There are so many cool things to do in Chicago at any given time…but I for one think October is the very best time to be a Chicagoan. The Bears are playing. The leaves are turning. And the dead are often rising. Oh and Wildclaw is doing a little play! In addition, check out some of the awesome tours and events at the Chicago History Museum. I am planning to go to a couple myself.
Chicago’s Deathly Past
Unwrap the eerie history of our neighborhood at the Museum. You might not see dead people, but you will certainly be surrounded by them.
Garden of the Dead: The History of Lincoln Park’s Elusive Graves
Thursday, November 1, 6:30 p.m.
Chicago’s early dead were trafficked into and out of its first municipal graveyard, the Chicago City Cemetery. Pamela Bannos of the Hidden Truths Project shares stories of grave robbers, improper burials, and the confusion that led to Lincoln Park.
Cost: $10, $8 members
Wednesday, November 7, 6:30 p.m.
Take a ghost tour without leaving your chair. Curators Jill Austin and Naomi Blumberg will introduce you to some of the Museum’s creepiest artifacts and its haunted past.
Cost: $10, $8 members
Unfolding Tales: The Lingering Legacy of the Chicago City Cemetery
Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 p.m.
On this spine-tingling evening, Pamela Bannos digs up Lincoln Park’s hidden haunted history.
Cost: $10, $8 members
Creepy Cemetery Tours
Meet at the cemetery entrance.
Rosehill Cemetery West
Sunday, October 7, 1:00–3:30 p.m.
Al Walavich guides you through the west side of Rosehill Cemetery. Tour meets at 5600 North Western Avenue.
Cost: $16, $10 members
Graceland Cemetery
Saturday, October 27 and Sunday October 28, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–3:00 p.m.; Wednesday, October 31, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Experience old Chicago via the graves of Marshall Field, Louis Sullivan, Potter and Bertha Palmer, and George Pullman. Tours meet at Irving Park Road and Clark Street.
Cost: $16, $10 members
Saturday, October 27, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 27, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 28, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 28, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 31, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Bohemian National Cemetery: Locked In After Dark!
Sundays November 4, and November 11, 3:30–5:30 p.m.
This unique opportunity to tour Bohemian National begins as the gates are locked and concludes after dusk. Headlamps or flashlights recommended; please bring your own. Reservations required, space is extremely limited!
Cost: $35, $30 members
Sunday, November 4
Sunday, November 11
Eerie Bus and Trolley Tours
Devil in the White City
Saturdays, October 6, November 3, and December 8, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Experience the excitement of 1893 Chicago on this unique tour based on Erik Larson’s best-selling book. Follow Daniel Burnham’s plans and learn about the devilish doings of H. H. Holmes as you explore the World’s Columbian Exposition.
Cost: $50, $40 members
Saturday, October 6
Saturday, November 3
Saturday, December 8
Chicago Sinister: Spiritualists, Spooks, and Memento Mori
Saturday, November 10, 3:00–7:00 p.m.
Venture into the parlor of the infamous Bangs sisters, learn the truth behind Resurrection Mary, and ponder the murderous objects collected by the Whitechapel Club and the Noose Coffee Shop.
Cost: $50, $40 members
Scene of the Crime: Infamous Chicago History
Saturday, November 17, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Richard Lindberg leads a brand-new bus tour of infamous murder sites, gangster hideaways, and the deep underbelly of the city.
Cost: $50, $40 members
Paranormal Pub Crawls
BOO-ze! Haunted History Pub Crawl
Wednesdays, October 17 and October 24, and Thursday, October 18, 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Travel by trolley to Chicago’s most haunted drinking establishments with supernatural expert Ursula Bielski.
Cost: $30, $25 members
Wednesday, October 17
Thursday, October 18
Wednesday, October 24
Booze, Bars, and Bootlegging! Prohibition Era Chicago
Sundays, October 21 and November 18, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Find out what makes Chicago untouchable. Get a taste of infamous speakeasies frequented by some of Chicago’s infamous gangsters like Capone, Moran, and Dillinger. On this trolley tour, learn how prohibition came to be, some fascinating facts about the era, and how it ultimately shaped the city and its image.
Cost: $30, $25 members
Sunday, October 21
Sunday, November 18
Scary Special Events
Mysterious Museum and Garden of the Dead
Friday, October 12, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
This night of fright begins with a curator-led flashlight tour of the eerier parts of the Museum. From there, the journey moves outdoors to Lincoln Park’s plagued past. Bring your own flashlight; reservations required for this very rare opportunity!
Cost: $25, $20 members
Tomb Talks and Ghost Stories
Fridays, October 19 and October 26, and Tuesday, October 30, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for some spooktacular stories! We’ll gather on the grounds of the original city cemetery and cozy up next to the only remaining tomb – the Couch Tomb. The first half of our bone-chilling hour will introduce you to the history of the cemetery while the last half focuses on ghost story telling. All Chicago centered, of corpse! Flashlights and blankets are a must as we’ll be in the park at night!
Cost: $15, $10 members
Friday, October 19
Friday, October 26
Tuesday, October 30
Free Horror Movie Nights
Get ready for Halloween with two horror classics on Sundays at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Beer garden at Sheffield’s, 3258 North Sheffield Avenue
Cost: Free. No reserved seating, so come early!
Silence of the Lambs
Sunday, October 21
Halloween
Sunday, October 28
Pints, Pumpkins, and Painting
Tuesday, October 23, 7:00 p.m.
Location: Sheffield’s, 3258 North Sheffield Avenue
Make your own Halloween monster by creating a carved or painted pumpkin. This evening will combine history, art, and spirits (of both kinds). Fee includes craft instruction and materials; beverages and food not included.
Cost: $25, $20 members
Tap into History: Haunted Chicago Beer Dinner
Thursday, October 25, 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Location: Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park
1550 N. Kingsbury
Chef Won Kim pairs beer and food at Whole Foods Lincoln Park for this evening of spookily good culinary delights, supernatural brews, and hair-raising history.
Cost: $35, $30 members
Abracadabra! A Night of Magic
Monday, October 29, cocktails 6:30 p.m., show, 7:30 p.m.
Marvel at strolling and fully staged performances by Suzanne the Magician and David Kovac the Modern-Day Vaudevillian, while enjoying cocktails from a cash bar.
Cost: $35, $30 members
City of Ghosts: A Historic Seance
Wednesday, October 31, 6:30–8:00 p.m.
Spend Halloween uncovering the dark secrets of Chicago’s macabre past, with an interactive program of spine-tingling stories, eerie histories, and inexplicable supernatural occurrences. Space is extremely limited; reservations are required.
Cost: $35, $30 members
Wicked Walking Tours
The Wizard of Oz
Saturday, October 20, 5:30 p.m.
On this enchanted stroll, focus on the real story behind L. Frank Baum’s flying monkeys, wicked witches, and wild wizards. Tour meets at Webster and Burling.
Cost: $16, $10 members