One thousand ghosts to take over historic York house in time for Halloween
York has a reputation as a city filled with ghostly occurrences – and now there’s about to be a whole lot more…
One thousand ghosts will be taking over the basement in York Mansion House as part of York Ghost Week.
Created by York Ghost Merchants, this will be the festival’s second year – taking place from Sunday 24 to Sunday 31 October.
It made its debut in October last year, between lockdowns.
The special installation, titled The Residents, will be an opportunity for collectors to get their hands on a limited-edition Ghost Week Black Box Ghost.
But the spooky fun doesn’t stop there.
Returning will be The Little York Ghost Hunt – a hit with both the young and old last year. Handmade ghost figures will be hidden across the city, for budding ghost hunters to find.
If you’re fortunate enough to find a hidden ghost, it’s yours to keep.
More than 100 ghosts will be hidden each evening, so there should be enough to go around – if everyone plays fairly!
“We must ask all participants to please think of others when they undertake the hunt,” said York Ghost Merchants owner and ghost maker Angus McArthur.
“We don’t like to see disappointed faces, so if you find a ghost, please stop there.”
The Little Ghost Hunt will take place from Monday 25 to Thursday 28 October from 6-8pm. A special Ghost Week map is available from the Visitor Information Centre or Ghost Merchants themselves and gives details of the hiding route.
A family celebration
New for 2021 will be The Royal Court Hauntings – where individually decorated ghost statues will take position in the windows of some off the beaten track locations…
See if you can find them all!
“Our Ghost Week is a celebration for all the family,” said Angus.
“Ghosts are firmly embedded in the very fabric of the city – we feel it is our duty to celebrate their impact and the marvellous stories about them to as wide an audience as possible.”
Ghost Week maps will be available in advance from the Ghost Merchants shop on the Shambles, The Visitor Information Centre and select independent retailers in advance.
The Little York Ghost Hunt map can also be printed from the York Ghost Merchants website.
All events and maps will be free of charge. For more information or to download your map, please visit the York Ghost Merchants website.