The popular ghost tours at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History are done for only six months of the year — winter is just too cold to be traipsing around town hearing stories of the long-departed.
That doesn’t mean fans of the event have to take a winter-long hiatus from hearing the ghostly tales.
On Feb. 27, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is hosting a ghost social event from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Traditionally, outdoor ghost tours are led by the museum staff in which guests are guided through locations of interest and learn spooky stories about past occurrences at each spot. In the six-month period from May to October, the tours are held on a regular, weekly basis. From November to April the museum experiences a downtime from touring, with winter weather being too extreme to proceed outside.
The idea for the ghost social came up last fall.
“The ghost social came about as an idea to keep our ghost tours going through the offseason when it gets too cold to go outside and do our traditional ghost tour,” said museum Director of Programs and Education Justyn Kissam. “We have researched our stories to tie into the times here in Mount Airy. Each story is rooted in something that happened here in the city.”
Guests will be seated in the comfort of the museum for the duration of the storytelling and will be treated to desserts, coffee, and tea provided by local caterer Mary Planer. While not only acting as a solution to winter weather, the event provides a way for those who would have trouble attending the typical ghost tours to join in on the fun as well.
“We want to offer people a different way to attend. Some people want to attend our ghost tours and might have mobility issues,” said Kissam.
Holding the event indoors is not without its challenges, as the event has been forced to set a limit of 9 participants in order to follow COVID-19 preventive guidelines. Those who wish to attend the event are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.
“If you have a family or small group of friends it is a really cool way to spend the evening. We are all about keeping to the COVID restrictions and making this a safe, enjoyable experience as possible,” said Kissam.
An admission fee of $20 per person and a reservation is required to attend the event which is limited to 9 participants. Those who wish to register may contact the museum at 336-786-4478 or www.northcarolinamuseum.org for more information.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com