McRitchie’s Haunted Mansion and Fall Festival set for Oct. 26
From Special Reports
Halloween brings tricks, treats, and the perfect time for museums to celebrate the “spirits” that still roam their halls.
The Halloween season is a particular favorite of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society (NCHS) and McRitchie-Hollis Museum, and the organization is celebrating with McRitchie’s Haunted Mansion and Fall Festival — a family-friendly haunted house honoring the spooky, ghostly, and mysterious aspects of Coweta County history — on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 4-7 p.m.
The McRitchie-Hollis Museum is transforming into the McRitchie Haunted Museum for the event. Guests start their Haunted Mansion tour with a ghost story from Ms. Elizabeth Beers, local historian and storyteller extraordinaire, of Tours with Elizabeth. When the story ends and the clock strikes, the “spirits” still haunting the home come alive. Guests walk along a designated path through the lower level of the house encountering live ghosts along the way.
The Haunted Mansion tour is a family-friendly event with a low “scare factor.” Actors play the ghosts in each room and carry out a vignette as guests walk through the home. The “haunted scenes” pays homage to the history of the house with vignettes inspired by the original owners of the home and their stories (with a little added Halloween spookiness for fun!) Guests will not only enjoy seeing the house filled with “spirits” but will get a chance to see never before displayed items from the Historical Society’s archive collection.
Outside of the Haunted Mansion, an old-fashioned fall festival will be held on the front lawn. Pick a ducky, “go fishing,” play ring toss, and more in a chance to win prizes! Make sure to participate in the cakewalk and cake auction and don’t forget your costume for the costume contest at 6 p.m.
McRitchie’s Haunted Mansion and Fall Festival is intended to be an affordable, family-friendly event. Guests purchase tickets at the event to participate in activity booths. Tickets are only $1 each and festival activities range from 1 to 5 tickets with the Haunted Mansion tour being five (5) tickets per person (adult and children). The first Haunted Mansion tour begins at 4 p.m.
