Hauntingly fun: Murder, mystery and ghost hunt returns to Fitzgerald Museum

Zelda Fitzgerald loved a good party back in the 1920s and '30s, and perhaps she still does.

“Zelda is still there,” said Lesley Ann Hyde, owner and founder of Southern Ghost Girls.

If you look and listen closely, you might feel a presence from the late Montgomery native formerly known as Zelda Sayre — a socialite, novelist, painter and playwright — at the museum that used to be the home she shared with her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of "The Great Gatsby." They lived there from 1931 until spring of 1932.

Hyde and her crew have examined the museum on other occasions, and are coming back to Montgomery soon for two more nights of Mardi Gras-themed dinners, dastardly danger, and a ghost hunt.

Tickets are available now for Feb. 17 and 18, when they're hosting all-ages Mardi Gras Murder Mystery dinner events at 7 p.m. nightly at the Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, 919 Felder Ave.

“People absolutely love the murder mystery dinner,” Hyde said. “You get to mix and mingle and meet other people. It has really been a huge success. We have some repeat customers that come to every single one of them that we do."

After enjoying a buffet-style dinner, guests will dive into the mystery. Though it's not required, guests are free to dress up like it's the roaring 1920s.

“Everyone gets a character to play that they’re assigned,” Hyde said. “They will interact with one another. It’s kind of like a big game of Clue.”

Tickets for either day of the the murder mystery and dinner are $79.99, and are available online at https://www.thefitzgeraldmuseum.org/

On Saturday, Feb. 18, the night can go on much later for guests. Hyde and her crew will also a host a ghost hunt at the museum from 10 p.m. to midnight. This requires a separate ticket purchase of $49.99.

“We have all the equipment that you could imagine, and we let everyone share,” Hyde said.

She said they’ve found evidence of a presence on previous ghost hunts at the museum, and people have a great time on the adventure. Beyond looking for spirits attached to the museum grounds, Hyde will also offer personal readings for guests.

“I am very much a psychic medium,” said Hyde, a native of Birmingham who has been doing history tours and paranormal investigations for more than 20 years. “I’m able to help people reach out to loved ones. That’s one of the things that we’ll also do for people if you come to the ghost hunt. That’s all included in the price of the ghost hunt. We don’t charge you extra, or anything like that.”

She said people often come in as skeptics.

“And then they’ll leave as believers,” Hyde said.

Both events are fundraisers for the museum, Hyde said.

Learn more about Southern Ghost Girls online at https://southernghostgirls.com/

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Murder, mystery and ghost hunt returns to Fitzgerald Museum