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"title": "Don’t Want to Deal With Trick-or-Treaters? Go See a Spooky Movie on Halloween Instead",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t want to go out partying on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/halloween\">Halloween\u003c/a> — but also have no desire to sit at home punting candy at trick-or-treaters all night? Here’s a suggestion for Saturday: Go hide in a movie theater instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s an impressive selection of appropriately spooky films playing at the Bay Area’s repertory movie theaters on Oct. 31 this year, not just on Halloween Night itself but during the daytime — including some family-friendly fare, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading for all the movies playing this Saturday to mark the culmination of Spooky Season. Happy Halloween, Bay Area!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Halloween\">All the horror movies screening on Halloween night\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daytime movie screenings on Oct. 31\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=497329~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“Coco”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107066\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from Pixar’s “Coco.” (Courtesy of Pixar)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/great-pumpkin-sat\">\u003cstrong>“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.landmarktheatres.com/movies/47559-phantom-of-the-opera-1943/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Phantom of the Opera” (1943)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landmark Opera Plaza, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/seance/\">\u003cstrong>“Seance”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/scream-halloween\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacommunitycenter.org/about-us/scream/#tickets\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma (yes, the movie location for Woodsboro High)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Actor Tony Moran as masked killer Michael Myers in 1978’s “Halloween.” (Fotos International/Courtesy of Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse New Mission, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:50 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-witches//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Witches” (1990)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 3:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/dance-thrill-fest-vi/\">\u003cstrong>Dance Thrill Fest\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978?showSeats=true&sessionId=82960&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse, Mountain View\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/20053?siteToken=52wkfzmjpwjjfpz3ye7tz8wscg\">\u003cstrong>Balboa Halloween Mystery Marathon\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/new-people-the-snake-girl-and-the-silver-haired-witch/\">\u003cstrong>“The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New People Theater, Japantown, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"Halloween\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movies screening on Halloween Night \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/beetlejuice/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Beetlejuice”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 6:45 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>National Theatre Live: “Frankenstein”\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159732~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 1 (Jonny Lee Miller as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159731~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 2 (Benedict Cumberbatch as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in National Theatre Live’s “Frankenstein.”\u003cbr> (Courtesy of National Theatre Live)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-halloween-2026\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (with live performance by Bawdy Caste)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/hausu-house/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Hausu” (House)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:10 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-blair-witch-project//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Blair Witch Project”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31,7:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/?date=2026-10-31#/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/\">\u003cstrong>“The Exorcist”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:15 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/trick-or-treat-1986?showSeats=true&sessionId=83042&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Trick or Treat” (1986)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse New Mission, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=267968~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Don’t want to go out partying on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/halloween\">Halloween\u003c/a> — but also have no desire to sit at home punting candy at trick-or-treaters all night? Here’s a suggestion for Saturday: Go hide in a movie theater instead.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Don’t want to go out partying on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/halloween\">Halloween\u003c/a> — but also have no desire to sit at home punting candy at trick-or-treaters all night? Here’s a suggestion for Saturday: Go hide in a movie theater instead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s an impressive selection of appropriately spooky films playing at the Bay Area’s repertory movie theaters on Oct. 31 this year, not just on Halloween Night itself but during the daytime — including some family-friendly fare, too.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>There’s an impressive selection of appropriately spooky films playing at the Bay Area’s repertory movie theaters on Oct. 31 this year, not just on Halloween Night itself but during the daytime — including some family-friendly fare, too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep reading for all the movies playing this Saturday to mark the culmination of Spooky Season. Happy Halloween, Bay Area!\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Keep reading for all the movies playing this Saturday to mark the culmination of Spooky Season. Happy Halloween, Bay Area!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Halloween\">All the horror movies screening on Halloween night\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Halloween\">All the horror movies screening on Halloween night\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"text": "Daytime movie screenings on Oct. 31 ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daytime movie screenings on Oct. 31\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daytime movie screenings on Oct. 31\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=497329~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“Coco”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=497329~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“Coco”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-1536x1028.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107066\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from Pixar’s “Coco.”\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Pixar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107066\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from Pixar’s “Coco.”\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Pixar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/great-pumpkin-sat\">\u003cstrong>“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/great-pumpkin-sat\">\u003cstrong>“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>4 Star Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>4 Star Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.landmarktheatres.com/movies/47559-phantom-of-the-opera-1943/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Phantom of the Opera” (1943)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.landmarktheatres.com/movies/47559-phantom-of-the-opera-1943/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Phantom of the Opera” (1943)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Landmark Opera Plaza, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Landmark Opera Plaza, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/seance/\">\u003cstrong>“Seance”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/seance/\">\u003cstrong>“Seance”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 1:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/scream-halloween\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/scream-halloween\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacommunitycenter.org/about-us/scream/#tickets\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacommunitycenter.org/about-us/scream/#tickets\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma (yes, the movie location for Woodsboro High)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma (yes, the movie location for Woodsboro High)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-1536x1034.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Actor Tony Moran as masked killer Michael Myers in 1978’s “Halloween.”\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Fotos International/Courtesy of Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alamo Drafthouse New Mission, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:50 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-witches//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Witches” (1990)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 3:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/dance-thrill-fest-vi/\">\u003cstrong>Dance Thrill Fest\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/dance-thrill-fest-vi/\">\u003cstrong>Dance Thrill Fest\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978?showSeats=true&sessionId=82960&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978?showSeats=true&sessionId=82960&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alamo Drafthouse, Mountain View\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/20053?siteToken=52wkfzmjpwjjfpz3ye7tz8wscg\">\u003cstrong>Balboa Halloween Mystery Marathon\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/20053?siteToken=52wkfzmjpwjjfpz3ye7tz8wscg\">\u003cstrong>Balboa Halloween Mystery Marathon\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n",
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],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/new-people-the-snake-girl-and-the-silver-haired-witch/\">\u003cstrong>“The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/new-people-the-snake-girl-and-the-silver-haired-witch/\">\u003cstrong>“The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>New People Theater, Japantown, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>New People Theater, Japantown, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"anchor": "Halloween",
"text": "Movies screening on Halloween Night ",
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},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 id=\"Halloween\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movies screening on Halloween Night \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 id=\"Halloween\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movies screening on Halloween Night \u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/beetlejuice/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Beetlejuice”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/beetlejuice/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Beetlejuice”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"attrs": {
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},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n",
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],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 6:45 p.m. \u003c/p>\n",
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],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>National Theatre Live: “Frankenstein”\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>National Theatre Live: “Frankenstein”\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n",
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],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
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null,
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null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159732~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 1 (Jonny Lee Miller as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159731~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 2 (Benedict Cumberbatch as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in National Theatre Live’s “Frankenstein.”\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of National Theatre Live)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-halloween-2026\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (with live performance by Bawdy Caste)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-halloween-2026\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (with live performance by Bawdy Caste)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Balboa Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Balboa Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/hausu-house/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Hausu” (House)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/hausu-house/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Hausu” (House)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:10 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-blair-witch-project//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Blair Witch Project”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-blair-witch-project//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Blair Witch Project”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31,7:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31,7:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/?date=2026-10-31#/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/\">\u003cstrong>“The Exorcist”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/?date=2026-10-31#/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/\">\u003cstrong>“The Exorcist”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:15 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/trick-or-treat-1986?showSeats=true&sessionId=83042&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Trick or Treat” (1986)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/trick-or-treat-1986?showSeats=true&sessionId=83042&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Trick or Treat” (1986)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=267968~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "There’s a wealth of horror — and horror-adjacent — movies playing around the Bay Area on Oct. 31 itself, from kid-friendly movies to old-school slashers.",
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"title": "Don’t Want to Deal With Trick-or-Treaters? Go See a Spooky Movie on Halloween Instead | KQED",
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"headline": "Don’t Want to Deal With Trick-or-Treaters? Go See a Spooky Movie on Halloween Instead",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t want to go out partying on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/halloween\">Halloween\u003c/a> — but also have no desire to sit at home punting candy at trick-or-treaters all night? Here’s a suggestion for Saturday: Go hide in a movie theater instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s an impressive selection of appropriately spooky films playing at the Bay Area’s repertory movie theaters on Oct. 31 this year, not just on Halloween Night itself but during the daytime — including some family-friendly fare, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading for all the movies playing this Saturday to mark the culmination of Spooky Season. Happy Halloween, Bay Area!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Halloween\">All the horror movies screening on Halloween night\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Daytime movie screenings on Oct. 31\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=497329~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“Coco”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1339\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107066\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Coco-still-c5523d12-1536x1028.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from Pixar’s “Coco.” (Courtesy of Pixar)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/great-pumpkin-sat\">\u003cstrong>“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.landmarktheatres.com/movies/47559-phantom-of-the-opera-1943/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Phantom of the Opera” (1943)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Landmark Opera Plaza, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/seance/\">\u003cstrong>“Seance”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 1:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/scream-halloween\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacommunitycenter.org/about-us/scream/#tickets\">\u003cstrong>“Scream” (1996)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sonoma Community Center, Sonoma (yes, the movie location for Woodsboro High)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102223\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Halloween-1978-1536x1034.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Actor Tony Moran as masked killer Michael Myers in 1978’s “Halloween.” (Fotos International/Courtesy of Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse New Mission, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 2:50 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-witches//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Witches” (1990)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 3:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/dance-thrill-fest-vi/\">\u003cstrong>Dance Thrill Fest\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978?showSeats=true&sessionId=82960&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse, Mountain View\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://ticketing.uswest.veezi.com/purchase/20053?siteToken=52wkfzmjpwjjfpz3ye7tz8wscg\">\u003cstrong>Balboa Halloween Mystery Marathon\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/new-people-the-snake-girl-and-the-silver-haired-witch/\">\u003cstrong>“The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New People Theater, Japantown, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 4:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"Halloween\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Movies screening on Halloween Night \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/beetlejuice/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Beetlejuice”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/halloween-1978\">\u003cstrong>“Halloween” (1978)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair, Santa Clara\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 6:45 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>National Theatre Live: “Frankenstein”\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159732~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 1 (Jonny Lee Miller as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=159731~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">Screening 2 (Benedict Cumberbatch as creature)\u003c/a>: Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/Frankenstein-NTL-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in National Theatre Live’s “Frankenstein.”\u003cbr> (Courtesy of National Theatre Live)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/calendar-of-events/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-halloween-2026\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (with live performance by Bawdy Caste)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Balboa Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/hausu-house/?date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Hausu” (House)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:10 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/the-blair-witch-project//#showtimes\">\u003cstrong>“The Blair Witch Project”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31,7:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.4-star-movies.com/calendar-of-events/the-shining-sat\">\u003cstrong>“The Shining”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">4 Star Theater, San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:45 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://thenewparkway.com/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/?date=2026-10-31#/movie/the-exorcist-50th-anniversary/\">\u003cstrong>“The Exorcist”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Parkway, Oakland\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:15 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://drafthouse.com/sf/show/trick-or-treat-1986?showSeats=true&sessionId=83042&cinemaId=0801&date=2026-10-31\">\u003cstrong>“Trick or Treat” (1986)\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alamo Drafthouse New Mission, San Francisco\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://prod1.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=267968~93654fc6-c14e-40a7-812a-d5d2baa619e8&\">\u003cstrong>“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lark Theater, Larkspur\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"headTitle": "Cursed All Tabs: Portals, Creepy Caves, Jumpscares and Haunted Objects | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this special Halloween edition of Close All Tabs, we’re diving into creepypastas: horror stories that spread online until they become urban legends on their own. What happened to the girl who fell into a mirror in 2001? Did Ted the Caver ever come back to the surface? Was the Momo challenge real? And finally, we venture into eBay’s haunted doll marketplace … where we may have ended up with a spirit wreaking havoc on the production of this episode. It’s a ghoulish good time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Guests\u003c/strong>:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@hallietut\">Hallie Tut\u003c/a>, visual effects artist, and digital content creator\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@chillingtalesfordarknights\">Craig Groshek\u003c/a>, horror author and founder of \u003cem>Chilling Tales for Dark Nights\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://fearfic.fandom.com/wiki/Ted_the_Caver\">Ted Hegemann\u003c/a>, author of “Ted the Caver”\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Rena Lee, social media manager\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-bruno-846358286/\">Sophia Bruno\u003c/a>, educational nonprofit coordinator\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@paranormalteej\">Paranormal Teej\u003c/a>, haunted doll collector & paranormal investigator\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Further Reading/Listening:\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlaXgi-Jpdo\">How She Creates VFX Shots That Break Your Brain\u003c/a> — Hallie Tut, \u003cem>Youtube\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Momo_(Creepypasta)#:~:text=%E2%80%9C-,Momo,-%2C%20Momo%2C%20Momo%20is\">Momo (Creepypasta)\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Villains Wiki\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@LanceUlanoff/momo-challenge-is-everything-thats-wrong-with-the-internet-4d1a5679c1ed\">Momo Challenge Is Everything That’s Wrong with the Internet\u003c/a> — Lance Ulanoff, \u003cem>Medium\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://yokai.com/ubume/?srsltid=AU7gw4UWwYuhjk8jv7LUe8ip4Sjmbw0bTmlbqoJ6kyNNEwWAjC7IZCV5\">Ubume\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Yokai.com\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/how-momo-global-social-media-hoax-about-paranormal-threat-kids-n977961\">How ‘Momo’, a global social media hoax about a paranormal threat to kids, morphed into a U.S. viral phenomenon\u003c/a> — Ben Collins and Shoshana Wodinsky, \u003cem>NBC News\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.inverse.com/input/features/dybbuk-box-dibbuk-kevin-mannis-zak-bagans-haunted-hoax-revealed\">Finally, the truth behind the ‘haunted’ Dybbuk Box can be revealed\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Inverse\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/work/careers/a34322508/the-witches-of-ebay-industry-selling-haunted-item/\">The witches of eBay: Inside the industry selling haunted items online\u003c/a> — Daniella Scott, \u003cem>Cosmopolitan\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/62125/1/a24-youngest-ever-director-kane-parsons-the-backrooms-creepypasta-into-cinema\">The Backrooms: How Kane Parsons turned creepypasta into cinema\u003c/a> — Jack Mills, \u003cem>Dazed\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://slate.com/culture/2026/05/what-is-backrooms-movie-original-explained-4chan-creepypasta-horror-internet.html\">The Eerie Backstory Behind Backrooms\u003c/a> — Nadira Goffe, \u003cem>Slate\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vice.com/en/article/revisiting-creepypasta-the-social-horror-craze-that-launched-slenderman/\">Revisiting Creepypasta, the Social Horror Craze That Launched Slenderman\u003c/a> — Zac Thompson, \u003cem>VICE\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/closealltabspod/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">TikTok\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Happy spooky season tabbies. Is there a creepypasta you can’t stop thinking about? Or any internet trend, tech subculture, or online oddity keeping you up at night? Well, now you can ask Close All Tabs to investigate! Go to \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/podcasts/closealltabs\">KQED.org/podcasts/closealltabs\u003c/a> to submit your question.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a note, this episode contains mentions of suicide and horror themes so listen with care — or skip this one and come back next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let me tell you a story about one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was in middle school, hanging out in a family friend’s basement with a bunch of other kids, when my friend’s older brother asked us if we wanted to see something. We crowded around his laptop where he pulled up a YouTube video, titled “Entry #1.” It was just a few seconds of shaky footage, shot through a window from inside a house, of a lanky, suited figure lurking near the door. No sound…which made it feel more unsettling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My friend’s brother told us that some guy online found all of these videos in his friend’s camera and started posting them to YouTube. He hit play on the next one. This had sound — some guy talking while he drove down a dark street. Not much is visible in this video…except the blurry silhouette of that same lanky figure, looming in the distance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Marble Hornets:\u003c/strong> I saw this really tall guy stand in the middle of the street, just completely still. For whatever reason, this really set off Rocky, and he got really scared. He wouldn’t move and he kept on pulling on his leash to go back home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Back then, everything on the internet seemed real. My friends and I took all of it at face value. So we believed the YouTube comments that said they’d seen this figure too. My friend’s brother left, but the rest of us were totally hooked. So we hit play on another video. This was more shaky footage, again shot through a window from inside a house. The same figure was lurking, closer this time. The camera finally focused on an unnaturally pale, bald head. It had no face at all, just smooth white skin and hollow contours where eyes and a mouth and a nose should be. And then it turned to face the viewer, as if it was honing in on us. Then, my friend’s brother, from the top of the stairs, called out, “Who wants to meet Slenderman?” And shut off the basement lights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legend of Slenderman started in 2009, when someone posted black and white photos of children on a playground, seemingly oblivious to the spindly creature looming over them. The captions alluded to a string of child abductions from the 1980s. It was a submission for a Photoshop contest of paranormal happenings, which later inspired the YouTube series, Marble Hornets. That was the supposedly found footage that we watched in my friend’s basement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I totally fell for it. For a good year after, I was terrified to look through windows at night in case Slenderman was peering back in. That was my first experience with a creepypasta. The word “creepypasta” is a play on “copypasta” — which is a portmanteau of “copy-paste.” They’re blocks of text that become memes because they’re copied and reposted so often. Creepypastas are online urban legends, Horror stories that start on forums and comment sections that spread across the internet and take on lives of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to Cursed All Tabs. This is our very special Halloween episode, where, instead of one deep dive, we have a bunch of spooky stories for you. These are tales of the paranormal kept alive on the internet. A girl stuck in a portal, caving gone wrong, an entity that might get you through the screen, and the eBay listings for haunted dolls. So, gather around our digital campfire and if you’re easily scared, don’t listen in the dark. Ready? