Witch trials, ghost hunts and vampires: the last spooky weekend in Connecticut

CONNECTICUT — Horror and history intertwine throughout Connecticut this weekend before Halloween as event organizers continue to revel in the Spooky Season while leaning heavily on the often whimsical colonial days of New England.

On October 25-26, join the paranormal detectives of Arrowhead Investigations as they investigate the case at Leffingwell House Museum in Norwich. Guests will learn how to use the equipment, discover the techniques used by the team, and conduct their own paranormal hunt at the museum, led by a team of Arrowhead investigators. (Pro tip: Don’t cross the beams!) There are three time slots each day: 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm, and 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm. For bookings please contact [email protected]. with name, group number, date, time of your choice.

Expect more ectoplasmic antics Saturday and Sunday at Mystic, centered around a paranormal investigation of a historic colonial cemetery reputedly haunted from the 17th to 19th centuries. Guests will once again use real ghost hunting gear to search for the restless dead. Tickets and more information can be found online here.

The Noah Webster House and West Hartford Historical Society promise “history like you’ve never heard before.” 45-minute lantern-lit tours of the Old North Cemetery will take place on October 24, 25 and 26 and depart every 15 minutes starting at 6:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online here.

The Night Fair is huge in Salem, Massachusetts, and Norwalk wants to catch its own lightning in a bottle. For the second year, the city will transform Washington Street into a fall extravaganza with family-friendly Halloween-themed events, a trick-or-treat trail, food trucks and, most importantly, glow sticks. Music will be provided by Like Kind, Edisun, Goodboys and Maahez. Saturday, October 26, from 14 to 22. Details here.

If your kids want to have a little more fun with these cute costumes, bring them to the Hill Stead Museum in Farmington on Sunday for Halloween on the Hill, 3:00-6:00 p.m., rain date the next day. Another opportunity to grab a bite is at the Downtown Boo Bash in Storrs on Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m.

Organizers at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks call Halloween at the Hangars Brew Fest “a boozy version of a high school museum field trip,” and it’s easy to see why. An admission ticket gives you after-hours access to the museum, unlimited beer samples, and live music. There will be food trucks on site, and it will all take place in a huge hangar that houses a collection of 80 historic aircraft, each of which is much better than a broom. Tickets are available online here.