O.C. Ghost Tours is a perfect Halloween treat for those into a little story telling.
Herb "Bubba" Birch was the main organizer of the three-day music festival. He also played with his blues band. (All photos Donald Kravitz)
Ocean City Ghost Tours has been a popular attraction in the city for more than a decade, running walking tours of “haunted” and historical spots in Ocean City from spring to fall. But the tours really take off in popularity in the height of the summer season, and, as you might guess, in October.
“The summer is very popular,” says Eileen Reeser, tour manager. “But when it gets close to Halloween, the crowds go way up again. The tours aren’t so much about the paranormal as they are about the folklore and history of the island. There are some great stories on the island.”
Some notable haunted stops are City Hall and The Flanders Hotel. The ghost story surrounding the Flanders centers on a mural and reprinting on one of the hotel’s walls of the classic World War I poem “Flanders Field.”
“There’s a woman that has appeared to people and she’s gotten the name Emily,” says Reeser. “She seems to be looking for something. Some people think it’s a wedding ring, But she also appears in front of this mural quite often. It’s a very moving mural and poem and some people wonder if she’s waiting for a soldier to return.”
The Flanders often lets tour takers in to see the mural after the tour, Reeser says.
Ocean City is full of such stories and the walking tours are held at 8pm Saturdays through November and also Sun. Oct. 30 and Halloween night.
Tour guides are dressed in costume and carry lanterns. The tour begins at City Hall, 9th and Asbury, and costs $14 for adults, $8 for children 4-12. Call 814-0199 or visit ghosttour.com/oceancity.html
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As the fall season progresses, much of the city’s events shift to its cultural attractions such as the Ocean City Arts Center, the city Fine Arts league and the O.C. Free Public Library. Here’s a look at some other ongoing events for the fall season:
Ocean City Fine Arts League:
The Ocean City Fine Arts League invites all artists to submit up to two entries for the November competition and exhibition: “Anything Goes.”
The maximum size is 50 inches (length & width). Entry fee is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Entries are accepted in all media. Entries can be dropped off at the Art on Asbury Gallery, 608 Asbury Ave., on Friday, Oct. 28 from 10am-5pm; Saturday, Oct. 29 or Sunday, Oct. 30 from 10am-1pm; or Monday, Oct. 31 from 10am-5pm.
There will be a “meet the artist” reception and awards presentation on Friday, Nov. 11 from 6pm-7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public and runs through Nov. 30. For more information, call 814-0308 or visit oceancityfineartsleague.org.
Ocean City Free Public Library
The library is presenting the lecture series “The History of Jazz” in conjunction with the Somers Point Jazz Society. The lectures are presented by Michael Pedicin, education committee chairperson for the group and a local tenor saxophonist.
The series presents America’s true art form — jazz.
Each presentation will include examples to enhance the attendees’ appreciation and understanding of the music. There will be some discussion and analysis of jazz theory. From its African roots, to dixieland, swing, be-bop and more … straight-ahead jazz to smooth jazz, and all that is in between, learn who made this music what it is, and how it has evolved.
The lectures are 7-8:15pm Wednesdays through Nov. 9 at the library, 1735 Simpson Ave. Call 927-6677 or visit spjazz,org.
With Halloween coming up, it’s time to compile a list of my favorite scary movies. I’m an old school fan who prefers suspense to shock, and the bravery of ordinary people in supernatural situations. And, as you’ll notice from the list, I can’t hide the fact that I love a good haunted house tale.
If you want to hear some authentic monster mash music, Here Come the Mummies is the band for you. The ghoulish guardians of funk will perform Saturday, Oct. 29, 9pm in the Tropicana’s Grand Exhibition Center.
Halloween may mean candy and trick-or-treating door to door for most of us, but in southern New Jersey it’s also about haunted houses, holiday fun fests and community happenings. And let’s not forget the parades.
There are probably more parties in the Atlantic City area on Halloween weekend than at any other time of year, and few East Coast regions that can equal the quality or quantity of the “Fangsgiving” weekend events hosted here annually.
When the band Phish first started its rise to fame, its cross-genre blend of styles and its sort of lack of widespread, mainstream appeal eventually earned it the de facto title of America’s premier jam band — a title that for years belonged to the Grateful Dead.
Probably more than any other holiday, Halloween encourages that creative thought be kicked into high gear — and in many cases to run amok and become completely twisted. For kids, of course, Halloween’s main objective is to collect enough candy to last until the following fall, but for grownups it’s often to activate the imaginative ‘wow’ factor, or to foster remarks like “What were you smoking when you got that getup together?” The catalyst for these costumes are often celebrities who got themselves into compromising situations, or regular people who put themselves in perplexing predicaments like last year’s “Octomom.” Whatever the case, you’re bound to see some Halloween ensembles that will help keep the water-cooler conversations lively....
David Caserta is the kind of guy who can walk through solid sheets of steel, make people vanish into thin air and even conjure up some spooky spirits for his Halloween magic show Haunted Illusions.
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