Idyllbeast sightings at Café Aroma

Friend of Idyllbeast, “researcher” David Jerome holds “positive” proof of a May visit of the reclusive beast. Jerome made plaster casts of the beast’s footprints in front of Café Aroma, where he roped off the scene with yellow caution tape to protect it from intrusive restaurant customers.
Photo by Becky Clark

In writing Idyllbeast, the assignment was to have fun with the piece. I did, and I hope readers found it fun as well. The approach I took in no way was meant to diminish Native American tribal legend about a local Bigfoot-like creature, if, as one reader suggests, there is such a body of information. It was also not meant to discount the experiences or beliefs of those who feel strongly about the existence of Bigfoot-like creatures that may have existed or still exist in the high San Jacintos. The article was intended to be like a jazz riff - designed to pull you in for the pleasure of it.

Tall, dark, hairy, shy, likes music

By Marshall Smith
Staff Reporter

David Jerome has beast on the mind. Idyllbeast to be precise. He is hoping that the reported 98th annual Idyllbeast Festival, to be held at Café Aroma on Saturday July 4th from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. may lure the curious, but famously shy, hairy apelike bipedal hominoid to the bistro environs. More to the point, he is hoping the holiday music and wafting garlic aromas prove irresistible to a creature that hikers have reported smells of garlic and cinnamon and has been heard doing a mean Aretha Franklin imitation – or so he’s heard.

Jerome reports backcountry hikers occasionally report encounters with things they can’t explain. Of course, Jerome acknowledges, that is also true in town, but that’s a different story. Jerome has heard reports that some Native Americans have an oral history recounting a Bigfoot-like creature in the high San Jacintos. To local tribes, the 7 to 9 foot tall ape/man creature was just another spirit brother who liked to join in at any tribal ceremony that featured dancing. Apparently the creature kept to himself and seldom entered the settlement except when ceremonial drums and chanting started. The beast reportedly never sang or chanted, but danced enthusiastically.

When whites started settling the mountain, the beast retreated. Whites feared the beast and tried to drive him away when sighted. Once television become ubiquitous, Hill residents began reporting hairy faces at their windows, transfixed by television images, especially when Aretha Franklin sang.

Jerome thinks Idyllbeast, as locals have named it, wants to participate in modern Idyllwild ceremonies just as he did with Native Americans. “Music is a universal language,” said Jerome. “The beast just wants to be loved, and music may be its way in.” Idyllbeast cousin Bigfoot is known for “strong vocalizations,” according to a report of a Montana sighting by Andrea Lutz, KPAX, Missoula.

Jerome hasn’t seen the beast, but he has seen its footprints. A sighting of beast footprints just in front of the Café bolsters Jerome’s hopes of luring the beast to Café Aroma on the fourth. Jerome, himself a musician, is growing more hair in order to make the beast feel less out of place if he shows up. “I’m letting my beard grow for it,” he said enthusiastically. “We’re also awarding fur crowns to attending women who represent the furry flower of Idyllwild femininity.” Jerome is hoping that the more hair in evidence at the beastacle, the less the beast will feel different, out of place, and unwelcome.

“It’s time for welcoming Idyllbeast,” said Jerome. Sure he or, as Jerome puts it, “Heidibeast” might be different from us, but deep down we and the beast share more than separates us – a love of music and garlic, both staples at Aroma.

For further Idyllbeast festival information, contact Café Aroma at 659-5212 or idyllbeastresearchcenter@yahoo.com.

Marshall Smith can be reached at marshall@towncrier.com

I just read you article and wanted to pass something on in case you might be interested. I assume you have heard of Tahquitz. Certainly you have if you are native to Palm Springs or vicinity. I once had a job in the City of Palm Springs which required excavation. Since it was owned by the native American Tribe, some elders came to the site and made a tribute to Tahquitz before I was allowed to dig. Their description of it and its resemblance to Bigfoot fascinated me so I went to the library and found a book on Shashone religion and confirmed what they said. It also attributed ball lightning to Tahquitz which obviously may be just due to the earthquake pressure zone there pressurizing quartz and providing a regional piezoelectric effect (I am a geologist if that wasn’t obvious). In the Shoshone religion, Tahquitz was said to live in a cave by Lily Rock near the town of Idylwild. Tahquitz was said to be a very large hairy cannibal that stunk really bad, was nocturnal and had very loud screams. Anyway, I thought I would share that tidbit of information since your article discussed local bigfoot reports which I had never heard before. Regards, Jim Zenor.