With Halloween approaching, Plymouth is getting into the spirit with ghost stories, séances, psychics, classic horror films, costume parties and plenty of less-frightening fun for kids. Here’s where to find something spooky between now and Halloween. With this much going on, the hardest part of Halloween may be deciding which place to haunt.
If you are looking for seriously spooky: Paranormal Hot Spots with Ronny LeBlanc is Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., exploring UFOs, Bigfoot, cryptids and other unexplained phenomena. For information, go here.
“Folklore by Firelight” is Friday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Wildlands Trust, 675 Long Pond Road, with ghoulish stories around the fire, cider and desserts. For information, go here.
“Sitting and Sipping with Spirits” will take place Friday, Oct. 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Plymouth Bay Winery, 114 Water St., Rear Building, where Stephanie Burke leads a Victorian-style table-tipping séance. For tickets, go here.
Revel in Plymouth’s spooky history after dark with local walking experiences, including “Dead of Night Ghost Tours,” “Pilgrim Haunted Ghost Tours” and “Plymouth Night Tour,” along with “Haunted Harbor Tours” aboard Plymouth Cruises. Dates vary throughout October. For information on Dead of Night Ghost Tours, go here. For information on Haunted Harbor Tours, go here.
Spooky with a cocktail: “ThreeV Apothecary” takes over ThreeV Restaurant, 10 Cordage Park Circle, throughout October, transforming the restaurant into a candlelit, 19th-century-inspired haunted estate. The “Costume Brunch” continues Sundays, Oct. 18 and 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at ThreeV, where children under 12 who arrive in costume eat free from a select menu. In addition, there will be Tarot Readings at ThreeV on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. For information, go here.
To commune with the other side, try “Sips with a Psychic” at Uva Wine Bar, 46 Main St., Oct. 27-29, with 15-minute tarot readings. For information, go here.
Monsters at the movies: The Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St., presents three “Spire-Ween” classics at 7 p.m.: “Carnival of Souls” on Oct. 14, “The Last Man on Earth,” starring Vincent Price, on Oct. 21, and “Frankenstein” on Oct. 28. For information, go here.
For the kids: Plymouth is a great place to be a kid on Halloween. “The Great Pumpkin Hunt & Halloween Extravaganza” takes place at Forges Field, 83 Jordan Road, Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., with separate hunts for ages 2-3 and 4-6. For information, go here. “The Addams Family” screens Sunday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave., with costumes encouraged. For information, go here. There’s a Spooky Terrarium Craft for Teens on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Plymouth Public Library. Registration opens Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. Once Upon a Halloween brings storyteller Diane Edgecomb and her bubbling cauldron to the library Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
For a scare of a time, don’t miss Halloween on Main Street – a tradition that brings trick-or-treating to downtown Plymouth Friday, Oct. 30, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Halloween parties — and spirits: For the grown-ups in town, don’t miss Jeff Cohen’s 30th Annual Halloween Benefit on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Plymouth Memorial Hall, 83 Court St. The event is 21-plus. Plymouth’s Halloween Masquerade Ball takes place Friday, Oct. 30, from 8 to 11 p.m. at Hotel 1620, 180 Water St., with DJ PJ, drag performer Bianka Fury, masks and costumes. For information, go here. Uva Wine Bar has Dueling Pianos – Halloween style from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23.
The Spirits of New England brings “Ghost Hunters” investigator Dustin Pari to Plymouth Public Library Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 7 to 8 p.m. For information, go here.
Uva’s Annual Halloween Dinner & Medium Reading is Saturday, Oct. 31 at Uva Wine Bar. Doors open at 6 p.m., with spirit medium Sandy Waters providing the evening’s connection to the other side. For information, go here. And for the ultimate cosplay experience, King Richard’s Faire in Carver continues on weekends through Oct. 25.
Whether you’re looking for ghosts, goblins or a good cocktail, Plymouth has plenty of ways to get into the spirit. Pick your poison — or your pumpkin — and enjoy a wickedly good October. Many of these events have limited capacity, so be sure to plan and book tickets early.
Monday, Oct. 12
For a bit of truly local history, come to “Wampanoag Leaders: 1600s to Today” at 11 a.m. at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Tim Turner, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the museum’s director of Indigenous Education & Training, will look at Indigenous leaders from the 1600s to the present, including Ousamequin, Tisquantum and Metacomet. The program takes place in the Maxwell Theater and is included with museum admission. For information, go here.
Step into ancient history: “13 Moons and 12,000 Years: Wampanoag History Past and Present” is at 1 p.m. at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Tim Turner will explore 12,000 years of Wampanoag history and the ways Indigenous communities have adapted and sustained their lifeways amid changing natural, social and political landscapes. The program takes place in the Maxwell Theater and is included with museum admission. For information, go here.
