'It happened right here': Manitobans invited to visit site of famous Falcon Lake UFO encounter

It’s been hailed as Canada’s best-documented UFO sighting.

And this weekend, Manitobans are invited to celebrate its anniversary at the provincial park where the incident is said to have happened decades ago.

It was on May 20, 1967, when industrial mechanic and amateur geologist Stefan Michalak said he was doing some prospecting at Falcon Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, about 145 kilometres east of Winnipeg.

“He encountered this, for all intents and purposes, this Hollywood-style flying saucer that came down, burned him, marks in the ground, radiation found—all the great stuff that you see in all the movies and TV shows,” explains Chris Rutkowski, a UFO researcher.

It was subsequently investigated by the RCMP and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Police reports are still available online through the Library and Archives Canada, and Rutkowski says he has uncovered over 300 official government documents on the incident.

“They couldn’t explain this,” Rutkowski said. “In fact, what makes this even better than Roswell is that we have the documentation.”

An undated sketch by Stefan Michalak illustrates the flying saucer he encountered while doing some amateur prospecting in Falcon Lake, Man.

The case has gone on to live in infamy, with retellings on “Unsolved Mysteries,” countless podcasts and even a book authored by Rutkowski.

The researcher has now teamed up with Parks Manitoba to host a slew of events to mark the 56th anniversary of the sighting, including an in-depth presentation from Rutkowski and Michalak’s son, a webinar, and a guided hike to the site of the encounter.

Rutkowski says the Falcon Lake community has embraced its legacy, and he hopes Manitobans will do the same.

“It’s one that has captivated, and it happened right here.”

Anyone looking for details on the events can email Manitoba Parks.

- With files from CTV's Nicole Dubé