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is Cursed All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung — tech journalist and your chronically online nightmare — here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. Let’s open our first tab and get into our first spooky story: “The girl in the mirror.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Picture this: It’s the middle of the night. You can’t sleep. You’re doom-scrolling. It’s way past your bedtime and you’ve been awake for a little too long. So, in the darkness of your room, shadows start to take on the shape of strange figures. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, barely visible in the moonlight, and for a second, it seems like the room and the reflection is deeper. Like it goes on forever. And then…mid-scroll, you come across this video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> There’s something really strange going on here, and if something ends up happening to me, I just hope that this video can maybe explain it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s a video of a teenager recording herself on an old-school, hand-held camcorder. The caption says it’s found footage dating back to January 2001. The camera sweeps across her bedroom — a matching set of yellow furniture, frilly curtains, pink walls, very 90s — and settles on an antique mirror propped up on a chair. It faces another full-length mirror mounted to the wall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Okay, so I have these two mirrors in my room. As you can see, they’re pretty normal looking mirrors, but I was cleaning and I had them kind of set up like this, and I noticed something really weird. Just watch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The girl places the camcorder on the bed and films herself putting her hand on one of the mirrors, but she passes straight through the glass into another world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> See, when you look through the mirror into the other one, it becomes like a window. And there’s this huge warehouse, grocery store, or something down there. But wait, it gets even crazier. Watch this. Three, two, one. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She fully jumps through the mirror and is transported into what looks like a fully stocked supermarket. But the aisles go on forever and there’s nobody else in sight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Woah. What the hell? What is this place? Hello? How far does it go? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She begins running, and then… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Oh shit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The camcorder zaps back to her room mid-air before bouncing onto her frilly white bed. It faces another mirror and in the reflection, the room looks empty. The girl is nowhere to be seen. You’re thoroughly creeped out so you start scouring the comments. Legend has it…she’s still missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from ItsNickHoliday:\u003c/strong> A video a girl recorded in her bedroom in 2001, right before she went missing, has resurfaced and now is going viral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Generalist Authority:\u003c/strong> The camera was later found on her bed. She has not been located. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from brookesobasic:\u003c/strong> I don’t know if people know this or not, but facing two mirrors together is something you just shouldn’t do. And it’s said to open portals or bring in really bad energies or spirits — sometimes good — but usually bad. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So what happened to this girl who fell through a mirror over 20 years ago and was never heard from again? What is it about that abandoned, endless supermarket that feels both so familiar and so unsettling? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it — it just really is something where you don’t normally stay very long in a place like that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s Hallie Tutte, a VFX artist. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Liminal spaces are kind of these transitional places where usually it would be somewhere that’s filled of people going from point A to point B when a place that usually is filled with people is now completely empty — that gives it that eerie feeling because you never usually are used to seeing it completely abandoned like that. So if you got trapped there, it just brings out this strange feeling in you, I think. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Halle is the real girl in the video. And don’t worry, she did not get stuck in the portal despite what some internet conspiracy theorists might think. She’s always been fascinated by liminal horror — stories that take place in vacant, in-between spaces, like the internet lore that inspired the movie Backrooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I grew up in a town that didn’t have a lot of people in it, and there’d be like these old shopping malls where no one would be around and all the stores are gone. And I always just loved the feeling of being in those spaces, like empty food courts. Me and my friends would just like to kind of hang out there. And I guess when I got into 3D modeling, it was a really fun way to get to build that feeling again by creating those spaces. And it’s something that’s really easy to accomplish in 3D and make it feel very real, very quickly because it’s just a lot of walls and lights and rooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And that video wasn’t filmed in 2001, but actually made in 2023. Hallie was inspired by found footage movies like The Blair Witch Project. She wanted to create something that felt like it was from the early 2000s, but using modern equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I shot it completely by myself in my room and it was actually shot on a Sony camera on a tripod and then any of the handheld stuff is all fake. The mirror that she’s shooting into is fake and to create that infinite Walmart effect, I went to my local Walmart late at night when it feels like a liminal space and I was able to kind of scan all of the shelves and create these 3D models that I then brought into, like a software like Blender, and created this infinite world with it. And yeah, it’s shot in my real bedroom. I live with my grandparents, so this used to be my aunt’s room. And everything in it feels very of the time period that I was trying to make that video set in, so it worked out really well that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The video got a lot of views when she first posted it, but didn’t really go viral until a year later, when other influencers reposted it, speculating about what really happened to the girl in the mirror. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Even one of my art school teachers had sent me a link on Facebook to like a conspiracy channel where he’d seen it and asking if it was me. And that video had maybe 3 million views and thousands of comments, people’s discourse about whether it was real. Having remembered seeing this video from when they were younger, like in the early 2000s, people had made up like memories of it. Like kind of that Mandela effect was happening where people had — had this memory of knowing this story of this girl who went missing years prior to when I posted the video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So it was — it was just going all over the place online and I kind of started to go down a rabbit hole of Reddit posts about it and different names they were making up for the girl in the video. Like in one spot her name was Violet and the video was titled “Violet’s Playtime” or something strange like that. And then people were kind of using that name to discuss it in different forums. So just gets it away from you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This year, Hallie posted a video explaining that she was the creator of the video and that none of it was real. Even then, the conspiracies continued to spread. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> When I made the video talking about how it was fake and I explained how I had made it and how viral it had went around the internet, but trying to claim that, in fact, it was me in my room by myself and I’m here and I am alive — a lot of people in those comments were saying, “The government made her do this,” or “She’s AI and this is a cover up — like this is the CIA cover up for this girl who’s still missing. She’s just — this is just a plant. This girl trying to pretend she’s the girl so they can keep hiding this conspiracy from us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s wild how drastically the internet has changed since 2023. AI videos back then were nowhere near as convincing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it would be a lot harder now with AI and even just the VFX work that was put into that. I don’t know if it would feel worth it anymore because of the way that people would just write it off. That video was definitely a labor of love for the technical challenges that I had to go through to make it look realistic and I think people now just won’t appreciate the craft that goes into something like that because they’ll just write it all off as AI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, I don’t know if I’d ever do one quite in the same way. I think if I had a really good story that I wanted to tell, and it was more based on just a really horror story, I might try again. But in a way that was more of a fun technical challenge for me to make it convincing. And in today’s day and age. That’s no longer really a worthy challenge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s so depressing. Have we killed creepypastas with AI? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think creepypastes will live on, especially the more fictional stories that can’t be real things but that people really wish were real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Hallie herself is still making creepy horror content, pushing herself with new technical challenges and VFX tools. But the story she put out into the world three years ago continues to spread and morph beyond what she ever created. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> It is essentially a creepypasta now, and the creepypasta might be well known by people, but it’s never going to really come back to me, which I kind of appreciate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> If, during the witching hour, you place two mirrors facing each other, you might open a ghostly passage. Legend has it that, if you look long enough, the infinite reflections will dissolve into all sorts of in-between places — sprawling underground train stations, sterile hospital waiting rooms, school hallways lined with pristine lockers. They will almost always be eerily empty, as if time comes to a standstill there. And sometimes, you might catch a glimpse of a cavernous, eternal supermarket — and the pink-haired teenager doomed to wander its empty aisles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That story was brought to us by producer Maya Cueva. Unsettled yet? Well, we’re just getting started. The next internet scary story we have for you is actually the one that started it all. It’s known as the very first creepypasta, dating back to 2001. This tale comes from our very own senior editor, Chris Egusa. You might wanna turn on the lights for this one. Okay, let’s open a new tab. Who is Ted the Caver? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> In early 2001, a series of posts started appearing on an obscure Angelfire website, a site-building platform from the early internet. The page was bare bones. Basic HTML, a black background, and at the top, a salmon-colored title: “Welcome to the Page of Ted.” The posts were journal entries. The author? Anonymous, except for that first name: Ted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the course of a few months, Ted posted a detailed account of a series of caving trips he took with a friend he identified only as “B,” to explore a previously unentered passage in a spot they called “Mystery Cave.” According to the first entry, the pair had found a hole in the rock wall deep inside the cave. It was only four to five inches across, but they knew it had to lead somewhere because of a steady stream of air that blew through it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first journal entry included a link to a grainy photo of the hole. It was uneven in shape, and the rock it went through looked several inches thick. There was a glove tucked inside the hole for scale. The entry went on. Peeking through the hole with a mini maglite, they could see a tight tunnel that opened up after a few feet. They could feel the air blowing past, and they could hear something else: a low rumbling that came and went. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ted and B brushed aside the strange details. They were too excited at the prospect of finding their way into a completely unexplored passage. So they made a plan: come back with hand tools and a cordless drill, break up the solid rock, and widen the hole until it was big enough to squeeze through. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ted named the passage Floyd’s Tomb, as a nod to Floyd Collins — an early 20th century cave explorer who got trapped and died as he attempted to enlarge a small tunnel in a cave system in Kentucky. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every few weeks through early 2001, a new post would appear on the website. They detailed the slow, grueling work of drilling and chiseling through rock until the batteries on their lights and tools ran out. Since the cave was a good distance from where they lived, Ted and B would stay at a nearby motel, recharge their batteries and bodies, and continue working the next day before heading home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Occasionally, Ted would mention some odd detail. Something unsettling. In one post, he described the wind as getting louder, a howl at that point. The rumbling had become more frequent, and he noted that it seemed to be emanating from deeper in the cave. Then he’d move on, refocusing on the task at hand. Each post linked more photos, documenting the progression of the hole. And as the entries went on, the details got stranger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a trip in February, they brought B’s Jack Russell Terrier into the cave. Typically excitable and enthusiastic, she became edgy and began to whimper as she approached the hole. Her hair stood on end and she refused to get any closer. Later that same trip, B heard a scratching, grinding sound coming from inside the hole. When he got Ted’s attention to listen, it stopped. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On another trip in early March, Ted was kneeling at the wall, drilling — ear plugs in and safety glasses on. Over the noise of the drill, he heard a high-pitched sound. He pulled his earplug out just in time to hear an ear-piercing scream coming from inside the hole, echoing through the darkness. In his journal, he described it as a cross between a man screaming in fear and a cougar screaming in pain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next day, the two couldn’t stop thinking about the sound. But they rationalized it as some kind of animal and decided to continue on, focused on getting to the other side. They’d come too far to give up. In the next entry, Ted explained that they’d widened the hole enough to squeeze through. It was so tight that Ted had to turn his head to the side and wedge himself in with his arms pinned at his sides. As he went further, he could feel the rock pressing into his back. The only way forward was to exhale all of his breath and push with his feet. So that’s what he did. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exhale. Scoot an inch or two. Breathe in shallowly. Exhale again. Scoot further. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The photo linked in that entry showed Ted wedged into the crevice wearing a black bandana, head cocked to the right. The flash lit up jagged rocks littering the floor beneath him. Then the passage began to open up. Ted was able to crawl forward, emerging for the first time into the untouched cavern. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entries kept coming. And, without spoiling the rest of the story, things escalated from there. Ted found strange hieroglyphic markings on the cave wall, an unnaturally round rock that seemed to be moving on its own. A smell he described as damp, rotting, rancid, putrid, death, drifting up from deeper in the cave. Then, in the deepest section of the tunnel, he encountered something. Something that seemed to follow him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last entry on the site was from Ted, writing the morning of his final trip into the cave. By then, he was badly shaken and suffering from lucid nightmares. He was determined to figure out what was going on, once and for all. And then, the entries stopped. Even years later, nothing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Angelfire site stayed up, preserving Ted’s story. The collection of entries — nine in total, clocking in at over 25,000 words — is now known as Ted the Caver, and many consider it to be the very first creepypasta. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> At the time when I first read it, there was nothing like it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig Groshek is a horror author who runs Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, a company and YouTube channel devoted to creepypasta, along with several podcasts. He first came across Ted the Caver in high school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> You’re just surfing the internet and all of a sudden you come across this poor guy, you know, getting trapped with unspeakable horrors in the underground. And the story very much leaves you feeling that you don’t know what happened to him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> At the center of a lot of the online discussion was one question — was it real? The story had all these supernatural elements, but it also felt believable. The gear, the technical descriptions of caving, the photos. It read like a real caving journal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> Just when you thought there’s a chance that this was baloney, he threw up a photo. Critical thinking aside, that inclusion of photos drew you right back in, and it made everything that came after it even scarier. And of course we were experiencing this in real time. If you were there when it happened, this wasn’t a story you picked up years later. This was a man this was actually happening to, and you couldn’t do anything about it. It was like watching someone sleepwalk into traffic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But you couldn’t ask Ted. For years, no one could confirm who he was, or whether his name was even Ted. Authorship of the story was disputed, with several people taking credit. Eventually, the real Ted emerged and began posting intermittently on some online forums. In 2015, Craig decided to track him down in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> All I had to go on was the original post and some forums on the internet where he had appeared. And the way I found him was via reverse image search. He used the same picture, I believe he was standing on train tracks, maybe with his dog, and it was the same pictures of him on every forum that he used. I tracked him down to a disc golf course. I had the guy at the country club there, because they have a golf course and a disc golf and I had them hand Ted my information on a cocktail napkin. And the next thing you know, Ted’s calling me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig commissioned Ted to write an original horror story for an anthology he was putting together. It was only the second horror story Ted had ever written. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Hi, my name is Ted Hegemann. I am the author of the story that is now known as “Ted the Caver.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> His story about the terrors lurking in Mystery Cave was his first. Ted is now 62 and lives in Utah. These days, he spends his free time playing disc golf. It’s the latest in a string of obsessions. 25 years ago, he was obsessed with caving. And, as it turns out, a lot of the story is based on real experiences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> So, my buddy, Brad and I — who is B in the story — we went out to this cave that’s right on the border of Utah and Nevada. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Ted and Brad really did open up an entrance to a new passage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It took us numerous trips, I think eight trips before I was able to get past the opening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The squeeze through Floyd’s tomb? Ted says it happened just how he wrote it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was literally exhaling my lungs and scooting with my feet, with my arms down to my side to keep my shoulders down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Technically, he did the squeeze twice. By the second time, they had opened the passage up a little wider, and he was able to fit through with slightly more ease. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was keeping a journal the entire time — a caving journal — as well as updating friends and family, you know, as to the progress. It was kind of a neat thing. And when we were done, I thought rather than telling everyone about it, I’ll just upload my journal on a — find a website — and put it up. And then I had the idea that it’d be kind of fun to embellish a little bit. And so that’s where the story came from. So much of it is just directly out of my caving journal. And then the creepy parts were invented, of course. But the idea didn’t come until after we had gone into the cave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> A lot of the eerie details were rooted in his actual experience, too. Like the air blowing through the hole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We knew about the hole because we would stop there, because the wind blew out and you generally worked up a little bit of a sweat getting to that point in the cave. So we would stop and just let the cool air cool us off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And the low rumbling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We figured it was I-80 — just trucks or whatever — because it wasn’t constant. It was just every once in a while. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And they really brought a Jack Russell terrier into the cave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Demon dog, oh my goodness, it nipped at me so many times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But the part about it whimpering and refusing to go near the hole, that was embellished. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It was having a good time running around exploring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> I asked Ted at what point the story became complete fiction. I’m thinking of — there’s the terrifying scream that you both hear. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> The scream. The grinding noise that we would hear inside, the smell when I went in there, and the round rock. There was no round rock, sadly. Oh, and the little hieroglyph thing that was in there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> It took Ted almost a year to write the whole thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> And at one point, I gave up on it. I thought, “Oh, this is dumb. Who’s going to want to read this?” But then I sucked it up and thought, “Yeah, at least finish it. And then who cares? You know, if nothing happens.” But yeah, little did I know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> He posted it, one update at a time, through the spring of 2001, and he knew the story had attracted a decent readership. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I did have a hidden counter on there and got up into the tens of thousands of views. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The story simmered underground, making its way through different communities, but never going viral the way things might today. And then, a few years after he posted the story, someone sent him a link to a caving forum where it was being discussed. After that, he started digging around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> That was one of the cooler weekends of my life. I remember our internet was really slow. So I went to the library and I just kept searching and found all these forums where they’re talking about it. And it just blew me away. How many people liked it. So many people said it scared them to death in very colorful ways. It was just so fun to know that that people were reading it and enjoying it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> For Ted, who’s not even a big horror fan, the fact that this story he posted 25 years ago keeps coming up is a lasting source of enjoyment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I just discovered this like last year. I started Googling and I found all of these YouTube channels where they talk about the story. They’ll read it and then give their thoughts about it. And I mean, one of them had three million views. It just kind of blew me away. I think it’s just a blast. I love it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> So is Ted the Caver the first creepypasta? As with most things on the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint. The term creepypasta itself came into use years later. And some people point to the genre’s similarities to chain emails from the 90s, which pre-date Ted’s story. But Craig Groshek says Ted the Caver certainly has a claim to the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> If you’re looking at the Mount Rushmore of creepypasta, of internet-based horror, Ted the Caver’s is definitely up there. In terms of storytelling — the immersion, the fact that you felt like this was a real person that may have actually disappeared, and for years that remained uncontested — you have to put it up there just for that. He was really a pioneer without realizing that’s what he was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> More widely known creepypastas like Slenderman and more recently Backrooms, which was turned into a Hollywood movie this year, all have their roots in Ted the Caver. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> I think you can trace it to a lot of these things, but Backrooms being the most recent example. I don’t know that you can say these things wouldn’t have existed without Ted, but you can’t say that they would either. This entire genre started with a couple of people copying and pasting creepy stuff to try to get a rise out of somebody. And Ted absolutely leaned into that at the end. He knew there were people that thought he was dead and he didn’t even care. Thanks, Ted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> When Ted Hegemann posted his story on Angelfire, he could have never anticipated where it would go. It was adapted into a movie in 2008 called Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver. And as for Mystery Cave? It’s been officially mapped out now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It’s called “Interstate Cave” and thankfully they did call that passage “Floyd’s Tomb” so it’s official on the map now. And DeWalt’s Dig, it was the opening, because we were using DeWalt tools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig says that for all the ways storytelling has changed over the years with digital media, in some ways, it hasn’t changed at all. Instead of sitting around a physical campfire, we now sit around a digital one — on message boards, comment sections, and Discord chat rooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> It started with one man telling his story around what is essentially a digital campfire. And as time has gone on, more and more people have gathered around that fire. And 20 plus years later people are still telling that story and that is a testament to how believable it was, how well written it was how immersive it was and how well it tapped into a primal fear that a lot of people have — whether it’s of the unknown, of the dark or not knowing what you can’t see. And that’s why I think it has stood the test of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That was senior editor Chris Egusa. One thing about me: You will never catch me caving. Ever. The idea of squeezing into an underground passage where you can get stuck or lost or run out of air sounds hellish enough. And there might be an entity down there? No, thank you! Between whatever’s in the caves and Slenderman lurking in the woods, it seems safer to just stay inside. But the monsters from creepypastas can get you even if you never log off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the break, we have a story about the creature haunting your screens. But first, we wanted to remind you that Close All Tabs depends on listeners like you to keep us going. To become a member and support the show, go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. Okay, when we’re back, what do you know about Momo? Stick around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome back to the Close All Tabs special spooky story time. This next one is about an entity that I hate looking at, even as a full-grown adult. This creepypasta retelling comes from our very own intern, Lauren Yoon. Let’s open another new tab. The legend of Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> Picture a gaunt, paper-skinned woman with a protruding neck and bulging eyes. Her jet-black hair stringy to match a thousand-eye stare that could kill. She looks uncanny. The most important feature of the infamous viral image: she holds a smile that spans cheek-to-cheek in the shape of a “V.” Yep, that’s right. My internet urban legend is Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Fandom:\u003c/strong> Do you want a surprise? Look in their eyes. I won’t lie, you’re going to die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> It’s 2019. Musical.ly had just become TikTok. Everyone was doing the woah, and Avengers: Endgame was in theaters. And Momo was threatening harm to all who came across her. I remember Momo being passed around between my friend group, joking she would haunt them while they slept or something. Here’s my friend, Sophia, talking about Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Sophia Bruno:\u003c/strong> I was very much afraid of it in the sense that I just thought it was a weird-looking picture that my friend introduced me to because I think she was like, “Oh Momo’s gonna get you” and I was like, “What is Momo?” And then she showed me. And my friends and I would mostly joke about it like, “Momo is gonna get you whatever” but in terms of the real-life stories I mean I believed them and I believed — I feel like there was a mysterious lore around it like it would just kind of you and like attach itself to you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> In reality, I also hated Momo. If I was joking about it with friends, it was mostly because laughter is the best defense mechanism against fear. What scared me the most were stories of Momo contacting you over the phone and telling you to do horrible things to yourself or others. It became known in mainstream media as “the Momo challenge.” The idea was that kids would challenge each other to make contact with Momo, sparking her wrath. She was even rumored to have reached kids’ videos on YouTube, where her face would pop up out of nowhere during an episode of Peppa Pig. