FARMINGTON, CT — Farmington leans into history for Halloween this year.
A local author makes the case that the Headless Horseman may have ridden out of the Farmington Valley, the Stanley-Whitman House gathers visitors by the tavern hearth for ghost stories and Irish folklore, and Hill-Stead opens its grounds for an afternoon of hayrides, treats and pumpkin slinging.
This Weekend's Arts & Entertainment
- A Peddler's Pack of Eerie Tales — Thursday, Oct. 29, 2 to 3 p.m.. Historic interpreter Dennis Picard tells ghost stories, superstitions and New England folklore by the fireside in the Whitman Tavern. It's recommended for ages 14 and up; seating is limited and advance registration is strongly encouraged. Stanley-Whitman House, 37 High St.
- The French Paymaster: Connecticut's Headless Horseman — Thursday, Oct. 29, 6 to 7 p.m.. Author Kara LaBella presents evidence that Washington Irving may have based "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" on a Farmington Valley folk tale, with a Revolutionary War-era cast that includes Gen. Philip Schuyler and citizens of colonial Canton. Farmington Library, 6 Monteith Drive
- Halloween on the Hill — Saturday, Oct. 31, noon to 4 p.m.. Kids in costume can follow the Pond Loop for treats and surprises, take a hayride around the grounds, and try to launch a pumpkin with the slingshot to feed the sheep. Tickets are $5 for adults and children 2 and up, or $20 per carload; pre-registration is requested. Hill-Stead Museum, 35 Mountain Road
- The Irish Roots of Hallowe'en — Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 to 3:30 p.m.. Lecturer Liz Hannan Kading traces Halloween from ancient Irish harvest rituals through medieval Christianity to the traditions Irish immigrants brought across the Atlantic in the 19th century. Stanley-Whitman House, 37 High St.
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Decide for yourself whether the Headless Horseman was a Farmington Valley local on Thursday, then spend Halloween afternoon flinging pumpkins at Hill-Stead or learning where the holiday's disguises and spirits came from at the Stanley-Whitman House.
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