Halloween is one of our favorite times of year at North Burial Ground. The trees are in full color, the weather is (usually!) beautiful, and it’s a great time to look at our historic cemetery in an exciting and educational way. Each year we pick a theme and our tours and events loosely stick to the theme. This year our theme is “Decay” and we’re exploring how the built and natural environment of NBG cam teach us how to understand the processes of decay, and what decay can tell us about NBG, history, and ourselves.
All of our Halloween programming takes place in the oldest sections of the cemetery and does not impact any contemporary burials or funerals. All of our programs are designed with an educational or artistic focuses, with respect for the people are visiting their loved ones interred at NBG.
We’ll update this page with all our Halloween happenings, and you can buy tickets or reserve space on our tours via the Event Ticket and Merchandise link. Check here for program descriptions, dates, and times all through October. You can also view our virtual Halloween Tour Book!
Programs:
October 1, 6:00 PM; October 11, 4:00 PM; October 12, 4:00 PM, October 17, 4:30 PM; October 31, 4:30 PM Docent Tours, No Reservation or Ticket Required, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate
Join one of NBG’s docents for a walking tour of the cemetery. Each docent tour is a little different, so choose one or all. Dress for the weather, wear good hiking shoes, and meet us at the Rochambeau Gate!
October 10, 3:00-4:00 PM: October Providence Birding Outing; No Tickets or Reservation Required, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate
Join naturalists from the Audubon Society of Rhode Island and the Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership for a free guided bird walk in Providence.
October 4, 7:00 PM: International Observe the Moon Day with Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History & Planetarium, No Reservation or Ticket, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate
Halloween season is here, and we are ready to howl at the moon with our friends from the RWP Museum of Natural History & Planetarium. Start the month with a moon hike, this time with telescopes! Renee will set up scopes so we can get a better look at our friend the moon, and her other celestial neighbors, and then we’ll launch into a fun hike through NBG, where Annalisa and Renee will regale us with tales of the skies and the cemetery! Telescopes will be available by 7, and we’ll start our walk at 7:30. Meet at the Rochambeau Gate.
October 11, 6:00 PM: NBG Reads Frankenstein the Modern Prometheus, No Reservation or Ticket Required, Meet at the NBG Office
Our special Halloween edition of NBG Reads is featuring the original sci-fi classic from the mother of modern science fiction and horror, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. We can’t think of a better way to kick off our decay-themed Halloween season than with this epic story. Met school student Alex is heading up our discussion this time, some come prepared to discuss this English Lit standard in a whole new way.
October 18, 1:00-3:00 PM: Community Data Collection Day, No Reservation or Ticket Required, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate
Help preserve Providence history! Join the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World and the staff of Providence’s North Burial Ground for a community data collection day within the cemetery’s old Colonial sections. Founded in 1700, North Burial Ground predates the founding of the United States and the charter of the City of Providence. Help document the oldest tombstones at NBG to aid in research about Providence’s history and future preservation decisions. You will also learn about the cemetery’s history and many of the stories within it. Please bring a pencil and a clipboard for writing, though a limited number of clipboards and pencils will be available at the event.
October 19, 2:30 PM-8:00 PM: Mausoleum Hill Sessions, $20.00 Tickets available online or at the door, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate. Tour at 2:30, music starts at 4:00
The 4th annual Mausoleum Hill Sessions bring music, art, and reflection to the landscape of North Burial Ground. Guests can join Cemetery Director Annalisa Heppner at 2:30 PM for a guided tour before exploring a mini market of local artists. Performances begin at 4:00 PM and feature Olivia Dolphin, Keith McCurdy of Vudu Sister, Silver Rein (Ithaca, NY), Black Season Witch (Chicago, IL), Savoir Faire (Boston, MA), Allysen Callery, and Space Cowboy Newt. Food and drink will be available from Rebel’s Rations, Pizza Envy, and LongLive Beerworks. Proceeds from ticket sales support cemetery programming.
October 25, Tours depart at 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, and 6:30: Reservations Required, Meet at the Rochambeau Gate
As twilight falls, professional actors portray some of Providence’s most fascinating residents whose lives reflect moments of transformation and upheaval. At the center of the evening is Sarah Helen Whitman, writer, critic, and spiritualist once engaged to Edgar Allan Poe. Whitman worked tirelessly to preserve Poe’s legacy and, in life, was known for hosting séances in her Providence home. On this special evening, Whitman will invite guests into her séance tent to share stories of spirits and her fascinating past. The Ghost Tour is one of Providence’s most beloved Halloween traditions, offering history, theater, and a touch of the supernatural. Admission is free, but reservations are required.
Self-Guided Tour Book:
Every year we produce our Halloween Self-Guided Tour book. Limited copies are available for free in the office, or use the digital version right here!
Event Tickets & Merchandise