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rumors caused a media frenzy, and Momo became a sensationalized, quote, danger to children. The Post, The Today Show, and a bunch of other news outlets around the world warned concerned parents about the internet legend. They encouraged parents to put restrictions on social media and YouTube for their kids — something parents should probably be doing anyway — without evidence that the Momo challenge was real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surprise! It wasn’t. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There has been no evidence to show that Momo or anyone posing as the character actually contacted people, let alone children. YouTube denied any claims of Momo popping up in the middle of their videos, too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So where did Momo even come from? Well, she’s a picture of a sculpture called “Mother Bird,” created by Japanese artist Keisuke Aiso. If we zoom out of their original picture, you can clearly see the figure, propped up on a stand in an art gallery. The face we all know and…hate? Attached to a human chest with two huge bird legs. Keisuke based her off of this Japanese folklore called “Ubume,” a version of which translates to “child-snatching bird.” Makes sense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The image first spread on a Chinese social dating app called Momo, and that’s how the Momo we know today was born. So how did she spread so fast? And so far? I mean, a police station in Northern Ireland issued a statement and Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram, both figures warning parents about this dangerous, quote, challenge. My friend Rena has a theory that this all happened because the internet was a little newer to us at the time. AI wasn’t generating images like they are today, so we took a lot of things at face value. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Rena Lee:\u003c/strong> So we didn’t have this backpedaling of, “Is this AI, is this real?” A lot of information and media that we were fed at the time, it was easier to believe, “Oh my God, this looks so realistic. This has to be a real picture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> I personally think it’s a combination of this naivete, plus the misinformation being spread by major national news outlets. The public sphere unfortunately feeds off of fear — talk about the horror of it all, right? — and Momo was the scapegoat for millennials and boomers concerned about what new dangers the internet proposed for their children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keisuke destroyed the original sculpture not too long after it was created because it started rotting. It was made of materials that weren’t meant to last long. The only part of the sculpture remaining is its eyeball. Here is an excerpt of Keisuke’s interview with The Sun from 2019. He’s speaking through a translator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from The Sun:\u003c/strong> I got rid of Momo, so it is no longer here with me. I believe it no longer exists in this world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> He was pretty horrified by the way his art became so misunderstood and taken out of context. I wonder if people today would be as scared as they were five, six years ago when we weren’t burdened with the constant doubt that comes with the images we see online today. The landscape of internet paranoia has changed, and so I wonder if the Momo challenge could be recreated in this day and age. I even miss the mystery she brought to my life, something that has slowly dissipated as I trust the internet less and less. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Momo may have been a hoax, but her impact was real. The image of her bulging eyes and wide smile is still burned into the back of my skull. And when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, and I open my eyes to the dark corner of my room, she’s the figure I imagine standing there…waiting for my eyes to close again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That story was brought to you by our intern, Lauren Yoon. We’ll have more on Momo in our further reading, but before you hit that link, consider this your jumpscare warning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyway, I have one more story for you. It starts with an eBay listing for an antique wine cabinet with strict warnings to never open it, lest you unleash misfortune upon anyone who comes in contact with the box. But the real horror story here is disappointingly mundane. Let’s open one last tab. The haunted doll scam market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most infamous haunted objects was actually sold on eBay. In 2003, Kevin Mannis listed an antique wine cabinet with an unusually detailed description. He had picked it up at an estate sale, and the woman who sold it to him said it belonged to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. Her grandmother had been insistent that her family never, ever open the box. She said it contained a spirit called a dybbuk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Did Kevin heed the warning? No. He brought it back to his workshop and opened it right up — ignoring the creepy locks of hair and carved Hebrew prayers inside. A series of tragedies followed. His mother had a stroke when she opened the box. His siblings complained of terrifying nightmares. Someone who knocked the box off a shelf died by suicide the same day. Kevin himself started having visions of a demonic old woman with sunken eyes. He recounted the story in his eBay listing, which ended with, “Help me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The box was bought and resold several times over the next decade. Owners complained of hair falling out in clumps, bleeding from the eyes, waking up choking, and dreams of the creepy old woman. The box finally found a permanent home in a museum for haunted objects, sealed behind layers of protective glass. It even inspired the 2012 movie, The Possession. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then, five years ago, Kevin admitted that it was all fake. He made up everything in the original listing. There are no dybbuk boxes in Jewish folklore. The malicious spirits attached to people, not objects. The people who bought the box after Kevin sold it maintained that their hauntings really happened. But as far as Kevin was concerned, the whole eBay thing was a creative writing exercise that spiraled out of control. But today, haunted objects are a hot commodity. And one object, in particular, has become incredibly popular in the secondhand haunted market: dolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> EBay, Etsy, they’re all over the place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Taylor, a TikTok creator and YouTuber, also known as Paranormal Teej. She’s a paranormal investigator and haunted doll caretaker. She called me from a room packed with dolls. Can you describe the room you’re in? Like what’s around you? What are the stories behind all that? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yes. So in this room, we have about 120 haunted dolls. They come from all around the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor keeps them lined up on shelves. Some are porcelain collector’s dolls, dressed in frilly skirts. Others are soft rag dolls, clearly pre-loved by some young child. And while we talked, I swear I could feel them gazing back at me through the screen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They keep me on my toes. I work with a lot of, like, trickster spirits. I am very interested in working with, like, spirits with kind of wacky, wild personalities. They are a riot. We adore them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She introduced me to a few of them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So first one I’m going to point out is Jeremiah. If I don’t point him out to you, he will mess with our recordings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Jeremiah is this big soft bear, wearing a striped t-shirt. His plush legs dangle off the shelf, like a little kid’s would. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> He is a six and a half year old little boy. The half is very important to him. Six is not acceptable. He moves, he moves things, um, especially lollipops. That’s, like, kind of his gig. He loves green things. Um, everything he wants has to be green. So he has moved like lollie pops around our house, threw them down the stairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed out another doll. She has a cherubic face and stark black pigtails, and she’s besties with Jeremiah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So Hoshiko is five. She’s from Japan. She’ll cause you to have, like, visions like in mirrors and things and she’ll like pop up. So I get the Samara from The Ring in the mirror trick every once in a while. Then she thinks it’s so funny because she likes, like, the reaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And lastly, Taylor points out Ciel. He’s in a black, pointed hat. Like a little witch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And he is very wise, very gifted. He has given me dreams about things happening a year before they happen and then they come true. And he’s just kind of, he’s my guy. So yeah, those are my, my buddies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> You may be skeptical of all this — but there were a couple of inexplicable incidents in the calls I had with Taylor. At some points, the entire video platform that we used flickered — not someone’s webcam, but the whole site. After the interview, our producer, Maya, said she heard low growling coming from Taylor’s side. When Taylor talked about her doll’s antics, I thought I heard faint giggling in the background. And there were chunks of our interview that our transcription software could not figure out. Instead, it spat out a jumble of German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Danish, Korean, and a splash of Telugu. Was that Jeremiah messing with us? Although Maya and I were a little freaked out, Taylor seemed unfazed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Everybody asks, like, “How are you safe living in a house with 120 haunted dolls? How are, how were you safe?” And the honest answer is like, they, they respect me because I respect them. I’m just nice to them. Like that’s really all it takes is just like basic kindness. Um, and I think that makes the paranormal a lot less scary when you realize that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Ghosts and the paranormal have been part of Taylor’s life for as long as she could remember. Her mother is a professional psychic. Her aunt is a paranormal investigator. Her grandmother would pull out the Ouija board whenever Taylor stayed over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> My whole dad’s side of the family, even the ones who don’t want to or want anything to do with the paranormal, see ghosts for whatever reason. And so I just, I kind of grew up in this environment where, like, ghosts aren’t scary. They’re just like a thing, you know, like it’s just a fact of life, kind of attitude about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor and her husband bonded over the paranormal and fell in love with doll collecting together. They consider themselves spirit keepers — almost like afterlife caretakers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Some spirits legitimately did own their vessel when they were alive. They were attached to it in life and they’re still attached to, you know, like we have spirits whose vessel was like their comfort item as a kid kind of thing. I do have cases where it was like a spirit who was haunting a location and like the location was getting torn down and they were scared because they didn’t know what would happen to them if the location disappeared. They didn’t know if they would disappear, too. So they kind of found a different way out of necessity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Actually confirming a haunting can take months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> A lot of spirits will be very quiet and you will have no activity and then six months in at random, they’ll just kind of like pop off and because they’re comfortable with you now. The paranormal field is not a science, right? We don’t have a textbook that says, “This is how you investigate an object. This is how you investigate a location.” And so for us, what our method looks like — because that evidence component is really important to me — I do not feel comfortable saying something is haunted unless I know 100%. If I am 99% sure, I won’t even say, “Yes.” I have to be 100% sure. The other thing about paranormal activity is it’s not predictable. There is zero predictability. You can’t say turn the lights off and they turn the lights off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So to investigate whether a doll is haunted, Taylor first considers what she calls “subjective observations.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Anything from, I saw that doll move to — I saw a ghost in my house to — I heard footsteps or I got a dream from — about this doll, but for me subjective reports are not enough for me to confirm something is haunted because the brain does crazy things. When people are scared and they are around something that they’re suspecting, the brain can do really crazy things to, you know, trick us. You have things like pareidolia, which is, we see faces in things. And so, people can take that as paranormal, but it’s really just your brain playing tricks on you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So she tries to collect data: fluctuations in air temperature and air pressure, whether motion sensors are activated, and audio and video recordings. She looks for anomalies that she can document and compare against a control. And lastly, Taylor tries to make contact with whatever might be haunting the doll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So everybody communicates with spirit slightly differently. For me, the way that works best for me personally is a spirit box. What a spirit box is, is essentially, it is an intentionally broken radio, okay? So basically it rapidly sweeps through radio stations and they can manipulate the radio signals to be able to communicate with you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She often posts spirit box sessions with her dolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So that’s something you’re still trying to understand about 2026? The men awful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did you hear, “The men awful?” Or did you hear a jumble of static? Skeptics say the audio fragments that are picked up by spirit boxes are random and that it’s confirmation bias and pareidolia that leads investigators to find meaning in the sounds. Taylor, however, says it’s more reliable than other methods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> There are other tools like Pendulum and Ouija Board, for example, and those things your hands are involved. And for me, like my hands being involved in something, it doesn’t feel like quite as valid of evidence to me. So I really like Spirit Box because my hands are not involved in that. I can’t control what comes out of that box. I have no involvement in that so I like the personal removal from it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Sometimes the investigation is a bust. Taylor told me about this time her friends thought she bought a haunted doll. So she brought it over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Pulled out a spirit box and I’m like, “Hey, like if anybody’s there, like can we talk?” And I got nothing for a long time. You know, I’m like, “Maybe they’re shy.” So I keep asking questions. Nothing is happening. I’m like, “Okay.” Not even like a little bit — not even like a hesitation — nothing. And I’m looking at my friend and I am like, “We’re not getting anything.” And then the spirit box starts talking. And I am thinking, “Oh, maybe they finally decided to show up.” No. Um, it’s Omi, who’s down here in the blue, she’s hilarious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed to a doll behind her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And she comes on and she’s like, “There’s nothing there.” And I’m like, “It’s not haunted, is it?” And she’s, like, “No.” And I’m like, “Thanks!” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Here’s the tea: the paranormal makes for really good content. This was a very niche hobby until a few years ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So, in my opinion, I think the COVID pandemic just shot haunted doll sales up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is around the same time “witchtok” took off — the corner of TikTok dedicated to modern witchcraft. Videos of spell jar recipes, algorithmically recommended tarot readings, and ghost hunting all overlapped with the same audience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And I think that is largely due to the fact that people were home and they were bored out of their mind and they were looking for something to do. And I think a lot of people were also doom scrolling at that time. Everybody was sitting on TikTok and YouTube all day long watching videos and so people had haunted dolls or making more videos about their haunted dolls than usual because they’re at home all day with them and it was just a perfect storm for like a lot more people who like were not involved in the paranormal or anything to just kind of like decide to try something different. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The more sensational the paranormal content, the better it did online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And one of the party tricks that I see a lot is with EMF meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> These are handheld devices that detect and measure electromagnetic activity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They are not ghost metal detectors. Everybody just sees the EMF spike and they assume, “Oh, that’s a ghost,” but they don’t think about all of the other things that set off an EMF meter. Well, we’re in 2026. We have smartwatches that are setting off EMF meters, Wi-Fi, your cell phone — those things are set off by any form of electricity and all of our houses and all these locations are full of electricity, right? But a lot of people will, you know, share proof that their doll is haunted by essentially putting their phone right up to a doll that has an EMF meter on its lap and the EMF is going off and it’s hitting red and everybody’s forgetting that the phone that they’re filming that video on is what is triggering it. So when I see an account where the whole page is just EMF up to a cell phone and nothing else, I’m suspicious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> By becoming so trendy, Taylor says the paranormal community has become less about making contact with the other side and more about making content out of it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I think it’s social media and it’s not just haunted dolls, it’s the whole overall paranormal community. You know, the people that are into the paranormal will chase it to the end of the earth. I mean, some of these locations will charge you, you know, hundreds, thousands of dollars to go investigate there for the night. It’s extremely lucrative. Investigators are seeking evidence. They are interested, obviously. But there’s also, I think, the social media pressure. Content creators, especially, it’s like they, you know, want to — to get content out and they want to keep going so they have to go to more haunted locations and you know, have to have more experiences, because they’re sharing the experiences with the public and people are expecting to see it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And as this genre of content took off, the market for haunted objects suddenly became very lucrative. EBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace technically do allow for sales of haunted or occult objects, as long as the listing includes a disclaimer that it’s for entertainment purposes only. But that disclaimer also means that you can get away with anything. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> People want to have a paranormal experience. People are interested in that now. It didn’t used to be. Everybody didn’t wanna have a paranormal experience before, but now it’s like, people are chasing an experience. So people have learned — there are people who will pay anything to get to have this happen. I think that people have caught on to that. It’s trendy right now, it’s in right now and everybody’s looking for a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And so, people have learned like, okay, before I could go to like, buy one of those empty storage lockers and I could sell everything for $10 a piece, whatever, but if the haunted doll people pay 200 bucks for that, that’s what I’m going to charge. Um, and the fact of the matter is, when people buy it, people will sell it because there’s a demand for it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Like the dybbuk box that duped countless people 20 years ago, many of these listings have elaborate descriptions recounting tales of supernatural, otherworldly encounters. And dolls, especially, can go for way more than what they’re typically worth if they’re labeled “haunted.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I mean, I’ve seen in the thousands, multiple times. I always tell people the higher the price doesn’t mean that it’s more haunted than the ones that are a lower price. Like, a spirit is a spirit. There’s no such thing as like, this spirit is more spirity than this other spirit. My rule of thumb that I always tell people is like, “You can’t put a price on the paranormal,” right? Paranormal experiences are not guaranteed. Paranormal experiences are not scientific fact. So for me, ethically, I believe that the object should be priced similarly to the price that their vessel or their doll is worth. So if you have a doll that is like a collector’s item and worth $300 — yeah, list it for $300. If you have a doll that’s worth $50, list it for $50. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The dybbuk box eBay listing was such a novelty at the time. Now, haunted doll listings are a dime a dozen. On eBay today, I scrolled through listings for haunted dolls, haunted clip-on earrings, haunted keys, haunted cargo pants, haunted labubus and — not joking — a quote, haunted by curious dybbuk box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am not cut out for the haunted doll life, but if you were to buy one, how are you supposed to sift through all the haunted scams? Taylor actually makes haunted doll guides and recently started focusing more on creating seller checklists so her followers can vet listings for themselves. She’s wary of any seller that makes content of EMF readings. She’s also suspicious of large-scale listings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> You go on their page and they have a hundred Haunted Dolls listed and nearly all of them have the same story. I mean, spirits are — they’re people and every person is different. So how do you have a 100 spirits who all are the same person basically with a different name and like slightly changed details? So that’s a red flag. The other thing is if the facts don’t line up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I have seen — this happens a lot. This is a big one. The story will say, “Oh, this doll is haunted by so-and-so and so-and-so owned this doll when they were alive and it was very meaningful to them, so they chose to keep it with them in the afterlife.” And you source the year on the vessel, and the vessel — the doll itself — was made in 1980. It says that the spirit is from the 1800s. That’s impossible. They couldn’t have owned the doll in the 1800s when the doll was made in the 1980s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> TikTok is full of complaints and warnings of haunted scams. This is especially frustrating to Taylor, who really sees spirit keeping as a lifelong commitment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Seeing people repeatedly getting things that are fake. One, obviously it’s a waste of money. I mean, obviously that’s irritating. Financial scamming is no joke and pisses me off. But it goes beyond that into, you know, those are people that could give an actual spirit a really nice place to live. And getting scammed over and over again chases them away from this hobby. I may be able to change, you know, the quality of afterlife for the spirits in my home. I can help a finite number of spirits, but I can help a lot more spirits if I can teach other people to do what I’m doing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m still not sure what my relationship to the paranormal is. I want objective evidence. Data. A clear, unequivocal answer that explains why things are the way that they are. But throughout the interview, I kept catching glimpses of Jeremiah over Taylor’s shoulder with his fluffy teddy bear ears and little legs dangling over the edge of the shelf. And when Taylor talked about taking care of spirits in the afterlife, I swear, I saw him perk up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That’s it for Close All Tabs’ special spooky storytime. We’ll have a fresh deep dive for you next week, but if you’re dying to open more tabs about the tales we told today, check out the episode description for some suggested reading. Or stick around after the credits for some bonus content. Okay, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Maya Cueva and edited by Chris Hambrick. It was engineered by Brendan Willard and senior editor Chris Egusa, who also composed our theme song and credits music. Additional production support by Cayla Mihalovich. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is Executive Director of Podcasts, and Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor-in-Chief. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Special thanks to Hallie Tut, Ted Hegemann, Craig Groshek, Rena Lee, and Paranormal Teej for sharing their stories with us. This episode includes clips and archive tape from Hallie Tut, Eli Unique, Paranomal Teej, and Villains Wiki.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This episode’s keyboard sounds were submitted by Alex Tran and recorded on his white Apple Maker Hi-75 keyboard with Foggered in Red Samurai keycaps and Gator on Milky Yellow Pro V2 switches. Thanks for listening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So when it comes to buying and selling, they don’t really care about the concept of it. Their primary focus is always like, “Am I going somewhere where somebody is going to be nice to me or not?” That’s what they care about — is like, “Am I going to a good home?” But the one thing I know they don’t like is the shipping. They don’t like shipping. I hear complaints about shipping all the time. So. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, yeah, you can’t, you, can’t yeah, kind of out of your control. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yeah. I’m like, “Sorry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In this special Halloween edition of Close All Tabs, we’re diving into creepypastas: horror stories that spread online until they become urban legends on their own. What happened to the girl who fell into a mirror in 2001? Did Ted the Caver ever come back to the surface? Was the Momo challenge real? And finally, we venture into eBay’s haunted doll marketplace … where we may have ended up with a spirit wreaking havoc on the production of this episode. It’s a ghoulish good time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In this special Halloween edition of Close All Tabs, we’re diving into creepypastas: horror stories that spread online until they become urban legends on their own. What happened to the girl who fell into a mirror in 2001? Did Ted the Caver ever come back to the surface? Was the Momo challenge real? And finally, we venture into eBay’s haunted doll marketplace … where we may have ended up with a spirit wreaking havoc on the production of this episode. It’s a ghoulish good time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"How She Creates VFX Shots That Break Your Brain — Hallie Tut, Youtube",