The new Tom Cruise movie “Digger” continues at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave., through Thursday, Oct. 15. Cruise stars in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s film about a powerful man racing to convince the world he can save humanity from a disaster he unleashed. Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons also star. The R-rated film runs 2 hours, 8 minutes and screens at 4:30 and 7 p.m. in the Maxwell Theater. For tickets and information, visit Plimoth Cinema.
Following the finale of his acclaimed HBO series “How To with John Wilson,” documentarian John Wilson looks to the bedrock of his beloved New York City for inspiration and structure, in “The History of Concrete,” at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave., through Thursday, Oct. 15. Concrete, the world’s most widely used building material, appears as an ever-present life force, and Wilson sets out to make the definitive documentary on the matter. After attending a workshop on how to write and sell a Hallmark movie, he decides to use the industry-approved Hallmark formula to tell this seemingly drab story and increase his movie’s appeal. But his foundation soon begins to crumble—literally and figuratively—as he struggles to balance artistic freedom with the realities of the modern film industry. 1 hour, 45 Min. Unrated. 7 p.m. in the Linn Theater. For information, go here.
The movie “9 to 5” is showing at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave., at 4:30 p.m. in the Linn Theater. The classic 1980 workplace comedy stars Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton as three office workers who turn the tables on their sexist, egotistical boss. With its sharp humor, memorable performances and Parton’s iconic title song, the film remains a favorite more than four decades after its release. For information, go here.
Tuesday, Oct. 13
Want to get spooked? Check out Paranormal Hot Spots with Ronny LeBlanc at Plymouth Public Library. Author, paranormal researcher and TV personality Ronny LeBlanc talks about UFOs, Bigfoot, cryptids and other unexplained activity, including New England paranormal hot spots. 6 to 7 p.m., free. For information, go here.
Authors Jason Allison and Edwin Hill will be in conversation at 6 p.m. at Book Love, 7 Village Green South. The authors will discuss their new work, including Allison’s crime novel “The Killing Yards,” which is set amid New York City’s club scene in 1993 with Jimmy Lettner, a convicted drug trafficker who runs Manhattan’s hottest nightspot, Abattoir. Reformed by his time in prison, Lettner wants only to run a clean club. But that’s not possible in a city rife with corruption. The event is free, but registration is requested. For information, visit Book Love.
Wednesday, Oct. 14
The Plymouth Garden Club holds its monthly meeting at 1 p.m. at Chiltonville Congregational Church, 6 River St. David Gould, Plymouth’s director of energy and environment, will present a program on the Town Brook Restoration Project, discussing the $20.9 million project and efforts to restore the brook and its historic river herring run. A traditional English tea will be served. Guests are welcome; the fee is $5. To sign up, go here.
For the ecology-minded,participate in Seed Saving and Sharing the Yield from the Garden at 6:30 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The program looks at saving and sharing seeds as a way to build a more resilient local food system. Participants will harvest seed heads from the library’s community garden, process seeds and prepare them for sharing and for the library’s seed collection. Registration is required. For information, go here.
If you’re into scary movies, Spire-Ween gets underway with the 1962 cult horror film “Carnival of Souls” at 7 p.m. at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St. Herk Harvey’s atmospheric film follows a woman who survives a car accident and becomes drawn to an abandoned carnival while experiencing increasingly disturbing visions. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $7. For tickets and information, visit Spire-Ween: Carnival of Souls.
Thursday, October 15
Crime Scene Critters: Forensic Entomology Workshop is Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Wildlands Trust, 675 Long Pond Road. Entomologist Blake Dinius of Plymouth County Extension explains how insects can provide evidence in criminal investigations. Wildlands puts a content warning on the program because some of the subject matter may not be suitable for everyone. Free: registration required. Wildlands Trust.
In need of a laugh? Check out Comedy Night at The CabbyShack Restaurant & Pub, 30 Town Wharf, from 7 to 9 p.m. Headliner Michael Petit, whose credits include Comedy Central, ESPN, NESN and Cartoon Network, is joined by Andrea Henry, who performs throughout the Boston area, and Boston comedy veteran Mike Donovan. The full restaurant menu and bar will be available during the show. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door, if available. Seating is limited, but as of Oct. 5, tickets remained available. For tickets and information, go here.
Singer-songwriter Abbie Gardner performs at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Spire Lobby Series at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St. Gardner is an award-winning dobro player known both for her solo work and as a member of the Americana trio Red Molly. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $17. For tickets and information, go here.
