By Meg Butterworth
Halloween is one of my kids’ favorite times of the year. Shocking, I know. What kid doesn’t love to get dressed up in a costume that they have likely been dreaming about since November 1st of the previous year? Much like December, the month of October is filled with seasonal festivities. It’s almost overwhelming how many activities there are to keep your little ones entertained and in the Halloween spirit. Pumpkin patches, hayrides, pumpkin carving parties, haunted houses, school parties, neighborhood trick or treat events. You can easily fill your calendar!
It’s all fun for sure, but what if you’re searching for a way to celebrate the month of ghosts and goblins without the kids? Is it possible to have a Halloween date night? It is indeed!
About three years ago my husband and I went on the Market Ghost Tour. We both enjoy a good ghost story and there were plenty to be had on the tour. We arrived at 7pm and met our charismatic tour guide near the Gum Wall in Post Alley just across from the Alibi Room. After listening intently to ghost stories reported by staff and patrons of the Alibi Room and the Market Theater, which is located just across the alley we headed out on a 75 minute walking tour of the Market.
At each stop not only did we learn a new ghost story but we soaked up some fascinating historical tidbits about the Market and the city itself. Even though I’ve lived in Seattle for well over a decade, I had yet to really take the time to learn about its history. The information I gleaned from the tour was truly enthralling and gave me a new appreciation for this place I call home. The Market’s rich history revealed itself through stories about the ghost of Chief Sealth’s daughter, Princess Angeline wondering the halls of the Pike Market Senior Center, to the ghosts of the children who used to work in the Market or perished from the great influenza pandemic. Then of course there is the ornery specter that haunts Kell’s Irish Pub in Post Alley, the former home of Seattle’s first mortuary (which my husband and I were stunned to learn was named Butterworth & Sons Mortuary…not sure if I want to find out if there’s a family connection).
In spite of its sinister history, we chose to end our “Halloween date” at Kell’s for a drink. Fortunately, we didn’t see any signs of the supernatural. We did however, have a lot of fun going over the details of the tour and sharing our favorite ghost stories.
If you’re up for a spooky yet illuminating evening, check out the different tours that are offered. There’s the Market Ghost Tour (which is what we did), the Mortuary Investigation Tour (this an 18 and over tour) the Market History Tour, and just in time for Halloween, the Halloween Pub Crawl Ghost Tour!
Dress warmly and be prepared for wet weather. The bulk of the tour is outside rain or shine.
About the Author
Meg Butterworth lives in NW Seattle with her husband and two children. She’s been a part of the PEPS community for almost nine years. WOW! When she has a couple of kid free hours she enjoys writing, exploring Seattle, and enjoying a couple of beverages with her life line of fellow Mom friends.