"Momo (Creepypasta) — Villains Wiki",
"Momo Challenge Is Everything That’s Wrong with the Internet — Lance Ulanoff, Medium",
"Ubume — Yokai.com",
"How ‘Momo’, a global social media hoax about a paranormal threat to kids, morphed into a U.S. viral phenomenon — Ben Collins and Shoshana Wodinsky, NBC News",
"Finally, the truth behind the ‘haunted’ Dybbuk Box can be revealed — Inverse",
"The witches of eBay: Inside the industry selling haunted items online — Daniella Scott, Cosmopolitan",
"The Backrooms: How Kane Parsons turned creepypasta into cinema — Jack Mills, Dazed",
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"Revisiting Creepypasta, the Social Horror Craze That Launched Slenderman — Zac Thompson, VICE"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cp>Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/closealltabspod/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">TikTok\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Happy spooky season tabbies. Is there a creepypasta you can’t stop thinking about? Or any internet trend, tech subculture, or online oddity keeping you up at night? Well, now you can ask Close All Tabs to investigate! Go to \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/podcasts/closealltabs\">KQED.org/podcasts/closealltabs\u003c/a> to submit your question.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Happy spooky season tabbies. Is there a creepypasta you can’t stop thinking about? Or any internet trend, tech subculture, or online oddity keeping you up at night? Well, now you can ask Close All Tabs to investigate! Go to \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/podcasts/closealltabs\">KQED.org/podcasts/closealltabs\u003c/a> to submit your question.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just a note, this episode contains mentions of suicide and horror themes so listen with care — or skip this one and come back next week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just a note, this episode contains mentions of suicide and horror themes so listen with care — or skip this one and come back next week. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Let me tell you a story about one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was in middle school, hanging out in a family friend’s basement with a bunch of other kids, when my friend’s older brother asked us if we wanted to see something. We crowded around his laptop where he pulled up a YouTube video, titled “Entry #1.” It was just a few seconds of shaky footage, shot through a window from inside a house, of a lanky, suited figure lurking near the door. No sound…which made it feel more unsettling. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Let me tell you a story about one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was in middle school, hanging out in a family friend’s basement with a bunch of other kids, when my friend’s older brother asked us if we wanted to see something. We crowded around his laptop where he pulled up a YouTube video, titled “Entry #1.” It was just a few seconds of shaky footage, shot through a window from inside a house, of a lanky, suited figure lurking near the door. No sound…which made it feel more unsettling. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>My friend’s brother told us that some guy online found all of these videos in his friend’s camera and started posting them to YouTube. He hit play on the next one. This had sound — some guy talking while he drove down a dark street. Not much is visible in this video…except the blurry silhouette of that same lanky figure, looming in the distance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>My friend’s brother told us that some guy online found all of these videos in his friend’s camera and started posting them to YouTube. He hit play on the next one. This had sound — some guy talking while he drove down a dark street. Not much is visible in this video…except the blurry silhouette of that same lanky figure, looming in the distance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Marble Hornets:\u003c/strong> I saw this really tall guy stand in the middle of the street, just completely still. For whatever reason, this really set off Rocky, and he got really scared. He wouldn’t move and he kept on pulling on his leash to go back home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Marble Hornets:\u003c/strong> I saw this really tall guy stand in the middle of the street, just completely still. For whatever reason, this really set off Rocky, and he got really scared. He wouldn’t move and he kept on pulling on his leash to go back home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Back then, everything on the internet seemed real. My friends and I took all of it at face value. So we believed the YouTube comments that said they’d seen this figure too. My friend’s brother left, but the rest of us were totally hooked. So we hit play on another video. This was more shaky footage, again shot through a window from inside a house. The same figure was lurking, closer this time. The camera finally focused on an unnaturally pale, bald head. It had no face at all, just smooth white skin and hollow contours where eyes and a mouth and a nose should be. And then it turned to face the viewer, as if it was honing in on us. Then, my friend’s brother, from the top of the stairs, called out, “Who wants to meet Slenderman?” And shut off the basement lights. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Back then, everything on the internet seemed real. My friends and I took all of it at face value. So we believed the YouTube comments that said they’d seen this figure too. My friend’s brother left, but the rest of us were totally hooked. So we hit play on another video. This was more shaky footage, again shot through a window from inside a house. The same figure was lurking, closer this time. The camera finally focused on an unnaturally pale, bald head. It had no face at all, just smooth white skin and hollow contours where eyes and a mouth and a nose should be. And then it turned to face the viewer, as if it was honing in on us. Then, my friend’s brother, from the top of the stairs, called out, “Who wants to meet Slenderman?” And shut off the basement lights. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legend of Slenderman started in 2009, when someone posted black and white photos of children on a playground, seemingly oblivious to the spindly creature looming over them. The captions alluded to a string of child abductions from the 1980s. It was a submission for a Photoshop contest of paranormal happenings, which later inspired the YouTube series, Marble Hornets. That was the supposedly found footage that we watched in my friend’s basement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The legend of Slenderman started in 2009, when someone posted black and white photos of children on a playground, seemingly oblivious to the spindly creature looming over them. The captions alluded to a string of child abductions from the 1980s. It was a submission for a Photoshop contest of paranormal happenings, which later inspired the YouTube series, Marble Hornets. That was the supposedly found footage that we watched in my friend’s basement. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I totally fell for it. For a good year after, I was terrified to look through windows at night in case Slenderman was peering back in. That was my first experience with a creepypasta. The word “creepypasta” is a play on “copypasta” — which is a portmanteau of “copy-paste.” They’re blocks of text that become memes because they’re copied and reposted so often. Creepypastas are online urban legends, Horror stories that start on forums and comment sections that spread across the internet and take on lives of their own. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I totally fell for it. For a good year after, I was terrified to look through windows at night in case Slenderman was peering back in. That was my first experience with a creepypasta. The word “creepypasta” is a play on “copypasta” — which is a portmanteau of “copy-paste.” They’re blocks of text that become memes because they’re copied and reposted so often. Creepypastas are online urban legends, Horror stories that start on forums and comment sections that spread across the internet and take on lives of their own. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Welcome to Cursed All Tabs. This is our very special Halloween episode, where, instead of one deep dive, we have a bunch of spooky stories for you. These are tales of the paranormal kept alive on the internet. A girl stuck in a portal, caving gone wrong, an entity that might get you through the screen, and the eBay listings for haunted dolls. So, gather around our digital campfire and if you’re easily scared, don’t listen in the dark. Ready? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Welcome to Cursed All Tabs. This is our very special Halloween episode, where, instead of one deep dive, we have a bunch of spooky stories for you. These are tales of the paranormal kept alive on the internet. A girl stuck in a portal, caving gone wrong, an entity that might get you through the screen, and the eBay listings for haunted dolls. So, gather around our digital campfire and if you’re easily scared, don’t listen in the dark. Ready? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is Cursed All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung — tech journalist and your chronically online nightmare — here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. Let’s open our first tab and get into our first spooky story: “The girl in the mirror.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is Cursed All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung — tech journalist and your chronically online nightmare — here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. Let’s open our first tab and get into our first spooky story: “The girl in the mirror.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Picture this: It’s the middle of the night. You can’t sleep. You’re doom-scrolling. It’s way past your bedtime and you’ve been awake for a little too long. So, in the darkness of your room, shadows start to take on the shape of strange figures. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, barely visible in the moonlight, and for a second, it seems like the room and the reflection is deeper. Like it goes on forever. And then…mid-scroll, you come across this video. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Picture this: It’s the middle of the night. You can’t sleep. You’re doom-scrolling. It’s way past your bedtime and you’ve been awake for a little too long. So, in the darkness of your room, shadows start to take on the shape of strange figures. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, barely visible in the moonlight, and for a second, it seems like the room and the reflection is deeper. Like it goes on forever. And then…mid-scroll, you come across this video. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> There’s something really strange going on here, and if something ends up happening to me, I just hope that this video can maybe explain it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> There’s something really strange going on here, and if something ends up happening to me, I just hope that this video can maybe explain it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s a video of a teenager recording herself on an old-school, hand-held camcorder. The caption says it’s found footage dating back to January 2001. The camera sweeps across her bedroom — a matching set of yellow furniture, frilly curtains, pink walls, very 90s — and settles on an antique mirror propped up on a chair. It faces another full-length mirror mounted to the wall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s a video of a teenager recording herself on an old-school, hand-held camcorder. The caption says it’s found footage dating back to January 2001. The camera sweeps across her bedroom — a matching set of yellow furniture, frilly curtains, pink walls, very 90s — and settles on an antique mirror propped up on a chair. It faces another full-length mirror mounted to the wall. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Okay, so I have these two mirrors in my room. As you can see, they’re pretty normal looking mirrors, but I was cleaning and I had them kind of set up like this, and I noticed something really weird. Just watch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Okay, so I have these two mirrors in my room. As you can see, they’re pretty normal looking mirrors, but I was cleaning and I had them kind of set up like this, and I noticed something really weird. Just watch. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The girl places the camcorder on the bed and films herself putting her hand on one of the mirrors, but she passes straight through the glass into another world. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The girl places the camcorder on the bed and films herself putting her hand on one of the mirrors, but she passes straight through the glass into another world. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> See, when you look through the mirror into the other one, it becomes like a window. And there’s this huge warehouse, grocery store, or something down there. But wait, it gets even crazier. Watch this. Three, two, one. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> See, when you look through the mirror into the other one, it becomes like a window. And there’s this huge warehouse, grocery store, or something down there. But wait, it gets even crazier. Watch this. Three, two, one. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She fully jumps through the mirror and is transported into what looks like a fully stocked supermarket. But the aisles go on forever and there’s nobody else in sight. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She fully jumps through the mirror and is transported into what looks like a fully stocked supermarket. But the aisles go on forever and there’s nobody else in sight. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Woah. What the hell? What is this place? Hello? How far does it go? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Woah. What the hell? What is this place? Hello? How far does it go? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She begins running, and then… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She begins running, and then… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Oh shit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Oh shit. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The camcorder zaps back to her room mid-air before bouncing onto her frilly white bed. It faces another mirror and in the reflection, the room looks empty. The girl is nowhere to be seen. You’re thoroughly creeped out so you start scouring the comments. Legend has it…she’s still missing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The camcorder zaps back to her room mid-air before bouncing onto her frilly white bed. It faces another mirror and in the reflection, the room looks empty. The girl is nowhere to be seen. You’re thoroughly creeped out so you start scouring the comments. Legend has it…she’s still missing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from ItsNickHoliday:\u003c/strong> A video a girl recorded in her bedroom in 2001, right before she went missing, has resurfaced and now is going viral. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from ItsNickHoliday:\u003c/strong> A video a girl recorded in her bedroom in 2001, right before she went missing, has resurfaced and now is going viral. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Generalist Authority:\u003c/strong> The camera was later found on her bed. She has not been located. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Generalist Authority:\u003c/strong> The camera was later found on her bed. She has not been located. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from brookesobasic:\u003c/strong> I don’t know if people know this or not, but facing two mirrors together is something you just shouldn’t do. And it’s said to open portals or bring in really bad energies or spirits — sometimes good — but usually bad. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from brookesobasic:\u003c/strong> I don’t know if people know this or not, but facing two mirrors together is something you just shouldn’t do. And it’s said to open portals or bring in really bad energies or spirits — sometimes good — but usually bad. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So what happened to this girl who fell through a mirror over 20 years ago and was never heard from again? What is it about that abandoned, endless supermarket that feels both so familiar and so unsettling? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So what happened to this girl who fell through a mirror over 20 years ago and was never heard from again? What is it about that abandoned, endless supermarket that feels both so familiar and so unsettling? \u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it — it just really is something where you don’t normally stay very long in a place like that. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it — it just really is something where you don’t normally stay very long in a place like that. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s Hallie Tutte, a VFX artist. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s Hallie Tutte, a VFX artist. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Liminal spaces are kind of these transitional places where usually it would be somewhere that’s filled of people going from point A to point B when a place that usually is filled with people is now completely empty — that gives it that eerie feeling because you never usually are used to seeing it completely abandoned like that. So if you got trapped there, it just brings out this strange feeling in you, I think. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Liminal spaces are kind of these transitional places where usually it would be somewhere that’s filled of people going from point A to point B when a place that usually is filled with people is now completely empty — that gives it that eerie feeling because you never usually are used to seeing it completely abandoned like that. So if you got trapped there, it just brings out this strange feeling in you, I think. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Halle is the real girl in the video. And don’t worry, she did not get stuck in the portal despite what some internet conspiracy theorists might think. She’s always been fascinated by liminal horror — stories that take place in vacant, in-between spaces, like the internet lore that inspired the movie Backrooms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Halle is the real girl in the video. And don’t worry, she did not get stuck in the portal despite what some internet conspiracy theorists might think. She’s always been fascinated by liminal horror — stories that take place in vacant, in-between spaces, like the internet lore that inspired the movie Backrooms. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I grew up in a town that didn’t have a lot of people in it, and there’d be like these old shopping malls where no one would be around and all the stores are gone. And I always just loved the feeling of being in those spaces, like empty food courts. Me and my friends would just like to kind of hang out there. And I guess when I got into 3D modeling, it was a really fun way to get to build that feeling again by creating those spaces. And it’s something that’s really easy to accomplish in 3D and make it feel very real, very quickly because it’s just a lot of walls and lights and rooms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I grew up in a town that didn’t have a lot of people in it, and there’d be like these old shopping malls where no one would be around and all the stores are gone. And I always just loved the feeling of being in those spaces, like empty food courts. Me and my friends would just like to kind of hang out there. And I guess when I got into 3D modeling, it was a really fun way to get to build that feeling again by creating those spaces. And it’s something that’s really easy to accomplish in 3D and make it feel very real, very quickly because it’s just a lot of walls and lights and rooms. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And that video wasn’t filmed in 2001, but actually made in 2023. Hallie was inspired by found footage movies like The Blair Witch Project. She wanted to create something that felt like it was from the early 2000s, but using modern equipment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And that video wasn’t filmed in 2001, but actually made in 2023. Hallie was inspired by found footage movies like The Blair Witch Project. She wanted to create something that felt like it was from the early 2000s, but using modern equipment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I shot it completely by myself in my room and it was actually shot on a Sony camera on a tripod and then any of the handheld stuff is all fake. The mirror that she’s shooting into is fake and to create that infinite Walmart effect, I went to my local Walmart late at night when it feels like a liminal space and I was able to kind of scan all of the shelves and create these 3D models that I then brought into, like a software like Blender, and created this infinite world with it. And yeah, it’s shot in my real bedroom. I live with my grandparents, so this used to be my aunt’s room. And everything in it feels very of the time period that I was trying to make that video set in, so it worked out really well that way. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I shot it completely by myself in my room and it was actually shot on a Sony camera on a tripod and then any of the handheld stuff is all fake. The mirror that she’s shooting into is fake and to create that infinite Walmart effect, I went to my local Walmart late at night when it feels like a liminal space and I was able to kind of scan all of the shelves and create these 3D models that I then brought into, like a software like Blender, and created this infinite world with it. And yeah, it’s shot in my real bedroom. I live with my grandparents, so this used to be my aunt’s room. And everything in it feels very of the time period that I was trying to make that video set in, so it worked out really well that way. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The video got a lot of views when she first posted it, but didn’t really go viral until a year later, when other influencers reposted it, speculating about what really happened to the girl in the mirror. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The video got a lot of views when she first posted it, but didn’t really go viral until a year later, when other influencers reposted it, speculating about what really happened to the girl in the mirror. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Even one of my art school teachers had sent me a link on Facebook to like a conspiracy channel where he’d seen it and asking if it was me. And that video had maybe 3 million views and thousands of comments, people’s discourse about whether it was real. Having remembered seeing this video from when they were younger, like in the early 2000s, people had made up like memories of it. Like kind of that Mandela effect was happening where people had — had this memory of knowing this story of this girl who went missing years prior to when I posted the video. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Even one of my art school teachers had sent me a link on Facebook to like a conspiracy channel where he’d seen it and asking if it was me. And that video had maybe 3 million views and thousands of comments, people’s discourse about whether it was real. Having remembered seeing this video from when they were younger, like in the early 2000s, people had made up like memories of it. Like kind of that Mandela effect was happening where people had — had this memory of knowing this story of this girl who went missing years prior to when I posted the video. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So it was — it was just going all over the place online and I kind of started to go down a rabbit hole of Reddit posts about it and different names they were making up for the girl in the video. Like in one spot her name was Violet and the video was titled “Violet’s Playtime” or something strange like that. And then people were kind of using that name to discuss it in different forums. So just gets it away from you. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So it was — it was just going all over the place online and I kind of started to go down a rabbit hole of Reddit posts about it and different names they were making up for the girl in the video. Like in one spot her name was Violet and the video was titled “Violet’s Playtime” or something strange like that. And then people were kind of using that name to discuss it in different forums. So just gets it away from you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This year, Hallie posted a video explaining that she was the creator of the video and that none of it was real. Even then, the conspiracies continued to spread. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This year, Hallie posted a video explaining that she was the creator of the video and that none of it was real. Even then, the conspiracies continued to spread. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> When I made the video talking about how it was fake and I explained how I had made it and how viral it had went around the internet, but trying to claim that, in fact, it was me in my room by myself and I’m here and I am alive — a lot of people in those comments were saying, “The government made her do this,” or “She’s AI and this is a cover up — like this is the CIA cover up for this girl who’s still missing. She’s just — this is just a plant. This girl trying to pretend she’s the girl so they can keep hiding this conspiracy from us.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> When I made the video talking about how it was fake and I explained how I had made it and how viral it had went around the internet, but trying to claim that, in fact, it was me in my room by myself and I’m here and I am alive — a lot of people in those comments were saying, “The government made her do this,” or “She’s AI and this is a cover up — like this is the CIA cover up for this girl who’s still missing. She’s just — this is just a plant. This girl trying to pretend she’s the girl so they can keep hiding this conspiracy from us.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s wild how drastically the internet has changed since 2023. AI videos back then were nowhere near as convincing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s wild how drastically the internet has changed since 2023. AI videos back then were nowhere near as convincing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it would be a lot harder now with AI and even just the VFX work that was put into that. I don’t know if it would feel worth it anymore because of the way that people would just write it off. That video was definitely a labor of love for the technical challenges that I had to go through to make it look realistic and I think people now just won’t appreciate the craft that goes into something like that because they’ll just write it all off as AI. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it would be a lot harder now with AI and even just the VFX work that was put into that. I don’t know if it would feel worth it anymore because of the way that people would just write it off. That video was definitely a labor of love for the technical challenges that I had to go through to make it look realistic and I think people now just won’t appreciate the craft that goes into something like that because they’ll just write it all off as AI. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So, I don’t know if I’d ever do one quite in the same way. I think if I had a really good story that I wanted to tell, and it was more based on just a really horror story, I might try again. But in a way that was more of a fun technical challenge for me to make it convincing. And in today’s day and age. That’s no longer really a worthy challenge. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So, I don’t know if I’d ever do one quite in the same way. I think if I had a really good story that I wanted to tell, and it was more based on just a really horror story, I might try again. But in a way that was more of a fun technical challenge for me to make it convincing. And in today’s day and age. That’s no longer really a worthy challenge. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s so depressing. Have we killed creepypastas with AI? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s so depressing. Have we killed creepypastas with AI? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think creepypastes will live on, especially the more fictional stories that can’t be real things but that people really wish were real. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think creepypastes will live on, especially the more fictional stories that can’t be real things but that people really wish were real. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Hallie herself is still making creepy horror content, pushing herself with new technical challenges and VFX tools. But the story she put out into the world three years ago continues to spread and morph beyond what she ever created. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Hallie herself is still making creepy horror content, pushing herself with new technical challenges and VFX tools. But the story she put out into the world three years ago continues to spread and morph beyond what she ever created. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> It is essentially a creepypasta now, and the creepypasta might be well known by people, but it’s never going to really come back to me, which I kind of appreciate. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> It is essentially a creepypasta now, and the creepypasta might be well known by people, but it’s never going to really come back to me, which I kind of appreciate. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> If, during the witching hour, you place two mirrors facing each other, you might open a ghostly passage. Legend has it that, if you look long enough, the infinite reflections will dissolve into all sorts of in-between places — sprawling underground train stations, sterile hospital waiting rooms, school hallways lined with pristine lockers. They will almost always be eerily empty, as if time comes to a standstill there. And sometimes, you might catch a glimpse of a cavernous, eternal supermarket — and the pink-haired teenager doomed to wander its empty aisles. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> If, during the witching hour, you place two mirrors facing each other, you might open a ghostly passage. Legend has it that, if you look long enough, the infinite reflections will dissolve into all sorts of in-between places — sprawling underground train stations, sterile hospital waiting rooms, school hallways lined with pristine lockers. They will almost always be eerily empty, as if time comes to a standstill there. And sometimes, you might catch a glimpse of a cavernous, eternal supermarket — and the pink-haired teenager doomed to wander its empty aisles. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That story was brought to us by producer Maya Cueva. Unsettled yet? Well, we’re just getting started. The next internet scary story we have for you is actually the one that started it all. It’s known as the very first creepypasta, dating back to 2001. This tale comes from our very own senior editor, Chris Egusa. You might wanna turn on the lights for this one. Okay, let’s open a new tab. Who is Ted the Caver? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That story was brought to us by producer Maya Cueva. Unsettled yet? Well, we’re just getting started. The next internet scary story we have for you is actually the one that started it all. It’s known as the very first creepypasta, dating back to 2001. This tale comes from our very own senior editor, Chris Egusa. You might wanna turn on the lights for this one. Okay, let’s open a new tab. Who is Ted the Caver? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> In early 2001, a series of posts started appearing on an obscure Angelfire website, a site-building platform from the early internet. The page was bare bones. Basic HTML, a black background, and at the top, a salmon-colored title: “Welcome to the Page of Ted.” The posts were journal entries. The author? Anonymous, except for that first name: Ted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> In early 2001, a series of posts started appearing on an obscure Angelfire website, a site-building platform from the early internet. The page was bare bones. Basic HTML, a black background, and at the top, a salmon-colored title: “Welcome to the Page of Ted.” The posts were journal entries. The author? Anonymous, except for that first name: Ted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the course of a few months, Ted posted a detailed account of a series of caving trips he took with a friend he identified only as “B,” to explore a previously unentered passage in a spot they called “Mystery Cave.” According to the first entry, the pair had found a hole in the rock wall deep inside the cave. It was only four to five inches across, but they knew it had to lead somewhere because of a steady stream of air that blew through it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the course of a few months, Ted posted a detailed account of a series of caving trips he took with a friend he identified only as “B,” to explore a previously unentered passage in a spot they called “Mystery Cave.” According to the first entry, the pair had found a hole in the rock wall deep inside the cave. It was only four to five inches across, but they knew it had to lead somewhere because of a steady stream of air that blew through it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The first journal entry included a link to a grainy photo of the hole. It was uneven in shape, and the rock it went through looked several inches thick. There was a glove tucked inside the hole for scale. The entry went on. Peeking through the hole with a mini maglite, they could see a tight tunnel that opened up after a few feet. They could feel the air blowing past, and they could hear something else: a low rumbling that came and went. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The first journal entry included a link to a grainy photo of the hole. It was uneven in shape, and the rock it went through looked several inches thick. There was a glove tucked inside the hole for scale. The entry went on. Peeking through the hole with a mini maglite, they could see a tight tunnel that opened up after a few feet. They could feel the air blowing past, and they could hear something else: a low rumbling that came and went. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ted and B brushed aside the strange details. They were too excited at the prospect of finding their way into a completely unexplored passage. So they made a plan: come back with hand tools and a cordless drill, break up the solid rock, and widen the hole until it was big enough to squeeze through. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ted and B brushed aside the strange details. They were too excited at the prospect of finding their way into a completely unexplored passage. So they made a plan: come back with hand tools and a cordless drill, break up the solid rock, and widen the hole until it was big enough to squeeze through. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ted named the passage Floyd’s Tomb, as a nod to Floyd Collins — an early 20th century cave explorer who got trapped and died as he attempted to enlarge a small tunnel in a cave system in Kentucky. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ted named the passage Floyd’s Tomb, as a nod to Floyd Collins — an early 20th century cave explorer who got trapped and died as he attempted to enlarge a small tunnel in a cave system in Kentucky. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every few weeks through early 2001, a new post would appear on the website. They detailed the slow, grueling work of drilling and chiseling through rock until the batteries on their lights and tools ran out. Since the cave was a good distance from where they lived, Ted and B would stay at a nearby motel, recharge their batteries and bodies, and continue working the next day before heading home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Every few weeks through early 2001, a new post would appear on the website. They detailed the slow, grueling work of drilling and chiseling through rock until the batteries on their lights and tools ran out. Since the cave was a good distance from where they lived, Ted and B would stay at a nearby motel, recharge their batteries and bodies, and continue working the next day before heading home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Occasionally, Ted would mention some odd detail. Something unsettling. In one post, he described the wind as getting louder, a howl at that point. The rumbling had become more frequent, and he noted that it seemed to be emanating from deeper in the cave. Then he’d move on, refocusing on the task at hand. Each post linked more photos, documenting the progression of the hole. And as the entries went on, the details got stranger. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Occasionally, Ted would mention some odd detail. Something unsettling. In one post, he described the wind as getting louder, a howl at that point. The rumbling had become more frequent, and he noted that it seemed to be emanating from deeper in the cave. Then he’d move on, refocusing on the task at hand. Each post linked more photos, documenting the progression of the hole. And as the entries went on, the details got stranger. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a trip in February, they brought B’s Jack Russell Terrier into the cave. Typically excitable and enthusiastic, she became edgy and began to whimper as she approached the hole. Her hair stood on end and she refused to get any closer. Later that same trip, B heard a scratching, grinding sound coming from inside the hole. When he got Ted’s attention to listen, it stopped. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a trip in February, they brought B’s Jack Russell Terrier into the cave. Typically excitable and enthusiastic, she became edgy and began to whimper as she approached the hole. Her hair stood on end and she refused to get any closer. Later that same trip, B heard a scratching, grinding sound coming from inside the hole. When he got Ted’s attention to listen, it stopped. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On another trip in early March, Ted was kneeling at the wall, drilling — ear plugs in and safety glasses on. Over the noise of the drill, he heard a high-pitched sound. He pulled his earplug out just in time to hear an ear-piercing scream coming from inside the hole, echoing through the darkness. In his journal, he described it as a cross between a man screaming in fear and a cougar screaming in pain. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On another trip in early March, Ted was kneeling at the wall, drilling — ear plugs in and safety glasses on. Over the noise of the drill, he heard a high-pitched sound. He pulled his earplug out just in time to hear an ear-piercing scream coming from inside the hole, echoing through the darkness. In his journal, he described it as a cross between a man screaming in fear and a cougar screaming in pain. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The next day, the two couldn’t stop thinking about the sound. But they rationalized it as some kind of animal and decided to continue on, focused on getting to the other side. They’d come too far to give up. In the next entry, Ted explained that they’d widened the hole enough to squeeze through. It was so tight that Ted had to turn his head to the side and wedge himself in with his arms pinned at his sides. As he went further, he could feel the rock pressing into his back. The only way forward was to exhale all of his breath and push with his feet. So that’s what he did. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The next day, the two couldn’t stop thinking about the sound. But they rationalized it as some kind of animal and decided to continue on, focused on getting to the other side. They’d come too far to give up. In the next entry, Ted explained that they’d widened the hole enough to squeeze through. It was so tight that Ted had to turn his head to the side and wedge himself in with his arms pinned at his sides. As he went further, he could feel the rock pressing into his back. The only way forward was to exhale all of his breath and push with his feet. So that’s what he did. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exhale. Scoot an inch or two. Breathe in shallowly. Exhale again. Scoot further. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exhale. Scoot an inch or two. Breathe in shallowly. Exhale again. Scoot further. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The photo linked in that entry showed Ted wedged into the crevice wearing a black bandana, head cocked to the right. The flash lit up jagged rocks littering the floor beneath him. Then the passage began to open up. Ted was able to crawl forward, emerging for the first time into the untouched cavern. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The photo linked in that entry showed Ted wedged into the crevice wearing a black bandana, head cocked to the right. The flash lit up jagged rocks littering the floor beneath him. Then the passage began to open up. Ted was able to crawl forward, emerging for the first time into the untouched cavern. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The entries kept coming. And, without spoiling the rest of the story, things escalated from there. Ted found strange hieroglyphic markings on the cave wall, an unnaturally round rock that seemed to be moving on its own. A smell he described as damp, rotting, rancid, putrid, death, drifting up from deeper in the cave. Then, in the deepest section of the tunnel, he encountered something. Something that seemed to follow him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The entries kept coming. And, without spoiling the rest of the story, things escalated from there. Ted found strange hieroglyphic markings on the cave wall, an unnaturally round rock that seemed to be moving on its own. A smell he described as damp, rotting, rancid, putrid, death, drifting up from deeper in the cave. Then, in the deepest section of the tunnel, he encountered something. Something that seemed to follow him. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The last entry on the site was from Ted, writing the morning of his final trip into the cave. By then, he was badly shaken and suffering from lucid nightmares. He was determined to figure out what was going on, once and for all. And then, the entries stopped. Even years later, nothing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The last entry on the site was from Ted, writing the morning of his final trip into the cave. By then, he was badly shaken and suffering from lucid nightmares. He was determined to figure out what was going on, once and for all. And then, the entries stopped. Even years later, nothing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the Angelfire site stayed up, preserving Ted’s story. The collection of entries — nine in total, clocking in at over 25,000 words — is now known as Ted the Caver, and many consider it to be the very first creepypasta. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the Angelfire site stayed up, preserving Ted’s story. The collection of entries — nine in total, clocking in at over 25,000 words — is now known as Ted the Caver, and many consider it to be the very first creepypasta. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> At the time when I first read it, there was nothing like it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> At the time when I first read it, there was nothing like it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig Groshek is a horror author who runs Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, a company and YouTube channel devoted to creepypasta, along with several podcasts. He first came across Ted the Caver in high school. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig Groshek is a horror author who runs Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, a company and YouTube channel devoted to creepypasta, along with several podcasts. He first came across Ted the Caver in high school. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> You’re just surfing the internet and all of a sudden you come across this poor guy, you know, getting trapped with unspeakable horrors in the underground. And the story very much leaves you feeling that you don’t know what happened to him. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> You’re just surfing the internet and all of a sudden you come across this poor guy, you know, getting trapped with unspeakable horrors in the underground. And the story very much leaves you feeling that you don’t know what happened to him. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> At the center of a lot of the online discussion was one question — was it real? The story had all these supernatural elements, but it also felt believable. The gear, the technical descriptions of caving, the photos. It read like a real caving journal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> At the center of a lot of the online discussion was one question — was it real? The story had all these supernatural elements, but it also felt believable. The gear, the technical descriptions of caving, the photos. It read like a real caving journal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> Just when you thought there’s a chance that this was baloney, he threw up a photo. Critical thinking aside, that inclusion of photos drew you right back in, and it made everything that came after it even scarier. And of course we were experiencing this in real time. If you were there when it happened, this wasn’t a story you picked up years later. This was a man this was actually happening to, and you couldn’t do anything about it. It was like watching someone sleepwalk into traffic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> Just when you thought there’s a chance that this was baloney, he threw up a photo. Critical thinking aside, that inclusion of photos drew you right back in, and it made everything that came after it even scarier. And of course we were experiencing this in real time. If you were there when it happened, this wasn’t a story you picked up years later. This was a man this was actually happening to, and you couldn’t do anything about it. It was like watching someone sleepwalk into traffic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But you couldn’t ask Ted. For years, no one could confirm who he was, or whether his name was even Ted. Authorship of the story was disputed, with several people taking credit. Eventually, the real Ted emerged and began posting intermittently on some online forums. In 2015, Craig decided to track him down in person. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But you couldn’t ask Ted. For years, no one could confirm who he was, or whether his name was even Ted. Authorship of the story was disputed, with several people taking credit. Eventually, the real Ted emerged and began posting intermittently on some online forums. In 2015, Craig decided to track him down in person. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> All I had to go on was the original post and some forums on the internet where he had appeared. And the way I found him was via reverse image search. He used the same picture, I believe he was standing on train tracks, maybe with his dog, and it was the same pictures of him on every forum that he used. I tracked him down to a disc golf course. I had the guy at the country club there, because they have a golf course and a disc golf and I had them hand Ted my information on a cocktail napkin. And the next thing you know, Ted’s calling me. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> All I had to go on was the original post and some forums on the internet where he had appeared. And the way I found him was via reverse image search. He used the same picture, I believe he was standing on train tracks, maybe with his dog, and it was the same pictures of him on every forum that he used. I tracked him down to a disc golf course. I had the guy at the country club there, because they have a golf course and a disc golf and I had them hand Ted my information on a cocktail napkin. And the next thing you know, Ted’s calling me. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig commissioned Ted to write an original horror story for an anthology he was putting together. It was only the second horror story Ted had ever written. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig commissioned Ted to write an original horror story for an anthology he was putting together. It was only the second horror story Ted had ever written. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Hi, my name is Ted Hegemann. I am the author of the story that is now known as “Ted the Caver.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Hi, my name is Ted Hegemann. I am the author of the story that is now known as “Ted the Caver.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> His story about the terrors lurking in Mystery Cave was his first. Ted is now 62 and lives in Utah. These days, he spends his free time playing disc golf. It’s the latest in a string of obsessions. 25 years ago, he was obsessed with caving. And, as it turns out, a lot of the story is based on real experiences. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> His story about the terrors lurking in Mystery Cave was his first. Ted is now 62 and lives in Utah. These days, he spends his free time playing disc golf. It’s the latest in a string of obsessions. 25 years ago, he was obsessed with caving. And, as it turns out, a lot of the story is based on real experiences. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> So, my buddy, Brad and I — who is B in the story — we went out to this cave that’s right on the border of Utah and Nevada. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> So, my buddy, Brad and I — who is B in the story — we went out to this cave that’s right on the border of Utah and Nevada. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Ted and Brad really did open up an entrance to a new passage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Ted and Brad really did open up an entrance to a new passage. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It took us numerous trips, I think eight trips before I was able to get past the opening. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It took us numerous trips, I think eight trips before I was able to get past the opening. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The squeeze through Floyd’s tomb? Ted says it happened just how he wrote it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The squeeze through Floyd’s tomb? Ted says it happened just how he wrote it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was literally exhaling my lungs and scooting with my feet, with my arms down to my side to keep my shoulders down. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was literally exhaling my lungs and scooting with my feet, with my arms down to my side to keep my shoulders down. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Technically, he did the squeeze twice. By the second time, they had opened the passage up a little wider, and he was able to fit through with slightly more ease. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Technically, he did the squeeze twice. By the second time, they had opened the passage up a little wider, and he was able to fit through with slightly more ease. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was keeping a journal the entire time — a caving journal — as well as updating friends and family, you know, as to the progress. It was kind of a neat thing. And when we were done, I thought rather than telling everyone about it, I’ll just upload my journal on a — find a website — and put it up. And then I had the idea that it’d be kind of fun to embellish a little bit. And so that’s where the story came from. So much of it is just directly out of my caving journal. And then the creepy parts were invented, of course. But the idea didn’t come until after we had gone into the cave. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We knew about the hole because we would stop there, because the wind blew out and you generally worked up a little bit of a sweat getting to that point in the cave. So we would stop and just let the cool air cool us off. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We knew about the hole because we would stop there, because the wind blew out and you generally worked up a little bit of a sweat getting to that point in the cave. So we would stop and just let the cool air cool us off. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And the low rumbling. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We figured it was I-80 — just trucks or whatever — because it wasn’t constant. It was just every once in a while. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We figured it was I-80 — just trucks or whatever — because it wasn’t constant. It was just every once in a while. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And they really brought a Jack Russell terrier into the cave. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And they really brought a Jack Russell terrier into the cave. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Demon dog, oh my goodness, it nipped at me so many times. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Demon dog, oh my goodness, it nipped at me so many times. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But the part about it whimpering and refusing to go near the hole, that was embellished. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But the part about it whimpering and refusing to go near the hole, that was embellished. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It was having a good time running around exploring. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It was having a good time running around exploring. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> I asked Ted at what point the story became complete fiction. I’m thinking of — there’s the terrifying scream that you both hear. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> I asked Ted at what point the story became complete fiction. I’m thinking of — there’s the terrifying scream that you both hear. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> The scream. The grinding noise that we would hear inside, the smell when I went in there, and the round rock. There was no round rock, sadly. Oh, and the little hieroglyph thing that was in there. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> The scream. The grinding noise that we would hear inside, the smell when I went in there, and the round rock. There was no round rock, sadly. Oh, and the little hieroglyph thing that was in there. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> It took Ted almost a year to write the whole thing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> And at one point, I gave up on it. I thought, “Oh, this is dumb. Who’s going to want to read this?” But then I sucked it up and thought, “Yeah, at least finish it. And then who cares? You know, if nothing happens.” But yeah, little did I know. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> And at one point, I gave up on it. I thought, “Oh, this is dumb. Who’s going to want to read this?” But then I sucked it up and thought, “Yeah, at least finish it. And then who cares? You know, if nothing happens.” But yeah, little did I know. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> He posted it, one update at a time, through the spring of 2001, and he knew the story had attracted a decent readership. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> He posted it, one update at a time, through the spring of 2001, and he knew the story had attracted a decent readership. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I did have a hidden counter on there and got up into the tens of thousands of views. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I did have a hidden counter on there and got up into the tens of thousands of views. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The story simmered underground, making its way through different communities, but never going viral the way things might today. And then, a few years after he posted the story, someone sent him a link to a caving forum where it was being discussed. After that, he started digging around. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The story simmered underground, making its way through different communities, but never going viral the way things might today. And then, a few years after he posted the story, someone sent him a link to a caving forum where it was being discussed. After that, he started digging around. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> That was one of the cooler weekends of my life. I remember our internet was really slow. So I went to the library and I just kept searching and found all these forums where they’re talking about it. And it just blew me away. How many people liked it. So many people said it scared them to death in very colorful ways. It was just so fun to know that that people were reading it and enjoying it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> That was one of the cooler weekends of my life. I remember our internet was really slow. So I went to the library and I just kept searching and found all these forums where they’re talking about it. And it just blew me away. How many people liked it. So many people said it scared them to death in very colorful ways. It was just so fun to know that that people were reading it and enjoying it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> For Ted, who’s not even a big horror fan, the fact that this story he posted 25 years ago keeps coming up is a lasting source of enjoyment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> For Ted, who’s not even a big horror fan, the fact that this story he posted 25 years ago keeps coming up is a lasting source of enjoyment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I just discovered this like last year. I started Googling and I found all of these YouTube channels where they talk about the story. They’ll read it and then give their thoughts about it. And I mean, one of them had three million views. It just kind of blew me away. I think it’s just a blast. I love it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I just discovered this like last year. I started Googling and I found all of these YouTube channels where they talk about the story. They’ll read it and then give their thoughts about it. And I mean, one of them had three million views. It just kind of blew me away. I think it’s just a blast. I love it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> So is Ted the Caver the first creepypasta? As with most things on the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint. The term creepypasta itself came into use years later. And some people point to the genre’s similarities to chain emails from the 90s, which pre-date Ted’s story. But Craig Groshek says Ted the Caver certainly has a claim to the title. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> So is Ted the Caver the first creepypasta? As with most things on the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint. The term creepypasta itself came into use years later. And some people point to the genre’s similarities to chain emails from the 90s, which pre-date Ted’s story. But Craig Groshek says Ted the Caver certainly has a claim to the title. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> If you’re looking at the Mount Rushmore of creepypasta, of internet-based horror, Ted the Caver’s is definitely up there. In terms of storytelling — the immersion, the fact that you felt like this was a real person that may have actually disappeared, and for years that remained uncontested — you have to put it up there just for that. He was really a pioneer without realizing that’s what he was. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> If you’re looking at the Mount Rushmore of creepypasta, of internet-based horror, Ted the Caver’s is definitely up there. In terms of storytelling — the immersion, the fact that you felt like this was a real person that may have actually disappeared, and for years that remained uncontested — you have to put it up there just for that. He was really a pioneer without realizing that’s what he was. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> More widely known creepypastas like Slenderman and more recently Backrooms, which was turned into a Hollywood movie this year, all have their roots in Ted the Caver. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> More widely known creepypastas like Slenderman and more recently Backrooms, which was turned into a Hollywood movie this year, all have their roots in Ted the Caver. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> I think you can trace it to a lot of these things, but Backrooms being the most recent example. I don’t know that you can say these things wouldn’t have existed without Ted, but you can’t say that they would either. This entire genre started with a couple of people copying and pasting creepy stuff to try to get a rise out of somebody. And Ted absolutely leaned into that at the end. He knew there were people that thought he was dead and he didn’t even care. Thanks, Ted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> I think you can trace it to a lot of these things, but Backrooms being the most recent example. I don’t know that you can say these things wouldn’t have existed without Ted, but you can’t say that they would either. This entire genre started with a couple of people copying and pasting creepy stuff to try to get a rise out of somebody. And Ted absolutely leaned into that at the end. He knew there were people that thought he was dead and he didn’t even care. Thanks, Ted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> When Ted Hegemann posted his story on Angelfire, he could have never anticipated where it would go. It was adapted into a movie in 2008 called Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver. And as for Mystery Cave? It’s been officially mapped out now. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> When Ted Hegemann posted his story on Angelfire, he could have never anticipated where it would go. It was adapted into a movie in 2008 called Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver. And as for Mystery Cave? It’s been officially mapped out now. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It’s called “Interstate Cave” and thankfully they did call that passage “Floyd’s Tomb” so it’s official on the map now. And DeWalt’s Dig, it was the opening, because we were using DeWalt tools. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It’s called “Interstate Cave” and thankfully they did call that passage “Floyd’s Tomb” so it’s official on the map now. And DeWalt’s Dig, it was the opening, because we were using DeWalt tools. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig says that for all the ways storytelling has changed over the years with digital media, in some ways, it hasn’t changed at all. Instead of sitting around a physical campfire, we now sit around a digital one — on message boards, comment sections, and Discord chat rooms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig says that for all the ways storytelling has changed over the years with digital media, in some ways, it hasn’t changed at all. Instead of sitting around a physical campfire, we now sit around a digital one — on message boards, comment sections, and Discord chat rooms. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> It started with one man telling his story around what is essentially a digital campfire. And as time has gone on, more and more people have gathered around that fire. And 20 plus years later people are still telling that story and that is a testament to how believable it was, how well written it was how immersive it was and how well it tapped into a primal fear that a lot of people have — whether it’s of the unknown, of the dark or not knowing what you can’t see. And that’s why I think it has stood the test of time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> It started with one man telling his story around what is essentially a digital campfire. And as time has gone on, more and more people have gathered around that fire. And 20 plus years later people are still telling that story and that is a testament to how believable it was, how well written it was how immersive it was and how well it tapped into a primal fear that a lot of people have — whether it’s of the unknown, of the dark or not knowing what you can’t see. And that’s why I think it has stood the test of time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That was senior editor Chris Egusa. One thing about me: You will never catch me caving. Ever. The idea of squeezing into an underground passage where you can get stuck or lost or run out of air sounds hellish enough. And there might be an entity down there? No, thank you! Between whatever’s in the caves and Slenderman lurking in the woods, it seems safer to just stay inside. But the monsters from creepypastas can get you even if you never log off. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That was senior editor Chris Egusa. One thing about me: You will never catch me caving. Ever. The idea of squeezing into an underground passage where you can get stuck or lost or run out of air sounds hellish enough. And there might be an entity down there? No, thank you! Between whatever’s in the caves and Slenderman lurking in the woods, it seems safer to just stay inside. But the monsters from creepypastas can get you even if you never log off. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After the break, we have a story about the creature haunting your screens. But first, we wanted to remind you that Close All Tabs depends on listeners like you to keep us going. To become a member and support the show, go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. Okay, when we’re back, what do you know about Momo? Stick around. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After the break, we have a story about the creature haunting your screens. But first, we wanted to remind you that Close All Tabs depends on listeners like you to keep us going. To become a member and support the show, go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. Okay, when we’re back, what do you know about Momo? Stick around. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Welcome back to the Close All Tabs special spooky story time. This next one is about an entity that I hate looking at, even as a full-grown adult. This creepypasta retelling comes from our very own intern, Lauren Yoon. Let’s open another new tab. The legend of Momo. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Welcome back to the Close All Tabs special spooky story time. This next one is about an entity that I hate looking at, even as a full-grown adult. This creepypasta retelling comes from our very own intern, Lauren Yoon. Let’s open another new tab. The legend of Momo. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> Picture a gaunt, paper-skinned woman with a protruding neck and bulging eyes. Her jet-black hair stringy to match a thousand-eye stare that could kill. She looks uncanny. The most important feature of the infamous viral image: she holds a smile that spans cheek-to-cheek in the shape of a “V.” Yep, that’s right. My internet urban legend is Momo. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> Picture a gaunt, paper-skinned woman with a protruding neck and bulging eyes. Her jet-black hair stringy to match a thousand-eye stare that could kill. She looks uncanny. The most important feature of the infamous viral image: she holds a smile that spans cheek-to-cheek in the shape of a “V.” Yep, that’s right. My internet urban legend is Momo. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Fandom:\u003c/strong> Do you want a surprise? Look in their eyes. I won’t lie, you’re going to die. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Fandom:\u003c/strong> Do you want a surprise? Look in their eyes. I won’t lie, you’re going to die. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> It’s 2019. Musical.ly had just become TikTok. Everyone was doing the woah, and Avengers: Endgame was in theaters. And Momo was threatening harm to all who came across her. I remember Momo being passed around between my friend group, joking she would haunt them while they slept or something. Here’s my friend, Sophia, talking about Momo. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> It’s 2019. Musical.ly had just become TikTok. Everyone was doing the woah, and Avengers: Endgame was in theaters. And Momo was threatening harm to all who came across her. I remember Momo being passed around between my friend group, joking she would haunt them while they slept or something. Here’s my friend, Sophia, talking about Momo. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sophia Bruno:\u003c/strong> I was very much afraid of it in the sense that I just thought it was a weird-looking picture that my friend introduced me to because I think she was like, “Oh Momo’s gonna get you” and I was like, “What is Momo?” And then she showed me. And my friends and I would mostly joke about it like, “Momo is gonna get you whatever” but in terms of the real-life stories I mean I believed them and I believed — I feel like there was a mysterious lore around it like it would just kind of you and like attach itself to you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sophia Bruno:\u003c/strong> I was very much afraid of it in the sense that I just thought it was a weird-looking picture that my friend introduced me to because I think she was like, “Oh Momo’s gonna get you” and I was like, “What is Momo?” And then she showed me. And my friends and I would mostly joke about it like, “Momo is gonna get you whatever” but in terms of the real-life stories I mean I believed them and I believed — I feel like there was a mysterious lore around it like it would just kind of you and like attach itself to you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> In reality, I also hated Momo. If I was joking about it with friends, it was mostly because laughter is the best defense mechanism against fear. What scared me the most were stories of Momo contacting you over the phone and telling you to do horrible things to yourself or others. It became known in mainstream media as “the Momo challenge.” The idea was that kids would challenge each other to make contact with Momo, sparking her wrath. She was even rumored to have reached kids’ videos on YouTube, where her face would pop up out of nowhere during an episode of Peppa Pig. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> In reality, I also hated Momo. If I was joking about it with friends, it was mostly because laughter is the best defense mechanism against fear. What scared me the most were stories of Momo contacting you over the phone and telling you to do horrible things to yourself or others. It became known in mainstream media as “the Momo challenge.” The idea was that kids would challenge each other to make contact with Momo, sparking her wrath. She was even rumored to have reached kids’ videos on YouTube, where her face would pop up out of nowhere during an episode of Peppa Pig. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rumors caused a media frenzy, and Momo became a sensationalized, quote, danger to children. The Post, The Today Show, and a bunch of other news outlets around the world warned concerned parents about the internet legend. They encouraged parents to put restrictions on social media and YouTube for their kids — something parents should probably be doing anyway — without evidence that the Momo challenge was real. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rumors caused a media frenzy, and Momo became a sensationalized, quote, danger to children. The Post, The Today Show, and a bunch of other news outlets around the world warned concerned parents about the internet legend. They encouraged parents to put restrictions on social media and YouTube for their kids — something parents should probably be doing anyway — without evidence that the Momo challenge was real. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Surprise! It wasn’t. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Surprise! It wasn’t. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There has been no evidence to show that Momo or anyone posing as the character actually contacted people, let alone children. YouTube denied any claims of Momo popping up in the middle of their videos, too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There has been no evidence to show that Momo or anyone posing as the character actually contacted people, let alone children. YouTube denied any claims of Momo popping up in the middle of their videos, too. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So where did Momo even come from? Well, she’s a picture of a sculpture called “Mother Bird,” created by Japanese artist Keisuke Aiso. If we zoom out of their original picture, you can clearly see the figure, propped up on a stand in an art gallery. The face we all know and…hate? Attached to a human chest with two huge bird legs. Keisuke based her off of this Japanese folklore called “Ubume,” a version of which translates to “child-snatching bird.” Makes sense. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So where did Momo even come from? Well, she’s a picture of a sculpture called “Mother Bird,” created by Japanese artist Keisuke Aiso. If we zoom out of their original picture, you can clearly see the figure, propped up on a stand in an art gallery. The face we all know and…hate? Attached to a human chest with two huge bird legs. Keisuke based her off of this Japanese folklore called “Ubume,” a version of which translates to “child-snatching bird.” Makes sense. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The image first spread on a Chinese social dating app called Momo, and that’s how the Momo we know today was born. So how did she spread so fast? And so far? I mean, a police station in Northern Ireland issued a statement and Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram, both figures warning parents about this dangerous, quote, challenge. My friend Rena has a theory that this all happened because the internet was a little newer to us at the time. AI wasn’t generating images like they are today, so we took a lot of things at face value. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The image first spread on a Chinese social dating app called Momo, and that’s how the Momo we know today was born. So how did she spread so fast? And so far? I mean, a police station in Northern Ireland issued a statement and Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram, both figures warning parents about this dangerous, quote, challenge. My friend Rena has a theory that this all happened because the internet was a little newer to us at the time. AI wasn’t generating images like they are today, so we took a lot of things at face value. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rena Lee:\u003c/strong> So we didn’t have this backpedaling of, “Is this AI, is this real?” A lot of information and media that we were fed at the time, it was easier to believe, “Oh my God, this looks so realistic. This has to be a real picture.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rena Lee:\u003c/strong> So we didn’t have this backpedaling of, “Is this AI, is this real?” A lot of information and media that we were fed at the time, it was easier to believe, “Oh my God, this looks so realistic. This has to be a real picture.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> I personally think it’s a combination of this naivete, plus the misinformation being spread by major national news outlets. The public sphere unfortunately feeds off of fear — talk about the horror of it all, right? — and Momo was the scapegoat for millennials and boomers concerned about what new dangers the internet proposed for their children. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> I personally think it’s a combination of this naivete, plus the misinformation being spread by major national news outlets. The public sphere unfortunately feeds off of fear — talk about the horror of it all, right? — and Momo was the scapegoat for millennials and boomers concerned about what new dangers the internet proposed for their children. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keisuke destroyed the original sculpture not too long after it was created because it started rotting. It was made of materials that weren’t meant to last long. The only part of the sculpture remaining is its eyeball. Here is an excerpt of Keisuke’s interview with The Sun from 2019. He’s speaking through a translator. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Keisuke destroyed the original sculpture not too long after it was created because it started rotting. It was made of materials that weren’t meant to last long. The only part of the sculpture remaining is its eyeball. Here is an excerpt of Keisuke’s interview with The Sun from 2019. He’s speaking through a translator. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from The Sun:\u003c/strong> I got rid of Momo, so it is no longer here with me. I believe it no longer exists in this world. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from The Sun:\u003c/strong> I got rid of Momo, so it is no longer here with me. I believe it no longer exists in this world. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> He was pretty horrified by the way his art became so misunderstood and taken out of context. I wonder if people today would be as scared as they were five, six years ago when we weren’t burdened with the constant doubt that comes with the images we see online today. The landscape of internet paranoia has changed, and so I wonder if the Momo challenge could be recreated in this day and age. I even miss the mystery she brought to my life, something that has slowly dissipated as I trust the internet less and less. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> He was pretty horrified by the way his art became so misunderstood and taken out of context. I wonder if people today would be as scared as they were five, six years ago when we weren’t burdened with the constant doubt that comes with the images we see online today. The landscape of internet paranoia has changed, and so I wonder if the Momo challenge could be recreated in this day and age. I even miss the mystery she brought to my life, something that has slowly dissipated as I trust the internet less and less. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Momo may have been a hoax, but her impact was real. The image of her bulging eyes and wide smile is still burned into the back of my skull. And when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, and I open my eyes to the dark corner of my room, she’s the figure I imagine standing there…waiting for my eyes to close again. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Momo may have been a hoax, but her impact was real. The image of her bulging eyes and wide smile is still burned into the back of my skull. And when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, and I open my eyes to the dark corner of my room, she’s the figure I imagine standing there…waiting for my eyes to close again. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That story was brought to you by our intern, Lauren Yoon. We’ll have more on Momo in our further reading, but before you hit that link, consider this your jumpscare warning. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That story was brought to you by our intern, Lauren Yoon. We’ll have more on Momo in our further reading, but before you hit that link, consider this your jumpscare warning. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anyway, I have one more story for you. It starts with an eBay listing for an antique wine cabinet with strict warnings to never open it, lest you unleash misfortune upon anyone who comes in contact with the box. But the real horror story here is disappointingly mundane. Let’s open one last tab. The haunted doll scam market. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Anyway, I have one more story for you. It starts with an eBay listing for an antique wine cabinet with strict warnings to never open it, lest you unleash misfortune upon anyone who comes in contact with the box. But the real horror story here is disappointingly mundane. Let’s open one last tab. The haunted doll scam market. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the most infamous haunted objects was actually sold on eBay. In 2003, Kevin Mannis listed an antique wine cabinet with an unusually detailed description. He had picked it up at an estate sale, and the woman who sold it to him said it belonged to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. Her grandmother had been insistent that her family never, ever open the box. She said it contained a spirit called a dybbuk. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of the most infamous haunted objects was actually sold on eBay. In 2003, Kevin Mannis listed an antique wine cabinet with an unusually detailed description. He had picked it up at an estate sale, and the woman who sold it to him said it belonged to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. Her grandmother had been insistent that her family never, ever open the box. She said it contained a spirit called a dybbuk. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Did Kevin heed the warning? No. He brought it back to his workshop and opened it right up — ignoring the creepy locks of hair and carved Hebrew prayers inside. A series of tragedies followed. His mother had a stroke when she opened the box. His siblings complained of terrifying nightmares. Someone who knocked the box off a shelf died by suicide the same day. Kevin himself started having visions of a demonic old woman with sunken eyes. He recounted the story in his eBay listing, which ended with, “Help me.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Did Kevin heed the warning? No. He brought it back to his workshop and opened it right up — ignoring the creepy locks of hair and carved Hebrew prayers inside. A series of tragedies followed. His mother had a stroke when she opened the box. His siblings complained of terrifying nightmares. Someone who knocked the box off a shelf died by suicide the same day. Kevin himself started having visions of a demonic old woman with sunken eyes. He recounted the story in his eBay listing, which ended with, “Help me.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The box was bought and resold several times over the next decade. Owners complained of hair falling out in clumps, bleeding from the eyes, waking up choking, and dreams of the creepy old woman. The box finally found a permanent home in a museum for haunted objects, sealed behind layers of protective glass. It even inspired the 2012 movie, The Possession. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The box was bought and resold several times over the next decade. Owners complained of hair falling out in clumps, bleeding from the eyes, waking up choking, and dreams of the creepy old woman. The box finally found a permanent home in a museum for haunted objects, sealed behind layers of protective glass. It even inspired the 2012 movie, The Possession. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And then, five years ago, Kevin admitted that it was all fake. He made up everything in the original listing. There are no dybbuk boxes in Jewish folklore. The malicious spirits attached to people, not objects. The people who bought the box after Kevin sold it maintained that their hauntings really happened. But as far as Kevin was concerned, the whole eBay thing was a creative writing exercise that spiraled out of control. But today, haunted objects are a hot commodity. And one object, in particular, has become incredibly popular in the secondhand haunted market: dolls. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And then, five years ago, Kevin admitted that it was all fake. He made up everything in the original listing. There are no dybbuk boxes in Jewish folklore. The malicious spirits attached to people, not objects. The people who bought the box after Kevin sold it maintained that their hauntings really happened. But as far as Kevin was concerned, the whole eBay thing was a creative writing exercise that spiraled out of control. But today, haunted objects are a hot commodity. And one object, in particular, has become incredibly popular in the secondhand haunted market: dolls. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> EBay, Etsy, they’re all over the place. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> EBay, Etsy, they’re all over the place. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Taylor, a TikTok creator and YouTuber, also known as Paranormal Teej. She’s a paranormal investigator and haunted doll caretaker. She called me from a room packed with dolls. Can you describe the room you’re in? Like what’s around you? What are the stories behind all that? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Taylor, a TikTok creator and YouTuber, also known as Paranormal Teej. She’s a paranormal investigator and haunted doll caretaker. She called me from a room packed with dolls. Can you describe the room you’re in? Like what’s around you? What are the stories behind all that? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yes. So in this room, we have about 120 haunted dolls. They come from all around the world. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yes. So in this room, we have about 120 haunted dolls. They come from all around the world. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor keeps them lined up on shelves. Some are porcelain collector’s dolls, dressed in frilly skirts. Others are soft rag dolls, clearly pre-loved by some young child. And while we talked, I swear I could feel them gazing back at me through the screen. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor keeps them lined up on shelves. Some are porcelain collector’s dolls, dressed in frilly skirts. Others are soft rag dolls, clearly pre-loved by some young child. And while we talked, I swear I could feel them gazing back at me through the screen. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They keep me on my toes. I work with a lot of, like, trickster spirits. I am very interested in working with, like, spirits with kind of wacky, wild personalities. They are a riot. We adore them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They keep me on my toes. I work with a lot of, like, trickster spirits. I am very interested in working with, like, spirits with kind of wacky, wild personalities. They are a riot. We adore them. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She introduced me to a few of them. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She introduced me to a few of them. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So first one I’m going to point out is Jeremiah. If I don’t point him out to you, he will mess with our recordings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So first one I’m going to point out is Jeremiah. If I don’t point him out to you, he will mess with our recordings. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Jeremiah is this big soft bear, wearing a striped t-shirt. His plush legs dangle off the shelf, like a little kid’s would. