October nights at Old World Wisconsin come with lanterns, bonfires and a graveyard digger who has a lot on his mind. The 600-acre living history museum near Eagle returns this Friday with Halloween Legends & Lore, six evenings of skits, séances and Wisconsin folklore performed inside actual 19th-century structures after dark. A Victorian séance, a Beast of Bray Road courtroom drama and Baba Yaga, the old woman of folklore who lives in a hut on chicken legs, are among more than 20 experiences on the program.
Operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Old World Wisconsin sits on Highway 67 just south of Eagle, within daytrip distance of Milwaukee, Chicago or Madison. Most of the year it draws visitors for heirloom gardens, heritage animal breeds and hands-on farm life from a century past. Come October, Crossroads Village becomes a place where mystery and history come out after dark.
More Than 20 Experiences Across the Village
This year’s event includes more than 20 experiences, with two new additions. Guests can venture into Old World Wisconsin’s Northwoods section in search of a long-lost lumber camp, a new experience designed for after dark. Also new this year is a chilling nighttime reading of “The Man in the Black Suit,” performed in the woods.
The returning lineup covers a lot of ground. Inside the historic octagonal Clausing Barn, black-and-white silent films play to the crowd.
In the village, visitors can follow the legend of Baba Yaga, or step inside a dramatized courtroom for Wisconsin’s “Beast of Bray Road” trial, a Wisconsin legend the museum stages as a full courtroom drama. Inside the Blacksmith Shop, the tale of St. Dunstan and the Devil traces the curious legacy of the horseshoe. Guests can also explore a maze by lantern light.
Victorian Séances, Psychic Science and a Graveyard Digger
Other experiences reach into the 19th century’s complicated relationship with the supernatural. A Victorian séance promises an “unexpected twist.” There’s an exploration of Wisconsin’s fascinating history with psychic science, brought to life through interactive programming in the village. And the graveyard digger offers his tales to anyone willing to follow him by lantern light.
For families, the selfie wall is worth finding. Hand-carved pumpkins glow brightly by candlelight, built for a photo and genuinely worth one.
Plan Your Visit
Halloween Legends & Lore runs Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 24: Oct. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24. Hours are 5 to 9:30 p.m. each evening.
Tickets are $26 for adults and teens, $22 for seniors and $18 for children; kids under 5 are free. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free general admission to Old World Wisconsin during regular operating hours. The site is located at W372 S9727 Hwy 67, Eagle, WI 53119.
Old World Wisconsin is one of the more interesting Halloween trips in the Midwest this October. Six nights. October only. The graveyard digger is waiting.