Folk Halloween Traditions

Halloween is a uniquely American holiday, having been enriched and enhanced by the experience of Welsh, Scottish, and Irish immigrants to North America and which have gone largely extinct in the British Isles.  These immigrants brought with them traditions originating in the Celtic Samhain, Roman Pomonalia, and Roman Catholic Hallowmas festivals.  Modern cultural survivals are enjoyed in communities across the United States in the practices of trick-or-treating, Jack-O-Lanterns, mask/costume wearing, and apple bobbing.  But few remain who know why we do those things every year.

We exhume these traditions by reacquainting you with them.

Immerse yourself in living history as you experience Halloween authentically, 

like your ancestors did.

Early Experience & VIP Experience Traditions [click here for more details]

(CORE traditions are included with your ticket purchase for both experiences):

• A murder mystery is afoot: Up to three killers lurk. Can you identify them before being murdered? A mid- 20th Century party fave

• Fortune-telling: Discover your luck in the year ahead, or your fate with harmless silly party games (1840s-1970s)

• Halloween Party customs, traditions & games: Halloween Party games from 1820-1970s

• Victorian Ghost/American witch folk tales by candlelight: A favored pastime at Halloween & Christmas during the Victorian era

• Field & farm traditions: Test your future & luck with the fruits of the harvest and learn the tale of Stingy Jack O' the Lantern

• FREE handcrafted costume workshops: FREE in partnership with the Casper Recreation Center, the Natrona County Public Library, and the Science Zone, we help bring out the creator in you (or you can DIY at home, see The Costumes for DIY resources)

• Creative costume contest: Cash prizes for best, scariest, and most original/creative costumes, see The Contest.

• Snap-Apple Night/Nutcrack Night fire, candle, & nut traditions: Celtic and Roman Samhain traditions, their history and do the Celtic and Roman Halloween things 

• Find your true love: A perennial and timeless preoccupation of young singles.  Don't trust Bumble or Tinder, trust tried and true tradition.  

• BEER, soda, water, & snacks

Premium Add-on Traditions [click here for more details; you should, you'll really dig these]

(available at  both EARLY (6 o'clock) & VIP (9 o'clock) EXPERIENCEs): $10 each*

• The Path of Mystery: Pay homage to a mid-20th Century party invite tradition (details here) by solving a city-wide treasure hunt with escape room style clues (premium add-on $10*)

• After Dark Candlelit Halloween Superstitions Walk: The other half of the mid-century invite tradition, take a stroll after dark while learning about superstitions peculiar to Hallow's eve (premium add-on $10*)

*If you solve your Path of Mystery, you get into the After Dark Superstition Walk FREE (you get two for the price of one if you solve the path of mystery).

VIP Experiences [click here for more details]

(included in your $30 premium ticket price for a VIP Experience ticket [not included w/ Early ticket]):

• The Midnight Dumb Supper: Bite a soul cake at midnight after paying homage to passing spirits and walk home backwards to discover your true love

• The Tools & Practices of Victorian Spiritualism: A guided exploration of the tools of Victorian spiritual practices and traditions 

• Victorian Spirit Mediumship: An immersive journey into the mysteries of Victorian spiritualism: pierce the veil after midnight on Halloween and delve into the beyond with one of our gifted mediums