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Jeremiah is this big soft bear, wearing a striped t-shirt. His plush legs dangle off the shelf, like a little kid’s would. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> He is a six and a half year old little boy. The half is very important to him. Six is not acceptable. He moves, he moves things, um, especially lollipops. That’s, like, kind of his gig. He loves green things. Um, everything he wants has to be green. So he has moved like lollie pops around our house, threw them down the stairs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> He is a six and a half year old little boy. The half is very important to him. Six is not acceptable. He moves, he moves things, um, especially lollipops. That’s, like, kind of his gig. He loves green things. Um, everything he wants has to be green. So he has moved like lollie pops around our house, threw them down the stairs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed out another doll. She has a cherubic face and stark black pigtails, and she’s besties with Jeremiah. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed out another doll. She has a cherubic face and stark black pigtails, and she’s besties with Jeremiah. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So Hoshiko is five. She’s from Japan. She’ll cause you to have, like, visions like in mirrors and things and she’ll like pop up. So I get the Samara from The Ring in the mirror trick every once in a while. Then she thinks it’s so funny because she likes, like, the reaction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So Hoshiko is five. She’s from Japan. She’ll cause you to have, like, visions like in mirrors and things and she’ll like pop up. So I get the Samara from The Ring in the mirror trick every once in a while. Then she thinks it’s so funny because she likes, like, the reaction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And lastly, Taylor points out Ciel. He’s in a black, pointed hat. Like a little witch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And lastly, Taylor points out Ciel. He’s in a black, pointed hat. Like a little witch. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And he is very wise, very gifted. He has given me dreams about things happening a year before they happen and then they come true. And he’s just kind of, he’s my guy. So yeah, those are my, my buddies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And he is very wise, very gifted. He has given me dreams about things happening a year before they happen and then they come true. And he’s just kind of, he’s my guy. So yeah, those are my, my buddies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> You may be skeptical of all this — but there were a couple of inexplicable incidents in the calls I had with Taylor. At some points, the entire video platform that we used flickered — not someone’s webcam, but the whole site. After the interview, our producer, Maya, said she heard low growling coming from Taylor’s side. When Taylor talked about her doll’s antics, I thought I heard faint giggling in the background. And there were chunks of our interview that our transcription software could not figure out. Instead, it spat out a jumble of German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Danish, Korean, and a splash of Telugu. Was that Jeremiah messing with us? Although Maya and I were a little freaked out, Taylor seemed unfazed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> You may be skeptical of all this — but there were a couple of inexplicable incidents in the calls I had with Taylor. At some points, the entire video platform that we used flickered — not someone’s webcam, but the whole site. After the interview, our producer, Maya, said she heard low growling coming from Taylor’s side. When Taylor talked about her doll’s antics, I thought I heard faint giggling in the background. And there were chunks of our interview that our transcription software could not figure out. Instead, it spat out a jumble of German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Danish, Korean, and a splash of Telugu. Was that Jeremiah messing with us? Although Maya and I were a little freaked out, Taylor seemed unfazed. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Everybody asks, like, “How are you safe living in a house with 120 haunted dolls? How are, how were you safe?” And the honest answer is like, they, they respect me because I respect them. I’m just nice to them. Like that’s really all it takes is just like basic kindness. Um, and I think that makes the paranormal a lot less scary when you realize that. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Everybody asks, like, “How are you safe living in a house with 120 haunted dolls? How are, how were you safe?” And the honest answer is like, they, they respect me because I respect them. I’m just nice to them. Like that’s really all it takes is just like basic kindness. Um, and I think that makes the paranormal a lot less scary when you realize that. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Ghosts and the paranormal have been part of Taylor’s life for as long as she could remember. Her mother is a professional psychic. Her aunt is a paranormal investigator. Her grandmother would pull out the Ouija board whenever Taylor stayed over. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Ghosts and the paranormal have been part of Taylor’s life for as long as she could remember. Her mother is a professional psychic. Her aunt is a paranormal investigator. Her grandmother would pull out the Ouija board whenever Taylor stayed over. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> My whole dad’s side of the family, even the ones who don’t want to or want anything to do with the paranormal, see ghosts for whatever reason. And so I just, I kind of grew up in this environment where, like, ghosts aren’t scary. They’re just like a thing, you know, like it’s just a fact of life, kind of attitude about it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> My whole dad’s side of the family, even the ones who don’t want to or want anything to do with the paranormal, see ghosts for whatever reason. And so I just, I kind of grew up in this environment where, like, ghosts aren’t scary. They’re just like a thing, you know, like it’s just a fact of life, kind of attitude about it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor and her husband bonded over the paranormal and fell in love with doll collecting together. They consider themselves spirit keepers — almost like afterlife caretakers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor and her husband bonded over the paranormal and fell in love with doll collecting together. They consider themselves spirit keepers — almost like afterlife caretakers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Some spirits legitimately did own their vessel when they were alive. They were attached to it in life and they’re still attached to, you know, like we have spirits whose vessel was like their comfort item as a kid kind of thing. I do have cases where it was like a spirit who was haunting a location and like the location was getting torn down and they were scared because they didn’t know what would happen to them if the location disappeared. They didn’t know if they would disappear, too. So they kind of found a different way out of necessity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Some spirits legitimately did own their vessel when they were alive. They were attached to it in life and they’re still attached to, you know, like we have spirits whose vessel was like their comfort item as a kid kind of thing. I do have cases where it was like a spirit who was haunting a location and like the location was getting torn down and they were scared because they didn’t know what would happen to them if the location disappeared. They didn’t know if they would disappear, too. So they kind of found a different way out of necessity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Actually confirming a haunting can take months. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Actually confirming a haunting can take months. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> A lot of spirits will be very quiet and you will have no activity and then six months in at random, they’ll just kind of like pop off and because they’re comfortable with you now. The paranormal field is not a science, right? We don’t have a textbook that says, “This is how you investigate an object. This is how you investigate a location.” And so for us, what our method looks like — because that evidence component is really important to me — I do not feel comfortable saying something is haunted unless I know 100%. If I am 99% sure, I won’t even say, “Yes.” I have to be 100% sure. The other thing about paranormal activity is it’s not predictable. There is zero predictability. You can’t say turn the lights off and they turn the lights off. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> A lot of spirits will be very quiet and you will have no activity and then six months in at random, they’ll just kind of like pop off and because they’re comfortable with you now. The paranormal field is not a science, right? We don’t have a textbook that says, “This is how you investigate an object. This is how you investigate a location.” And so for us, what our method looks like — because that evidence component is really important to me — I do not feel comfortable saying something is haunted unless I know 100%. If I am 99% sure, I won’t even say, “Yes.” I have to be 100% sure. The other thing about paranormal activity is it’s not predictable. There is zero predictability. You can’t say turn the lights off and they turn the lights off. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So to investigate whether a doll is haunted, Taylor first considers what she calls “subjective observations.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So to investigate whether a doll is haunted, Taylor first considers what she calls “subjective observations.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Anything from, I saw that doll move to — I saw a ghost in my house to — I heard footsteps or I got a dream from — about this doll, but for me subjective reports are not enough for me to confirm something is haunted because the brain does crazy things. When people are scared and they are around something that they’re suspecting, the brain can do really crazy things to, you know, trick us. You have things like pareidolia, which is, we see faces in things. And so, people can take that as paranormal, but it’s really just your brain playing tricks on you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Anything from, I saw that doll move to — I saw a ghost in my house to — I heard footsteps or I got a dream from — about this doll, but for me subjective reports are not enough for me to confirm something is haunted because the brain does crazy things. When people are scared and they are around something that they’re suspecting, the brain can do really crazy things to, you know, trick us. You have things like pareidolia, which is, we see faces in things. And so, people can take that as paranormal, but it’s really just your brain playing tricks on you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So she tries to collect data: fluctuations in air temperature and air pressure, whether motion sensors are activated, and audio and video recordings. She looks for anomalies that she can document and compare against a control. And lastly, Taylor tries to make contact with whatever might be haunting the doll. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So she tries to collect data: fluctuations in air temperature and air pressure, whether motion sensors are activated, and audio and video recordings. She looks for anomalies that she can document and compare against a control. And lastly, Taylor tries to make contact with whatever might be haunting the doll. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So everybody communicates with spirit slightly differently. For me, the way that works best for me personally is a spirit box. What a spirit box is, is essentially, it is an intentionally broken radio, okay? So basically it rapidly sweeps through radio stations and they can manipulate the radio signals to be able to communicate with you. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So everybody communicates with spirit slightly differently. For me, the way that works best for me personally is a spirit box. What a spirit box is, is essentially, it is an intentionally broken radio, okay? So basically it rapidly sweeps through radio stations and they can manipulate the radio signals to be able to communicate with you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She often posts spirit box sessions with her dolls. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She often posts spirit box sessions with her dolls. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So that’s something you’re still trying to understand about 2026? The men awful. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clip from Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So that’s something you’re still trying to understand about 2026? The men awful. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did you hear, “The men awful?” Or did you hear a jumble of static? Skeptics say the audio fragments that are picked up by spirit boxes are random and that it’s confirmation bias and pareidolia that leads investigators to find meaning in the sounds. Taylor, however, says it’s more reliable than other methods. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did you hear, “The men awful?” Or did you hear a jumble of static? Skeptics say the audio fragments that are picked up by spirit boxes are random and that it’s confirmation bias and pareidolia that leads investigators to find meaning in the sounds. Taylor, however, says it’s more reliable than other methods. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> There are other tools like Pendulum and Ouija Board, for example, and those things your hands are involved. And for me, like my hands being involved in something, it doesn’t feel like quite as valid of evidence to me. So I really like Spirit Box because my hands are not involved in that. I can’t control what comes out of that box. I have no involvement in that so I like the personal removal from it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> There are other tools like Pendulum and Ouija Board, for example, and those things your hands are involved. And for me, like my hands being involved in something, it doesn’t feel like quite as valid of evidence to me. So I really like Spirit Box because my hands are not involved in that. I can’t control what comes out of that box. I have no involvement in that so I like the personal removal from it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Sometimes the investigation is a bust. Taylor told me about this time her friends thought she bought a haunted doll. So she brought it over. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Sometimes the investigation is a bust. Taylor told me about this time her friends thought she bought a haunted doll. So she brought it over. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Pulled out a spirit box and I’m like, “Hey, like if anybody’s there, like can we talk?” And I got nothing for a long time. You know, I’m like, “Maybe they’re shy.” So I keep asking questions. Nothing is happening. I’m like, “Okay.” Not even like a little bit — not even like a hesitation — nothing. And I’m looking at my friend and I am like, “We’re not getting anything.” And then the spirit box starts talking. And I am thinking, “Oh, maybe they finally decided to show up.” No. Um, it’s Omi, who’s down here in the blue, she’s hilarious. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Pulled out a spirit box and I’m like, “Hey, like if anybody’s there, like can we talk?” And I got nothing for a long time. You know, I’m like, “Maybe they’re shy.” So I keep asking questions. Nothing is happening. I’m like, “Okay.” Not even like a little bit — not even like a hesitation — nothing. And I’m looking at my friend and I am like, “We’re not getting anything.” And then the spirit box starts talking. And I am thinking, “Oh, maybe they finally decided to show up.” No. Um, it’s Omi, who’s down here in the blue, she’s hilarious. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed to a doll behind her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed to a doll behind her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And she comes on and she’s like, “There’s nothing there.” And I’m like, “It’s not haunted, is it?” And she’s, like, “No.” And I’m like, “Thanks!” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And she comes on and she’s like, “There’s nothing there.” And I’m like, “It’s not haunted, is it?” And she’s, like, “No.” And I’m like, “Thanks!” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Here’s the tea: the paranormal makes for really good content. This was a very niche hobby until a few years ago. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Here’s the tea: the paranormal makes for really good content. This was a very niche hobby until a few years ago. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So, in my opinion, I think the COVID pandemic just shot haunted doll sales up. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So, in my opinion, I think the COVID pandemic just shot haunted doll sales up. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is around the same time “witchtok” took off — the corner of TikTok dedicated to modern witchcraft. Videos of spell jar recipes, algorithmically recommended tarot readings, and ghost hunting all overlapped with the same audience. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is around the same time “witchtok” took off — the corner of TikTok dedicated to modern witchcraft. Videos of spell jar recipes, algorithmically recommended tarot readings, and ghost hunting all overlapped with the same audience. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And I think that is largely due to the fact that people were home and they were bored out of their mind and they were looking for something to do. And I think a lot of people were also doom scrolling at that time. Everybody was sitting on TikTok and YouTube all day long watching videos and so people had haunted dolls or making more videos about their haunted dolls than usual because they’re at home all day with them and it was just a perfect storm for like a lot more people who like were not involved in the paranormal or anything to just kind of like decide to try something different. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And I think that is largely due to the fact that people were home and they were bored out of their mind and they were looking for something to do. And I think a lot of people were also doom scrolling at that time. Everybody was sitting on TikTok and YouTube all day long watching videos and so people had haunted dolls or making more videos about their haunted dolls than usual because they’re at home all day with them and it was just a perfect storm for like a lot more people who like were not involved in the paranormal or anything to just kind of like decide to try something different. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The more sensational the paranormal content, the better it did online. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The more sensational the paranormal content, the better it did online. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And one of the party tricks that I see a lot is with EMF meters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And one of the party tricks that I see a lot is with EMF meters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> These are handheld devices that detect and measure electromagnetic activity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> These are handheld devices that detect and measure electromagnetic activity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They are not ghost metal detectors. Everybody just sees the EMF spike and they assume, “Oh, that’s a ghost,” but they don’t think about all of the other things that set off an EMF meter. Well, we’re in 2026. We have smartwatches that are setting off EMF meters, Wi-Fi, your cell phone — those things are set off by any form of electricity and all of our houses and all these locations are full of electricity, right? But a lot of people will, you know, share proof that their doll is haunted by essentially putting their phone right up to a doll that has an EMF meter on its lap and the EMF is going off and it’s hitting red and everybody’s forgetting that the phone that they’re filming that video on is what is triggering it. So when I see an account where the whole page is just EMF up to a cell phone and nothing else, I’m suspicious. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They are not ghost metal detectors. Everybody just sees the EMF spike and they assume, “Oh, that’s a ghost,” but they don’t think about all of the other things that set off an EMF meter. Well, we’re in 2026. We have smartwatches that are setting off EMF meters, Wi-Fi, your cell phone — those things are set off by any form of electricity and all of our houses and all these locations are full of electricity, right? But a lot of people will, you know, share proof that their doll is haunted by essentially putting their phone right up to a doll that has an EMF meter on its lap and the EMF is going off and it’s hitting red and everybody’s forgetting that the phone that they’re filming that video on is what is triggering it. So when I see an account where the whole page is just EMF up to a cell phone and nothing else, I’m suspicious. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> By becoming so trendy, Taylor says the paranormal community has become less about making contact with the other side and more about making content out of it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> By becoming so trendy, Taylor says the paranormal community has become less about making contact with the other side and more about making content out of it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I think it’s social media and it’s not just haunted dolls, it’s the whole overall paranormal community. You know, the people that are into the paranormal will chase it to the end of the earth. I mean, some of these locations will charge you, you know, hundreds, thousands of dollars to go investigate there for the night. It’s extremely lucrative. Investigators are seeking evidence. They are interested, obviously. But there’s also, I think, the social media pressure. Content creators, especially, it’s like they, you know, want to — to get content out and they want to keep going so they have to go to more haunted locations and you know, have to have more experiences, because they’re sharing the experiences with the public and people are expecting to see it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I think it’s social media and it’s not just haunted dolls, it’s the whole overall paranormal community. You know, the people that are into the paranormal will chase it to the end of the earth. I mean, some of these locations will charge you, you know, hundreds, thousands of dollars to go investigate there for the night. It’s extremely lucrative. Investigators are seeking evidence. They are interested, obviously. But there’s also, I think, the social media pressure. Content creators, especially, it’s like they, you know, want to — to get content out and they want to keep going so they have to go to more haunted locations and you know, have to have more experiences, because they’re sharing the experiences with the public and people are expecting to see it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And as this genre of content took off, the market for haunted objects suddenly became very lucrative. EBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace technically do allow for sales of haunted or occult objects, as long as the listing includes a disclaimer that it’s for entertainment purposes only. But that disclaimer also means that you can get away with anything. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And as this genre of content took off, the market for haunted objects suddenly became very lucrative. EBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace technically do allow for sales of haunted or occult objects, as long as the listing includes a disclaimer that it’s for entertainment purposes only. But that disclaimer also means that you can get away with anything. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> People want to have a paranormal experience. People are interested in that now. It didn’t used to be. Everybody didn’t wanna have a paranormal experience before, but now it’s like, people are chasing an experience. So people have learned — there are people who will pay anything to get to have this happen. I think that people have caught on to that. It’s trendy right now, it’s in right now and everybody’s looking for a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> People want to have a paranormal experience. People are interested in that now. It didn’t used to be. Everybody didn’t wanna have a paranormal experience before, but now it’s like, people are chasing an experience. So people have learned — there are people who will pay anything to get to have this happen. I think that people have caught on to that. It’s trendy right now, it’s in right now and everybody’s looking for a time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And so, people have learned like, okay, before I could go to like, buy one of those empty storage lockers and I could sell everything for $10 a piece, whatever, but if the haunted doll people pay 200 bucks for that, that’s what I’m going to charge. Um, and the fact of the matter is, when people buy it, people will sell it because there’s a demand for it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And so, people have learned like, okay, before I could go to like, buy one of those empty storage lockers and I could sell everything for $10 a piece, whatever, but if the haunted doll people pay 200 bucks for that, that’s what I’m going to charge. Um, and the fact of the matter is, when people buy it, people will sell it because there’s a demand for it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Like the dybbuk box that duped countless people 20 years ago, many of these listings have elaborate descriptions recounting tales of supernatural, otherworldly encounters. And dolls, especially, can go for way more than what they’re typically worth if they’re labeled “haunted.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I mean, I’ve seen in the thousands, multiple times. I always tell people the higher the price doesn’t mean that it’s more haunted than the ones that are a lower price. Like, a spirit is a spirit. There’s no such thing as like, this spirit is more spirity than this other spirit. My rule of thumb that I always tell people is like, “You can’t put a price on the paranormal,” right? Paranormal experiences are not guaranteed. Paranormal experiences are not scientific fact. So for me, ethically, I believe that the object should be priced similarly to the price that their vessel or their doll is worth. So if you have a doll that is like a collector’s item and worth $300 — yeah, list it for $300. If you have a doll that’s worth $50, list it for $50. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I mean, I’ve seen in the thousands, multiple times. I always tell people the higher the price doesn’t mean that it’s more haunted than the ones that are a lower price. Like, a spirit is a spirit. There’s no such thing as like, this spirit is more spirity than this other spirit. My rule of thumb that I always tell people is like, “You can’t put a price on the paranormal,” right? Paranormal experiences are not guaranteed. Paranormal experiences are not scientific fact. So for me, ethically, I believe that the object should be priced similarly to the price that their vessel or their doll is worth. So if you have a doll that is like a collector’s item and worth $300 — yeah, list it for $300. If you have a doll that’s worth $50, list it for $50. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The dybbuk box eBay listing was such a novelty at the time. Now, haunted doll listings are a dime a dozen. On eBay today, I scrolled through listings for haunted dolls, haunted clip-on earrings, haunted keys, haunted cargo pants, haunted labubus and — not joking — a quote, haunted by curious dybbuk box. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The dybbuk box eBay listing was such a novelty at the time. Now, haunted doll listings are a dime a dozen. On eBay today, I scrolled through listings for haunted dolls, haunted clip-on earrings, haunted keys, haunted cargo pants, haunted labubus and — not joking — a quote, haunted by curious dybbuk box. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I am not cut out for the haunted doll life, but if you were to buy one, how are you supposed to sift through all the haunted scams? Taylor actually makes haunted doll guides and recently started focusing more on creating seller checklists so her followers can vet listings for themselves. She’s wary of any seller that makes content of EMF readings. She’s also suspicious of large-scale listings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I am not cut out for the haunted doll life, but if you were to buy one, how are you supposed to sift through all the haunted scams? Taylor actually makes haunted doll guides and recently started focusing more on creating seller checklists so her followers can vet listings for themselves. She’s wary of any seller that makes content of EMF readings. She’s also suspicious of large-scale listings. