Thursday, September 11, 2025
Halloween Legends & Lore Brings Spooky Tales and Autumn Magic Back to Old World Wisconsin
Live performances, lantern-lit strolls and eerie legends create an unforgettable fall tradition for all ages at Old World Wisconsin this October
EAGLE, Wis. – Old World Wisconsin invites guests of all ages to take a moonlight stroll through the historic Crossroads Village and watch ghostly tales of the past come to life with the return of its beloved Halloween Legends & Lore event. On October 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25, guests will experience an evening packed with historic customs, ghostly games and spook-tacular performances.
“Halloween Legends & Lore is where history and mystery intertwine in a truly authentic setting,” said Dan Hess, general manager of events and experiences at the 600-acre Old World Wisconsin. “On six special Friday and Saturday evenings, Wisconsin’s favorite legends and folktales—passed down through decades of storytelling—will come alive like never before.”
With map in hand, guests take a journey into the unknown where more than 20 spinetingling tales and past traditions are recounted. Enter the long tail trail in search of Wisconsin’s legendary Hodag, partake in an eerily real Victorian séance, discover the immigrant tale of “Baba Yaga,” or maneuver the twists and turns of a lantern-lit Sorghum maze. Alongside these returning favorites, this year’s event debuts new spine-chilling experiences, including a 1930s Haunted Halloween Costume Party at Wittnebel’s Tavern and an encounter with the Laundress of the Dead at the Irish Home.
But, there’s more! Snap a selfie with wandering characters who appear in the night or pose in front of our towering carved pumpkin display as the eerie sounds of a marimba reverberate through the air. Take a seat around the campfire for some hauntingly good ghost stories and don’t miss the Emporium of Oddities packed with curious finds and strange surprises.
Looking for a bite to eat? Old World Wisconsin’s Clausing Barn will open at 3 p.m. and serve favorite food specialties from brats and tots to mac and cheese until 8 p.m. While dining, check out some silent films in the recently reopened octagonal barn, a uniquely shaped historic structure known to scare off tornados. Guests can also stop by Wittnebel’s Tavern for a Duesterbeck’s Black Ale Grim Reaper, Kettle Brau Oktoberfest or a Beast of Bray Road brew!
The Ramsey Barn will once again offer exclusive Halloween Legends & Lore merchandise including glow-in-the-dark clothing and accessories.
Guests are encouraged to dress for the festivities in costume (without a mask) and wear comfortable walking shoes, as trams will not be running during the event.
Halloween Legends & Lore is sponsored by the Old World Foundation and WaterStone Bank and runs from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. with dining opening at 3 p.m. in Clausing Barn. Tickets are $22 for adults and teens, $20 for seniors, $17 for children and free for kids under five. Society members receive a 10% discount.
For further information or to purchase tickets, go to oldworldwisconsin.org or click here.
About Old World Wisconsin
Old World Wisconsin is one of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s 12 historic sites and museums. Rated as one of the top attractions to take kids in the Milwaukee area, Old World Wisconsin is a 600-acre regional history attraction that features interactive environments and immersive stories of 19th-and early 20th-century Midwestern immigrant farm and rural life. The museum offers guests family-friendly, hands-on activities as they visit crossroads village and eight working farmsteads, explore heirloom gardens, experience beer brewing traditions, meet heritage animal breeds and try historic crafts and skills. Old World Wisconsin is located on Highway 67 just south of Eagle, Wisconsin, within daytrip distance of Milwaukee, Chicago and Madison. For more information and a list of upcoming events visit oldworldwisconsin.org or call (262) 594-6301. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free general admission to this site during regular operating hours.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, receives grants and private contributions benefitting the Wisconsin Historical Society and administers the membership program. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
