York Halloween 2023: Lighting of the Pumpkins, Trick-or-Treat and more
York’s Old Burying Ground will be the scene of several spooky and fun events this month, as the Old York Historical Society invites the public to explore the cemetery by lamplight, enjoy a dramatic reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s poems, and help light up the night with jack-o’-lanterns.
Gone, But Not Forgotten: A Cemetery Walk
The Old York Historical Society will offer a special tour, “Gone, But Not Forgotten,” an “informative and slightly spooky” lamp-lit stroll of York’s Old Burying Ground, on Thursday, Oct. 19 and Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 and 7 p.m.
“There are more than 100 gravestones within the cemetery, each with a story to tell,” the historical society said in a press release. “The lives and deaths of those buried within the hallowed walls of the historic cemetery will be illuminated by guides dressed as 18th-century townsfolk.”
Tours last approximately an hour and is held outside after dark, so please dress warmly and wear comfortable walking shoes. This program is not recommended for those with mobility issues. Reservations are required. Tickets: $20 / $15 members. Available at oldyork.org. No tickets are sold at the door.
An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe
The Old York Historical Society will welcome back renowned performer Campbell Harmon for “An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe” at the Old York Museum Center at 3 Lindsay Road on Friday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.
Harmon, who speaks in character as Poe, will present a dramatic reading of classic poems, including “The Raven” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by candlelight. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Tickets cost $25, or $20 for historical society members, and are available at oldyork.org. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Trick-or-treating and the Lighting of the Pumpkins
The Old York Historical Society invites children to trick-or-treat, 18th-century style, at Old York’s historic buildings in York Village from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30. Buildings include Jefferds Tavern, York Corner Schoolhouse, Emerson-Wilcox House, and the Old Gaol. Creepy characters and ghosts of Halloween past will hand out treats to all who dare to knock on Old York’s historic doors.
The invitation coincides with the town’s annual night of trick-or-treating.
Also that evening, the 5th annual Lighting of the Pumpkins at the Old Burying Ground in York Village will begin at approximately 5 p.m. The walls of the Old Burying Ground in York Village will be illuminated with jack-o’-lanterns until around 8 p.m.
Stop by to enjoy a magical scene and enjoy the Afterglow at the Tavern, from 5 to 7 p.m. Hearty hearth-cooked soup and bread will be available at historic Jefferds Tavern, along with local beer and cider.
This event is free and open to the public. In the event of heavy rain, the event is postponed until Oct. 31. Parking is available at the Old York Museum Center, 3 Lindsay Road, York. This event is outside, and Old York’s buildings will not be open to the public.
Help fill the Old Burying Ground with pumpkins
The Old York Historical Society invites you to help fill the Old Burying Ground by bringing carved pumpkins to the Old York Museum Center at 3 Lindsay Road between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30. The society also will have a pumpkin-carving party at the museum center from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 29. The organization will provide the pumpkins but asks you to bring your carving tools.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York Halloween 2023: Lighting of the Pumpkins, Trick-or-Treat and more