Tusk: The Classic Tribute to Fleetwood Mac takes the stage at 8 p.m. at Plymouth Memorial Hall, 83 Court St. The five-member tribute band performs hits and deep cuts spanning Fleetwood Mac’s career, with each musician taking on the musical role of one of the band’s core members. For tickets and information, go here.
Friday, Oct. 16
Folklore by Firelight is at Wildlands Trust, 675 Long Pond Road, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Gather around the fire for an evening of ghoulish tales, accompanied by cider and desserts. The stories become spookier as the evening goes on, with the final half-hour reserved for tales that may be too frightening for younger children. For information, go to Wildlands Trust. Registration closes Oct. 15; for late registration email events@wildlandstrust.org. Rain date is Oct. 17.
For a night of spirits, go to “Sitting and Sipping with Spirits” at Plymouth Bay Winery, 114 Water St., Rear Building, from 6 to 8 p.m. Medium Stephanie Burke leads guests through a Victorian-style table-tipping séance, a form of physical mediumship in which participants gather around a three-legged table and attempt to communicate with loved ones in the spirit world. Burke is the host of “Secrets of the Asylum” on Fox Nation and has appeared on “Kindred Spirits,” “Ghost Hunters” and other paranormal programs. Guests 21 and older receive one complimentary glass of wine with their ticket. For tickets and information, go here.
“Sense and Sensibility” opens at Plimoth Cinema, 137 Warren Ave. The new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as sisters navigating love, family and changing fortunes, with Caitríona Balfe, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw also in the cast. The PG-rated film runs 2 hours, 11 minutes. For tickets, showtimes and information, visit Plimoth Cinema.
Soul, roots rock and blues band Bywater Call performs at 8 p.m. at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St. The seven-piece Toronto band blends Southern soul, roots rock and blues, led by vocalist Meghan Parnell and guitarist Dave Barnes. Doors open at 7 p.m. For tickets and information, go here.
“The Michael Jackson HIStory Show” is at 8 p.m. at Plymouth Memorial Hall, 83 Court St. The full-scale tribute production follows Jackson’s music from the Jackson 5 through his solo career, with Garth Field portraying Jackson alongside a live band and dancers. The show includes songs such as “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and “Smooth Criminal.” For tickets and information, go to Memorial Hall.
Saturday, Oct. 17
Before tossing that broken lamp, bicycle, appliance or favorite piece of clothing, see whether it can be fixed. Sustainable Plymouth will host a free Fix-It Clinic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Volunteer fixers will help residents troubleshoot and repair broken household items while sharing skills that can help keep usable belongings out of the waste stream. Participants can sign up in advance for an appointment. To register, go here.
“Fire on the Land” will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Presented by the Community Land & Water Coalition, the Indigenous-led program explores the Wampanoag practice of landscape burning and the meaning of fire in traditional culture. Wampanoag Elders and other Indigenous speakers will discuss the history of cultural burning, memories of the practice and how traditional ecological knowledge is being carried forward today. The event is free and open to the public and may be attended in person or via Zoom. Registration is requested. For information and registration, go here.
Acclaimed singer-songwriters Patty Larkin and Lucy Kaplansky perform at 8 p.m. at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St. The two share the bill for an evening of folk and contemporary acoustic music. Larkin is known for her inventive guitar work and songwriting, while Kaplansky emerged from the New York folk scene alongside artists including Suzanne Vega and Shawn Colvin. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $44.50 to $49. For tickets and information, go to Spire Center.
Sunday, Oct. 18
The Plymouth 250th Commemoration Committee will honor Black Revolutionary War veterans at 1 p.m. at the Parting Ways Cemetery and Historic Site, 287 Plympton Road. The public observance will be followed by a reception at Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St. For information, visit Pilgrim Hall Museum events.
Bluegrass band The Travelin’ McCourys perform at 3 p.m. at the Spire Center for Performing Arts, 25 1/2 Court St. Led by brothers Ronnie McCoury on mandolin and Rob McCoury on banjo, the Grammy-winning group grew out of the Del McCoury Band and combines traditional bluegrass musicianship with improvisation and influences from the jam-band world. Doors open at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $62.50 to $69. For tickets and information, go to Spire Center.
Step back into the ’80s with “The Phil Collins Story” at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Memorial Hall, 83 Court St. The concert production traces Collins’ career from Genesis through his solo work and film music, combining live performances with lighting, audio and projected visuals. For tickets and information, visit Plymouth Memorial Hall shows and events.
Julia Marie Davis can be reached at julia@plymouthindependent.org.