at the Truth or Consequences Brewery.
“On one side, UFO-UFO, representing Washington State’s role in kickstarting the modern UFO phenomenon.
“And on the other side, Roswell, the town that took that phenomenon to the bank.
“The winner will know the truth.
“The loser, consequences.“
About Roswell, NM’s Resident UFO Researchers
Paul T. Semones is a Forensic Engineer and Roswell crash researcher. Semones is the tour guide for The Roswell UFO Tour, where he educates and entertains visitors to Roswell as they travel through the locations and events of the summer of 1947.
Says Semones:
“I take it as a high ethical duty to present, with as much historical accuracy as possible, the facts, claims and conclusions of the many witnesses and researchers who, over the past several decades, have made the Roswell Incident an enduring part of our culture.”
Semones relocated to Roswell in recent years, after becoming fascinated by the Roswell story upon his first visit over 25 years ago. He still has Walter Haut’s autograph as a bookmark in an X-Files book he got in college.
Toby Martinez is an investigative reporter. He is the Design Editor for the Roswell Daily Record. He has been covering the UFO topic for over 20 years.
A lifelong interest in UFOs has led Toby to work with producers on shows including The X-Files and Expedition Unknown. He has also worked with the History Channel, The Discovery Channel, Vice, and various media entities from worldwide countries.
Toby has appeared on various networks, including NewsNation and the Discovery Channel. He is also the co-host of “Marked by the Sky,” on KGRA Digital Broadcasting. He recently released his first book, “Rendlesham Signals from the Threshold: The Hidden Race for UAP Technology,” with co-author John Burroughs.
About the Team WA Debaters
Steve Edmiston is an appointee to the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, and has keynoted the Washington State Historical Society, Smith Tower Rumrunners Club, McMenamin’s History Pubs, conferences, festivals, historical societies, and business groups. He is also a business, entertainment, Intellectual Property attorney, and independent film screenwriter/producer. He is credited with four feature films (including Lifetime’s Crimes of the Past). His award-winning shorts include The Maury Island Incident, The Day My Parents Became Cool, and Thr33.
Other Team WA debaters will likely include Vince Ynzunza, co-founder of the Chehalis Flying Saucer Party and Jason Mattson, co-founder of the Chehalis event and Director of the Lewis County Historical Museum.
About Chehalis Flying Saucer Party
Today, there are few images or ideas more universally accepted than that of the “flying saucer.” And it all started in Chehalis, WA, with the sighting of nine flying saucers at Mt. Rainier. The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party celebrates this historic moment through compelling speakers, great music, unique vendors, museum displays, a one-of-a-kind Saucer Drop, a film festival – and so much more! The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party provides a light-hearted and imaginative space for individuals to let their curiosity soar and engage in a community that shares an interest in extraterrestrial phenomena. It’s a chance to embrace the unknown, connect with like-minded individuals, and enjoy a day of extraterrestrial-themed fun.
Find more information at: http://www.flyingsaucerparty.org/
About the Men in Black Birthday Bash Festival (MIBBB Fest)
On June 22, 1947, Harold Dahl of Tacoma was visited by a Man in Black, just one day after Dahl reported an encounter with flying saucers. This is the first recorded appearance of the iconic Men in Black. The saucer sighting is recounted in the award-winning film The Maury Island Incident. The 4th annual MIBBB Fest will be held from June 13 through June 22, 2025, on the shores of Puget Sound, in view of Maury Island. To learn more, visit MIB622.com and follow MIBBB Fest on Facebook and Instagram. Tickets for all MIBBB Fest events here.
About Truth or Consequences Brewing Co.
Truth or Consequences Brewing Co. is a craft brewery in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The owners see their laid-back craft brewery and taproom as the “living room of the community.” It’s located in the historic hot springs bathhouse district, and features handcrafted ales and lagers and beers and wines from other New Mexico producers. Its mission is to make great beer and make people happy.
Truth or Consequences Brewing Co., 410 N. Broadway Truth or Consequences, NM.
Learn more: https://www.torc.beer/
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