Walk Among the Shadows - Photo Credit: Spirits Alive

Walk Among the Shadows

In 1851, through the efforts of Mayor Neal Dow, Maine became the first ‘dry’ state in the nation. In 1855 the responses to that effort culminated in a night of civil unrest that spread across the city. This year, ghostly storytellers will rise from their graves to recount the events of the Portland Rum Riot. Come listen as the spirits of tavern keepers, bootleggers, temperance supporters, suffering wives, newsmen, satirists, rise from their graves to share their stories of that day.

Events > Walk Among the Shadows
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Eastern Cemetery
224 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101 United States
About the Event
Presented by
Spirits Alive
October 17, 2024 through October 27, 2024

Audience members will be led through Eastern Cemetery by specters, encountering each story at a different location within the graveyard.

The event occurs live at Eastern Cemetery on October 17-19 and 24-26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will also be a twilight performance on Sundays, Oct. 20 and 27 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Audience groups will enter from the 224 Congress Street gate every 20 minutes during the event on a first-come, first-served basis. Each Walk Among the Shadows performance lasts about 40 minutes. The audience is cautioned to dress for outdoor evening weather and slightly uneven terrain.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite or at the gate. Admission is $10 ($5 for under 12).

Spirits Alive is a non-profit organization formed in 2006, and dedicated to the preservation of Eastern Cemetery. Eastern Cemetery, 224 Congress Street, is Portland’s oldest graveyard, founded in 1668. It is on the list of National Historic Landmarks. All proceeds from this event go to Spirits Alive to help accomplish their twin missions of education and preservation. More info at spiritsalive.org.