Ghost Stories of Old Manitou Walking Tours benefits the Heritage Center and Museum
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The eerie yet fun "Ghost Stories of Old Manitou Walking Tours" are back for the 27th year.
The ghost tours walk guests through long-lost stories of real residents in Manitou Springs' history, all for a good cause.
Proceeds benefit keeping the Manitou Springs Heritage Center and Museum free and open, which is a museum featuring the history and culture of Manitou Springs.
The museum contains exhibits displaying unique stories of historic Manitou Springs and the region. It is also a research facility for family and property history.
"We do these ghost tours every year and it helps the museum keep its doors open, and also it's important to present the history of Manitou Springs," Manitou Springs Heritage Center and Museum President Michael Maio said. "We feel like we have a different and unique history."
The Manitou Springs Heritage Center partners with performers from 'Theatredart' to work together to put this on year after year.
"The uniqueness of it is really coming from the local talent, the local history, and this interactive piece giving people that chance to touch their own history and engage with it," actor and director Brooke Callahan said. "Also to be a part of a performance because they do become a part of the show. They can't just stand there and walk with me, they've gotta engage, they've gotta have a conversation. That's such a unique thing for people to experience these days."
Each scene of the tour is staged in and around Memorial Park in Manitou Springs. Guests are accompanied by a "spirit guide" who provides narration and guides guests from scene to scene throughout the walking tour about Manitou's history.
"I think the most beneficial thing about it is that one you are exposing the community to the local talent we have and the amazing artists we have," Callahan said. "But also they're getting an emersion in their own history. The history of the own place they're living. I think it's a beautiful thing that we can give people a way to engage with history in a fun way, a unique way."
Each tour departs from the Manitou Springs Heritage Center located at 517 Manitou Ave. in Manitou Springs and lasts approximately one hour.
"It's such a fun and unique opportunity as an actor to be so heavily involved in the creation of your character and have that full control of who they are," Callahan said. "It's a beautiful thing."
The tours begin at 6 p.m. with the last one at 8:15 p.m. Private tours are available upon request by emailing manitouheritage@gmail.com.
There are still five dates left this year starting Thursday Oct. 20. The other dates are Oct. 21, 22, 27, and 28.
Advance purchase is recommended to assure a spot. Tickets are $16 for adults. Children eleven and under are free. Visit eventbrite to purchase tickets online.
