Join us as we celebrate the Halloween season with new evening programs, ghost tours, spooky carriage rides, museum talks, and trick-or-treating on DoG Street.

Special Events

Trick-or-Treating on DoG Street

Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29 | 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

This Halloween season, Colonial Williamsburg depicts a world turned upside down. The British have put down the American rebellion of 1776 and are in control of Duke of Gloucester Street and the surrounding environs. But unbeknownst to King George III and his “mad’ followers, C. Thaddeus Forrest, founder of the Magical American Revolutionary Society, has returned to help encourage young trick-or-treaters to overcome their fears, defeat the King, and earn their sweet prize. 

Kids ages 3 – 12 are invited to join us for this trick-or-treating adventure on Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29, from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Trick-or-treating registration is limited, and requires a $2 ticket per child that supports Colonial Williamsburg’s education and preservation initiatives. Participating children must be accompanied by a legally responsible adult. 

If your child has has food allergies, not to worry. We’re once again teaming up with Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. In addition to trick-or-treat sites with regular candy, we’ll have special sites—teal pumpkins and signs make them easy to spot—handing out non-chocolate items like Skittles and Starburst as well as non-food treats like spider rings, plastic fingers, and stickers. All trick-or-treaters must check in at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center to receive their official candy bag. If you have a child with food allergies, let the ticket agent know and they will give you a special bag with a teal logo!

Read the FAQ, and purchase your trick-or-treating tickets here.

Supported by Mars Wrigley Confectionery and AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate.

The ‘Mad’ Revenge of King George III

Saturday, October 28 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.| The Capitol

It’s a world turned upside down. In this colonial capital, the British have put down the American rebellion of 1776, and the blood of the traitors is on their hands. Be a part of an immersive experience through the halls and grounds of the Capitol where you step inside the King’s mind chasing an alternate reality as you face a descent into darkness. Separate ticket required. Price $25. Libations available for purchase. Not recommended for young children. Purchase tickets here.

“Jack of the Lanterns” 

October 27 – 31 | Dusk – 9:00 p.m. | Duke of Gloucester Street

In the eighteenth century, the haunted tale of Jack of the Lanterns (and the origin of our Jack O’ Lantern) brought a tingle to the spines of young and old alike.  This Halloween, the glow of over two-hundred-fifty jack-o-lanterns on Historic Area porches and steps along Duke of Gloucester Street will feed the imagination.

Spooky Carriage Rides

October 27 – 29 | Duke of Gloucester Street

By the flickering light of Jack O’ Lanterns, passengers hear the story of Jack and other haunting tales of the season as their carriage or ox cart travels along Duke of Gloucester Street. Book your ride for the Blue Carriage, the Carter Coach, or Stage Wagon.

Evening Programs

The Trial of a Patriot

October 14 – 31 | 7:30 & 9:00 p.m. | The Capitol 

It is a world turned upside down.  British forces have crushed the American rebellion of 1776.  King George III has ordered the American traitors to be arrested and tried for treason. Will the patriot be put to death, or will his fate be something even more sinister?  You decide. Purchase tickets here.

Official Ghost Walk Junior

October 15 – 31 | 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. 

Everyone loves a haunted tale! Bring your whole family for all of the phantom fun with none of the nightmares. Enjoy this 45-minute tour of traditional ghost stories with a Colonial Williamsburg flavor.

Official Ghost Walk Junior runs Thursday – Sunday evening, beginning October 5. The tour will also be available on Monday, October 30, and Tuesday, October 31. Purchase tickets here. 

The Governor’s Palace Concert Series: Monsters, Mayhem, and Musick

October 17, 24, & 31 | 7:30 & 8:30 p.m.

As Halloween approaches and the ghosts of Colonial Williamsburg begin to prowl, immerse yourself in a musical realm of strangeness and sorcery.  Resident period instrument ensemble The Governor’s Musick showcases 17^th and 18^th century music for harpsichord, voice, flute, and strings, and draws listeners into a world that is not quite as it appears.  Not appropriate for children ages six and under. Purchase tickets here.

Ghosts Amongst Us

Nightly | 7:30 & 8:00 p.m.

After sundown, Williamsburg’s haunted history comes out! During this one-hour walking tour, enter haunted properties and meet people who lived to tell of their experiences with the supernatural…. You may even meet ghostly inhabitants themselves! Each tour involves a different cast of characters. This program is not appropriate for young children. Purchase tickets here.

Official Colonial Williamsburg Ghost Walk

Nightly | 7:30 & 8:00 p.m.

Wander the streets and gardens of Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area while our guide conjures stories of spirits who still call Williamsburg home. For an engaging hour, listen to true tales of unnerving experiences shared by employees, residents, and guests: modern ghost stories featuring lost love, murder, betrayal, and things that go bump in the night! Purchase tickets here.

PROGRAMS AT THE ART M- USEUMS OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG 

Face Your Fears

October 1 – 31 

Many people have a fear of something. Even George Washington! (We can’t reveal it here, you will have to come and find out). During the month of October, visit the museums and, if you are not triskaidekaphobic, discover 13 common and not so common phobias represented by objects rarely exhibited. Throughout the museums you will encounter specially draped cases that dare you to lift the cover and face what lies inside. Will it be your fear?

Murder or Misfortune? The Tragic Death of Robert Routledge

October 14 | 4:00 p.m.

In June 1766, Virginia merchant Robert Routledge was stabbed in public by Colonel John Chiswell. Or was he? Was it murder or was it a tragic misfortune? Join historian Carson Hudson  and storyteller Donna Wolf for an interactive recreation of the most controversial crime in 18th-century Virginia.

 

Highland Spirits

October 21 & 28 | 12:30 p.m.

Halloween in the Highlands (or Samhain to the Gaels) is a time for the harvest and the beginning of the winter months. What better way to usher in “the Dark Time” then with tales of things that go bump in the night. Join Master Storytellers Shel Browder and Donna Wolf for tales that have spooked the Gaels for centuries.

 

Hobgoblins and Pookas and Ghosts, Oh My!

October 22 & 29 | 12:30 p.m.

What really is the thing that lives under your bed? Is it just a shadow or something more sinister lurking in the dark? Join Master Storytellers Shel Browder and Donna Wolf as they give a peek behind the curtain to the ‘other side.’ 

 

Things that Go Bump in the Night

October 28 | 4:30 p.m.

Join Henley Fork for Things that Go Bump in the Night, a spooky Halloween concert of songs and tales about ghosts, hauntings, and other uncanny happenings from Jamestown’s early days to today. Included with your Colonial Williamsburg admission ticket.

 

Nevermore! 

October 31 | 4:30 pm

The poetic world of Edgar Allan Poe is paired with historic music sure to send shivers down your spine! Gabe Stone, Barry Trott, David Gardner, and Jan Tilley present Poe’s works and period music in this show for all ages. Purchase tickets here.

 

Witchcraft in Colonial Virginia

October 4 & 25 | 4:30 p.m.
October 31 | 11:30 a.m.

Historian Carson Hudson discusses how colonial Virginians shared a common belief in the supernatural and the existence of witches with their northern neighbors. Throughout the seventeenth and early-eighteenth centuries, they conducted several witchcraft inquiries. Copies of his book “These Detestable Slaves of the Devill” will be available in the Museum Store, with a book signing to follow the lecture.