Darke County Center for the Arts’ annual Halloween-season Ghost Walk fundraiser will take place in downtown Greenville on Friday, October 28, and move to Greenville Union Cemetery where a different set of spooky stories will be told on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30. Tickets for the downtown Ghost Walk will be on sale at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, October 28; participants will be given a map identifying the locations where storytellers will start spinning their tales at 15-minute intervals from 6 p.m. through 8:45 p.m. Patrons can proceed at their own pace to partake of as many ghost stories as they wish; however, those beginning their journey after 7 p.m. will not be able to get to every destination in time to hear all of the stories. The Cemetery Ghost Walks will begin at 6 p.m. at the Mausoleum located on cemetery grounds where groups will be led by tour guides to the sites where the spooky stories will be revealed.
According to DCCA Executive Director Andrea Jordan, many of the tales to be spun are based on stories collected by Arcanum-area resident Rita Arnold which tell of local ghostly encounters, while other spooky stories have been gathered from contributors wanting to share with the community their experiences with the unknown. “This fun-filled fundraiser is appropriate for all ages; the stories can give you the chills, but are still not too scary for children who are old enough to enjoy a long walk in the dark,” Ms. Jordan said. “Additionally, the proceeds help underwrite great programs like DCCA’s Arts In Education series which takes professional artists to perform for students in every grade of all local public schools, as well as DCCA’s Family Theatre Series providing local families to enjoy high quality theatrical performances at a ticket price of just $5,” she continued.
The Downtown Ghost Walk will be held regardless of weather conditions. However, no appropriate alternative site is available at the Cemetery; therefore bad weather will force a cancellation of the Cemetery Ghost Walk. Additionally, since the Cemetery Ghost Walks travel over uneven terrain and in dimly lighted areas, DCCA officials suggest participants carry a flashlight to help light their paths.
Tickets for the Downtown Ghost Walk and the Cemetery Ghost Walks cost $10 each; however tickets for the two Walks are not interchangeable and are not refundable. While advance tickets for the Cemetery Walk are only available on-line at www.darkecountyarts.org and by contacting DCCA at 937-547-0908 or dcca@darkecountyarts.org as well as at Greenville Public Library, tickets to the Downtown Walk can also be purchased at Readmore’s Hallmark in downtown Greenville. As previously stated, tickets for the Downtown Walk will also be sold at St. Clair Memorial Hall the evening of the event; entry to the Cemetery Ghost Walk will be at the North Main Street Greenville Union Cemetery entrance where tickets may also be purchased immediately prior to the event.
