Halloween Fun at Old Salem Museums & Gardens

Old Salem Museums & Gardens has planned a “spooktacular” weekend of Halloween fun! Visitors to Old Salem Museums & Gardens can enjoy three family friendly Halloween events in late October:

Jack-o-lantern Carving Contest: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, FREE

• Show off your pumpkin carving creativity and imagination at this outdoor contest on Friday, October 28, from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Frank L. Horton Museum Center Loggia and Meadow, 924 South Main Street. Free pumpkins will be provided; please bring your own carving tools. All children must be supervised by a parent, guardian or other adult. No pets, please.

Participants will have a chance to win prizes in various categories. The carved pumpkins will be lighted and displayed on the Salem Square fence on Sunday, October 30, during a district-wide trick or treating event for the public from 6-9 p.m. Contest winners will be announced on Old Salem’s Facebook page that night and will be notified. Participants can take their jack-o-lanterns home, if they wish, after 9 p.m. on October 30.

Legends and Lanterns Tours: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29

• Are you afraid of the dark? Come find out on Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29 between 6-9 pm by joining a Legends and Lanterns walking tour at Old Salem. During this 45-60 minute tour a costumed guide will light the way by lantern through Salem’s nighttime streets. You will visit several haunting stops in the historic district and hear tales of a local ghostly legend, or interact with a person from the past. You might even catch a glimpse of a ghost or two while visiting our historic buildings!

Tours are scheduled to depart from the Old Salem Visitor Center every 15 minutes. Content is suitable for all ages, but does require extensive walking on streets and uneven brick sidewalks. Tour group size is limited and reservations are encouraged.

Tickets for adults are $20 and $15 for children. Friends of Old Salem are $18 and $13, respectively. Please call 1-800-441-5305 to reserve your tour date and time.

Author Book Signings—Books Featuring Local Ghost Tales: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29

• If you love ghost stories, you can take home a signed copy of books by two local authors: Michael Renegar and Amy Spease. From 4-7 p.m. on Friday and from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, they will be signing books in Moravian Book & Gift Shop at 612 S. Main Street. You can purchase and have them sign Ghosts of the Triad: Tales from the Haunted Heart of the Piedmont, which they co-wrote, and which reveals eerie and chilling stories from the heart of the Piedmont, from the ghost that haunts Salem Tavern to the slain Revolutionary War soldiers who linger in the park surrounding Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro. In addition, Renegar also will be signing the just released Tar Heel Terrors: More North Carolina Ghosts and Legends. The 20-plus stories in this collection range from the ghost of a Revolutionary War hero to a vengeful spirit trapped in a gold mine. These tales are sure to leave readers' spines tingling.

Trick-or-treating in the Historic District: Sunday, October 30, FREE

• For the second year, and by popular demand, Old Salem Museums & Gardens will again host trick-or-treating for children on South Main Street, from Salem Square to the Frank L. Horton Museum Center. The hours are 6-9 p.m. Volunteers will be stationed at the doors of the historic buildings, giving out candy, while the supply lasts. Some residents of Old Salem who live on South Main Street also will be participating.

Young spooks should be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult and wear light-colored costumes and clothing for safety. South Main Street will be closed to traffic during the event. Off-duty police officers will be stationed at some street intersections to direct traffic. No pets, please.

Visit www.oldsalem.org for full details and schedule of Halloween weekend activities.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens is located at 600 South Main Street in Winston-Salem. For more information call 336-721-7300 or visit www.oldsalem.org