In honor of Halloween, I wanted to send you information about a city considered to be among the most haunted in the world and it's close to home: Wilmington, N.C. October scares up dozens of Halloween events; we're talking festivals, murder-mystery dinner theatre, cruises, pirate adventures, hayrides, creepy nature programs and more. Some of the below events are better suited for braver (older) ghouls and goblins, while some are perfect for even the meekest ghosts. These are some great ideas for those looking for a spooky yet family-friendly destination to visit in the coming weeks.
Paranormal fans will want to check out the Poplar Grove Halloween Festival. Dare to walk through the Haunted Manor or ride the Haunted Wagon through the deep dark forest. Then, on one night only, come face to face with scary legends of the past along a secluded maritime forest trail in nearby Kure Beach at Fort Fisher's Haunted Trail Tour.
The little ones will be frightfully delighted to celebrate Halloween at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher¹s Trick or Treat Under the Sea. Enjoy haunted gardens, live animal encounters and scary divers swimming among the sharks. Go trick-or-treating aboard the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA at Batty Battleship¹s Halloween Bash, along with storytelling, games, a petting zoo, and special guest appearances from Anna and Elsa from ³Frozen.² Bring blankets, chairs, coolers and Halloween goodies to enjoy a screening of Hocus Pocus at the historic Bellamy Mansion.
Featured in USA Today and Southern Living, Wilmington's ghost walk guides traverse 275-year-old alleyways while telling stories of poor lost souls that still linger in Port City. Hear stories of murder and mayhem while treading upon the unmarked graves of thieves, murderers and other pitiful souls. For a double dose of spirits, try a haunted pub-crawl. Or if zombies are your spook of choice, take part in the annual Wilmington Zombie Walk.
Fans of the FOX hit series, Sleepy Hollow, may recognize Bellevue Cemetery: it's the site of multiple scenes featuring the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane. Located in the city¹s Historic District overlay, Bellevue Cemetery's graves date back to the 1800s. Wilmington¹s other chill-inducing graveyard is St. James Parish Cemetery. Founded in 1729, this small cemetery has more 18th century headstones than any other place in North Carolina. It's the final resting place of Samuel Jocelyn, Jr., who was buried alive; legend has it that he lost all 10 fingertips trying to scratch his way out of his coffin. Oakdale Cemetery is the eternal home of famous people like Civil War spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow and journalist David Brinkley, among others. Many cemeteries offer special haunted tours around Halloween.
The Wilmington area has been the site of filming for multiple scary productions over the years, including Sleepy Hollow, The Conjuring, The Exorcist III, Under the Dome, Trick or Treat, Blue Velvet, Cabin Fever 2, The Remaining, and numerous Stephen King movies (Firestarter, Cat's Eye, Maximum Overdrive, Silver Bullet and Night Flier). For a behind-the-scenes look at some of these scary film sets, sign up for a tour of EUE/Screen Gems Studios.
