A Weston theatre troop is set to bring some new blood and a lot of boo to a long-time favorite Parkville Halloween event.
Ghost Story Night has been a staple event at the Parkville Nature Sanctuary for about 30 years, founded by the sanctuary’s first director, Jim Reed. This year, Ghost Story Night will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 with the Lil’ Goblins Hour and will feature a scary haunted trail at 7 p.m., staffed by the Little Theatre of Weston. The Little Theatre of Weston started a couple of years ago in Weston, hoping to expand opportunities to explore the arts in the area.
Laura Pridgen of the Little Theatre of Weston said the group started with a short season in 2022 and has seen great success since, hosting monthly improv classes, script reading sessions at Weston Wine Company and recently produced a reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the St. George Hotel in Weston.
“We’ve found that our community is hungry for a variety of entertainment and education,” Pridgen said. “Under the leadership of local professionals within our organization, with the insight brought from non-local professionals, alongside the fantastic support our community has shown, we’re happy to provide that entertainment and higher-tier performance education while exposing the community to theatrical events and creatives that might not have otherwise worked in the area.”
The Little Theatre of Weston was approached last year to take on organization and operation of the haunted trail at Ghost Story Night, but last year’s event was unfortunately rained out. Volunteers to haunt the spooky trail are still being accepted. Fill out the form at https://forms.gle/R7ogBVPVqLXLRqrLA to volunteer.
“We will be the first organization to independently operate the Haunted Trail alongside the Parkville Nature Sanctuary,” Pridgen said. “This is going to be a very different trail from the one you’re used to seeing at the nature sanctuary. We’ve brought together a team of local FX artists and designers to create a new haunting experience for the trail that we can only dream of improving upon each year we’re able to continue working with the Parkville Nature Sanctuary.”
The trail is described as featuring witches and their familiars, Voodoo priests and zombies, summoners and monsters and more.
While Ghost Story Night started as a fund raiser for the nature sanctuary, it is now a free event hosted annually for everyone in the community. Donations will be accepted and will benefit the nature sanctuary. Friends of Parkville Nature Sanctuary will hand out glow sticks and Lil Goblins Hour is sponsored by Three Tree Forest Adventure.
Starting at 6:30 p.m., ghost stories – with storytellers sharing tales of local legends, historical mysteries and eerie encounters – will begin at the Girl Scout Shelter, with music by The Shortleaf Band. S’mores at the fire pit and music by Bentley Guitar Studios students will also be available.
The shelter can be found by following the event’s jack o’lantern trail – a very different experience from the haunted trail, which will begin at 7 p.m.
Ghost Story Night will kick off with the annual pumpkin carving night held Thursday, Oct. 24 at McKeon Stage in English Landing Park. All ages are invited to come show their gourd artistry. Jack o’lanterns will be used for the Ghost Stories event and can be picked up after the event to be taken home. Find a full list of activities at parkvillemo.gov/nature-sanctuary.
Next up for Little Theatre of Weston is a Candlelight Christmas Concert, held Dec. 15-16 at Weston United Methodist Church. For more information, visit littletheatreweston.org.