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> You go on their page and they have a hundred Haunted Dolls listed and nearly all of them have the same story. I mean, spirits are — they’re people and every person is different. So how do you have a 100 spirits who all are the same person basically with a different name and like slightly changed details? So that’s a red flag. The other thing is if the facts don’t line up. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> You go on their page and they have a hundred Haunted Dolls listed and nearly all of them have the same story. I mean, spirits are — they’re people and every person is different. So how do you have a 100 spirits who all are the same person basically with a different name and like slightly changed details? So that’s a red flag. The other thing is if the facts don’t line up. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So I have seen — this happens a lot. This is a big one. The story will say, “Oh, this doll is haunted by so-and-so and so-and-so owned this doll when they were alive and it was very meaningful to them, so they chose to keep it with them in the afterlife.” And you source the year on the vessel, and the vessel — the doll itself — was made in 1980. It says that the spirit is from the 1800s. That’s impossible. They couldn’t have owned the doll in the 1800s when the doll was made in the 1980s. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So I have seen — this happens a lot. This is a big one. The story will say, “Oh, this doll is haunted by so-and-so and so-and-so owned this doll when they were alive and it was very meaningful to them, so they chose to keep it with them in the afterlife.” And you source the year on the vessel, and the vessel — the doll itself — was made in 1980. It says that the spirit is from the 1800s. That’s impossible. They couldn’t have owned the doll in the 1800s when the doll was made in the 1980s. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> TikTok is full of complaints and warnings of haunted scams. This is especially frustrating to Taylor, who really sees spirit keeping as a lifelong commitment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> TikTok is full of complaints and warnings of haunted scams. This is especially frustrating to Taylor, who really sees spirit keeping as a lifelong commitment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Seeing people repeatedly getting things that are fake. One, obviously it’s a waste of money. I mean, obviously that’s irritating. Financial scamming is no joke and pisses me off. But it goes beyond that into, you know, those are people that could give an actual spirit a really nice place to live. And getting scammed over and over again chases them away from this hobby. I may be able to change, you know, the quality of afterlife for the spirits in my home. I can help a finite number of spirits, but I can help a lot more spirits if I can teach other people to do what I’m doing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Seeing people repeatedly getting things that are fake. One, obviously it’s a waste of money. I mean, obviously that’s irritating. Financial scamming is no joke and pisses me off. But it goes beyond that into, you know, those are people that could give an actual spirit a really nice place to live. And getting scammed over and over again chases them away from this hobby. I may be able to change, you know, the quality of afterlife for the spirits in my home. I can help a finite number of spirits, but I can help a lot more spirits if I can teach other people to do what I’m doing. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m still not sure what my relationship to the paranormal is. I want objective evidence. Data. A clear, unequivocal answer that explains why things are the way that they are. But throughout the interview, I kept catching glimpses of Jeremiah over Taylor’s shoulder with his fluffy teddy bear ears and little legs dangling over the edge of the shelf. And when Taylor talked about taking care of spirits in the afterlife, I swear, I saw him perk up. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m still not sure what my relationship to the paranormal is. I want objective evidence. Data. A clear, unequivocal answer that explains why things are the way that they are. But throughout the interview, I kept catching glimpses of Jeremiah over Taylor’s shoulder with his fluffy teddy bear ears and little legs dangling over the edge of the shelf. And when Taylor talked about taking care of spirits in the afterlife, I swear, I saw him perk up. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s it for Close All Tabs’ special spooky storytime. We’ll have a fresh deep dive for you next week, but if you’re dying to open more tabs about the tales we told today, check out the episode description for some suggested reading. Or stick around after the credits for some bonus content. Okay, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s it for Close All Tabs’ special spooky storytime. We’ll have a fresh deep dive for you next week, but if you’re dying to open more tabs about the tales we told today, check out the episode description for some suggested reading. Or stick around after the credits for some bonus content. Okay, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Maya Cueva and edited by Chris Hambrick. It was engineered by Brendan Willard and senior editor Chris Egusa, who also composed our theme song and credits music. Additional production support by Cayla Mihalovich. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is Executive Director of Podcasts, and Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor-in-Chief. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Maya Cueva and edited by Chris Hambrick. It was engineered by Brendan Willard and senior editor Chris Egusa, who also composed our theme song and credits music. Additional production support by Cayla Mihalovich. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is Executive Director of Podcasts, and Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor-in-Chief. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Special thanks to Hallie Tut, Ted Hegemann, Craig Groshek, Rena Lee, and Paranormal Teej for sharing their stories with us. This episode includes clips and archive tape from Hallie Tut, Eli Unique, Paranomal Teej, and Villains Wiki.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Special thanks to Hallie Tut, Ted Hegemann, Craig Groshek, Rena Lee, and Paranormal Teej for sharing their stories with us. This episode includes clips and archive tape from Hallie Tut, Eli Unique, Paranomal Teej, and Villains Wiki.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This episode’s keyboard sounds were submitted by Alex Tran and recorded on his white Apple Maker Hi-75 keyboard with Foggered in Red Samurai keycaps and Gator on Milky Yellow Pro V2 switches. Thanks for listening. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This episode’s keyboard sounds were submitted by Alex Tran and recorded on his white Apple Maker Hi-75 keyboard with Foggered in Red Samurai keycaps and Gator on Milky Yellow Pro V2 switches. Thanks for listening. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So when it comes to buying and selling, they don’t really care about the concept of it. Their primary focus is always like, “Am I going somewhere where somebody is going to be nice to me or not?” That’s what they care about — is like, “Am I going to a good home?” But the one thing I know they don’t like is the shipping. They don’t like shipping. I hear complaints about shipping all the time. So. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So when it comes to buying and selling, they don’t really care about the concept of it. Their primary focus is always like, “Am I going somewhere where somebody is going to be nice to me or not?” That’s what they care about — is like, “Am I going to a good home?” But the one thing I know they don’t like is the shipping. They don’t like shipping. I hear complaints about shipping all the time. So. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, yeah, you can’t, you, can’t yeah, kind of out of your control. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, yeah, you can’t, you, can’t yeah, kind of out of your control. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yeah. I’m like, “Sorry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yeah. I’m like, “Sorry.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003cem>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this special Halloween edition of Close All Tabs, we’re diving into creepypastas: horror stories that spread online until they become urban legends on their own. What happened to the girl who fell into a mirror in 2001? Did Ted the Caver ever come back to the surface? Was the Momo challenge real? And finally, we venture into eBay’s haunted doll marketplace … where we may have ended up with a spirit wreaking havoc on the production of this episode. It’s a ghoulish good time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Guests\u003c/strong>:\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@hallietut\">Hallie Tut\u003c/a>, visual effects artist, and digital content creator\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@chillingtalesfordarknights\">Craig Groshek\u003c/a>, horror author and founder of \u003cem>Chilling Tales for Dark Nights\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://fearfic.fandom.com/wiki/Ted_the_Caver\">Ted Hegemann\u003c/a>, author of “Ted the Caver”\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Rena Lee, social media manager\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-bruno-846358286/\">Sophia Bruno\u003c/a>, educational nonprofit coordinator\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/@paranormalteej\">Paranormal Teej\u003c/a>, haunted doll collector & paranormal investigator\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Further Reading/Listening:\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlaXgi-Jpdo\">How She Creates VFX Shots That Break Your Brain\u003c/a> — Hallie Tut, \u003cem>Youtube\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Momo_(Creepypasta)#:~:text=%E2%80%9C-,Momo,-%2C%20Momo%2C%20Momo%20is\">Momo (Creepypasta)\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Villains Wiki\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://medium.com/@LanceUlanoff/momo-challenge-is-everything-thats-wrong-with-the-internet-4d1a5679c1ed\">Momo Challenge Is Everything That’s Wrong with the Internet\u003c/a> — Lance Ulanoff, \u003cem>Medium\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://yokai.com/ubume/?srsltid=AU7gw4UWwYuhjk8jv7LUe8ip4Sjmbw0bTmlbqoJ6kyNNEwWAjC7IZCV5\">Ubume\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Yokai.com\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/how-momo-global-social-media-hoax-about-paranormal-threat-kids-n977961\">How ‘Momo’, a global social media hoax about a paranormal threat to kids, morphed into a U.S. viral phenomenon\u003c/a> — Ben Collins and Shoshana Wodinsky, \u003cem>NBC News\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.inverse.com/input/features/dybbuk-box-dibbuk-kevin-mannis-zak-bagans-haunted-hoax-revealed\">Finally, the truth behind the ‘haunted’ Dybbuk Box can be revealed\u003c/a> — \u003cem>Inverse\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/work/careers/a34322508/the-witches-of-ebay-industry-selling-haunted-item/\">The witches of eBay: Inside the industry selling haunted items online\u003c/a> — Daniella Scott, \u003cem>Cosmopolitan\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/62125/1/a24-youngest-ever-director-kane-parsons-the-backrooms-creepypasta-into-cinema\">The Backrooms: How Kane Parsons turned creepypasta into cinema\u003c/a> — Jack Mills, \u003cem>Dazed\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://slate.com/culture/2026/05/what-is-backrooms-movie-original-explained-4chan-creepypasta-horror-internet.html\">The Eerie Backstory Behind Backrooms\u003c/a> — Nadira Goffe, \u003cem>Slate\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vice.com/en/article/revisiting-creepypasta-the-social-horror-craze-that-launched-slenderman/\">Revisiting Creepypasta, the Social Horror Craze That Launched Slenderman\u003c/a> — Zac Thompson, \u003cem>VICE\u003c/em>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want to give us feedback on the show? Shoot us an email at \u003ca href=\"mailto:CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\">CloseAllTabs@KQED.org\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow us on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/closealltabspod/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@closealltabs\">TikTok\u003c/a>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Happy spooky season tabbies. Is there a creepypasta you can’t stop thinking about? Or any internet trend, tech subculture, or online oddity keeping you up at night? Well, now you can ask Close All Tabs to investigate! Go to \u003ca href=\"http://kqed.org/podcasts/closealltabs\">KQED.org/podcasts/closealltabs\u003c/a> to submit your question.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just a note, this episode contains mentions of suicide and horror themes so listen with care — or skip this one and come back next week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let me tell you a story about one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was in middle school, hanging out in a family friend’s basement with a bunch of other kids, when my friend’s older brother asked us if we wanted to see something. We crowded around his laptop where he pulled up a YouTube video, titled “Entry #1.” It was just a few seconds of shaky footage, shot through a window from inside a house, of a lanky, suited figure lurking near the door. No sound…which made it feel more unsettling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My friend’s brother told us that some guy online found all of these videos in his friend’s camera and started posting them to YouTube. He hit play on the next one. This had sound — some guy talking while he drove down a dark street. Not much is visible in this video…except the blurry silhouette of that same lanky figure, looming in the distance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Marble Hornets:\u003c/strong> I saw this really tall guy stand in the middle of the street, just completely still. For whatever reason, this really set off Rocky, and he got really scared. He wouldn’t move and he kept on pulling on his leash to go back home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Back then, everything on the internet seemed real. My friends and I took all of it at face value. So we believed the YouTube comments that said they’d seen this figure too. My friend’s brother left, but the rest of us were totally hooked. So we hit play on another video. This was more shaky footage, again shot through a window from inside a house. The same figure was lurking, closer this time. The camera finally focused on an unnaturally pale, bald head. It had no face at all, just smooth white skin and hollow contours where eyes and a mouth and a nose should be. And then it turned to face the viewer, as if it was honing in on us. Then, my friend’s brother, from the top of the stairs, called out, “Who wants to meet Slenderman?” And shut off the basement lights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legend of Slenderman started in 2009, when someone posted black and white photos of children on a playground, seemingly oblivious to the spindly creature looming over them. The captions alluded to a string of child abductions from the 1980s. It was a submission for a Photoshop contest of paranormal happenings, which later inspired the YouTube series, Marble Hornets. That was the supposedly found footage that we watched in my friend’s basement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I totally fell for it. For a good year after, I was terrified to look through windows at night in case Slenderman was peering back in. That was my first experience with a creepypasta. The word “creepypasta” is a play on “copypasta” — which is a portmanteau of “copy-paste.” They’re blocks of text that become memes because they’re copied and reposted so often. Creepypastas are online urban legends, Horror stories that start on forums and comment sections that spread across the internet and take on lives of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to Cursed All Tabs. This is our very special Halloween episode, where, instead of one deep dive, we have a bunch of spooky stories for you. These are tales of the paranormal kept alive on the internet. A girl stuck in a portal, caving gone wrong, an entity that might get you through the screen, and the eBay listings for haunted dolls. So, gather around our digital campfire and if you’re easily scared, don’t listen in the dark. Ready? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is Cursed All Tabs. I’m Morgan Sung — tech journalist and your chronically online nightmare — here to open as many browser tabs as it takes to help you understand how the digital world affects our real lives. Let’s get into it. Let’s open our first tab and get into our first spooky story: “The girl in the mirror.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Picture this: It’s the middle of the night. You can’t sleep. You’re doom-scrolling. It’s way past your bedtime and you’ve been awake for a little too long. So, in the darkness of your room, shadows start to take on the shape of strange figures. You catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, barely visible in the moonlight, and for a second, it seems like the room and the reflection is deeper. Like it goes on forever. And then…mid-scroll, you come across this video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> There’s something really strange going on here, and if something ends up happening to me, I just hope that this video can maybe explain it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s a video of a teenager recording herself on an old-school, hand-held camcorder. The caption says it’s found footage dating back to January 2001. The camera sweeps across her bedroom — a matching set of yellow furniture, frilly curtains, pink walls, very 90s — and settles on an antique mirror propped up on a chair. It faces another full-length mirror mounted to the wall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Okay, so I have these two mirrors in my room. As you can see, they’re pretty normal looking mirrors, but I was cleaning and I had them kind of set up like this, and I noticed something really weird. Just watch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The girl places the camcorder on the bed and films herself putting her hand on one of the mirrors, but she passes straight through the glass into another world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> See, when you look through the mirror into the other one, it becomes like a window. And there’s this huge warehouse, grocery store, or something down there. But wait, it gets even crazier. Watch this. Three, two, one. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She fully jumps through the mirror and is transported into what looks like a fully stocked supermarket. But the aisles go on forever and there’s nobody else in sight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Woah. What the hell? What is this place? Hello? How far does it go? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She begins running, and then… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Oh shit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The camcorder zaps back to her room mid-air before bouncing onto her frilly white bed. It faces another mirror and in the reflection, the room looks empty. The girl is nowhere to be seen. You’re thoroughly creeped out so you start scouring the comments. Legend has it…she’s still missing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from ItsNickHoliday:\u003c/strong> A video a girl recorded in her bedroom in 2001, right before she went missing, has resurfaced and now is going viral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Generalist Authority:\u003c/strong> The camera was later found on her bed. She has not been located. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from brookesobasic:\u003c/strong> I don’t know if people know this or not, but facing two mirrors together is something you just shouldn’t do. And it’s said to open portals or bring in really bad energies or spirits — sometimes good — but usually bad. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So what happened to this girl who fell through a mirror over 20 years ago and was never heard from again? What is it about that abandoned, endless supermarket that feels both so familiar and so unsettling? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it — it just really is something where you don’t normally stay very long in a place like that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s Hallie Tutte, a VFX artist. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Liminal spaces are kind of these transitional places where usually it would be somewhere that’s filled of people going from point A to point B when a place that usually is filled with people is now completely empty — that gives it that eerie feeling because you never usually are used to seeing it completely abandoned like that. So if you got trapped there, it just brings out this strange feeling in you, I think. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Halle is the real girl in the video. And don’t worry, she did not get stuck in the portal despite what some internet conspiracy theorists might think. She’s always been fascinated by liminal horror — stories that take place in vacant, in-between spaces, like the internet lore that inspired the movie Backrooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I grew up in a town that didn’t have a lot of people in it, and there’d be like these old shopping malls where no one would be around and all the stores are gone. And I always just loved the feeling of being in those spaces, like empty food courts. Me and my friends would just like to kind of hang out there. And I guess when I got into 3D modeling, it was a really fun way to get to build that feeling again by creating those spaces. And it’s something that’s really easy to accomplish in 3D and make it feel very real, very quickly because it’s just a lot of walls and lights and rooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And that video wasn’t filmed in 2001, but actually made in 2023. Hallie was inspired by found footage movies like The Blair Witch Project. She wanted to create something that felt like it was from the early 2000s, but using modern equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I shot it completely by myself in my room and it was actually shot on a Sony camera on a tripod and then any of the handheld stuff is all fake. The mirror that she’s shooting into is fake and to create that infinite Walmart effect, I went to my local Walmart late at night when it feels like a liminal space and I was able to kind of scan all of the shelves and create these 3D models that I then brought into, like a software like Blender, and created this infinite world with it. And yeah, it’s shot in my real bedroom. I live with my grandparents, so this used to be my aunt’s room. And everything in it feels very of the time period that I was trying to make that video set in, so it worked out really well that way. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The video got a lot of views when she first posted it, but didn’t really go viral until a year later, when other influencers reposted it, speculating about what really happened to the girl in the mirror. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> Even one of my art school teachers had sent me a link on Facebook to like a conspiracy channel where he’d seen it and asking if it was me. And that video had maybe 3 million views and thousands of comments, people’s discourse about whether it was real. Having remembered seeing this video from when they were younger, like in the early 2000s, people had made up like memories of it. Like kind of that Mandela effect was happening where people had — had this memory of knowing this story of this girl who went missing years prior to when I posted the video. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So it was — it was just going all over the place online and I kind of started to go down a rabbit hole of Reddit posts about it and different names they were making up for the girl in the video. Like in one spot her name was Violet and the video was titled “Violet’s Playtime” or something strange like that. And then people were kind of using that name to discuss it in different forums. So just gets it away from you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This year, Hallie posted a video explaining that she was the creator of the video and that none of it was real. Even then, the conspiracies continued to spread. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> When I made the video talking about how it was fake and I explained how I had made it and how viral it had went around the internet, but trying to claim that, in fact, it was me in my room by myself and I’m here and I am alive — a lot of people in those comments were saying, “The government made her do this,” or “She’s AI and this is a cover up — like this is the CIA cover up for this girl who’s still missing. She’s just — this is just a plant. This girl trying to pretend she’s the girl so they can keep hiding this conspiracy from us.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> It’s wild how drastically the internet has changed since 2023. AI videos back then were nowhere near as convincing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think it would be a lot harder now with AI and even just the VFX work that was put into that. I don’t know if it would feel worth it anymore because of the way that people would just write it off. That video was definitely a labor of love for the technical challenges that I had to go through to make it look realistic and I think people now just won’t appreciate the craft that goes into something like that because they’ll just write it all off as AI. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, I don’t know if I’d ever do one quite in the same way. I think if I had a really good story that I wanted to tell, and it was more based on just a really horror story, I might try again. But in a way that was more of a fun technical challenge for me to make it convincing. And in today’s day and age. That’s no longer really a worthy challenge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That’s so depressing. Have we killed creepypastas with AI? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> I think creepypastes will live on, especially the more fictional stories that can’t be real things but that people really wish were real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Hallie herself is still making creepy horror content, pushing herself with new technical challenges and VFX tools. But the story she put out into the world three years ago continues to spread and morph beyond what she ever created. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Hallie Tut:\u003c/strong> It is essentially a creepypasta now, and the creepypasta might be well known by people, but it’s never going to really come back to me, which I kind of appreciate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> If, during the witching hour, you place two mirrors facing each other, you might open a ghostly passage. Legend has it that, if you look long enough, the infinite reflections will dissolve into all sorts of in-between places — sprawling underground train stations, sterile hospital waiting rooms, school hallways lined with pristine lockers. They will almost always be eerily empty, as if time comes to a standstill there. And sometimes, you might catch a glimpse of a cavernous, eternal supermarket — and the pink-haired teenager doomed to wander its empty aisles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That story was brought to us by producer Maya Cueva. Unsettled yet? Well, we’re just getting started. The next internet scary story we have for you is actually the one that started it all. It’s known as the very first creepypasta, dating back to 2001. This tale comes from our very own senior editor, Chris Egusa. You might wanna turn on the lights for this one. Okay, let’s open a new tab. Who is Ted the Caver? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> In early 2001, a series of posts started appearing on an obscure Angelfire website, a site-building platform from the early internet. The page was bare bones. Basic HTML, a black background, and at the top, a salmon-colored title: “Welcome to the Page of Ted.” The posts were journal entries. The author? Anonymous, except for that first name: Ted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the course of a few months, Ted posted a detailed account of a series of caving trips he took with a friend he identified only as “B,” to explore a previously unentered passage in a spot they called “Mystery Cave.” According to the first entry, the pair had found a hole in the rock wall deep inside the cave. It was only four to five inches across, but they knew it had to lead somewhere because of a steady stream of air that blew through it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first journal entry included a link to a grainy photo of the hole. It was uneven in shape, and the rock it went through looked several inches thick. There was a glove tucked inside the hole for scale. The entry went on. Peeking through the hole with a mini maglite, they could see a tight tunnel that opened up after a few feet. They could feel the air blowing past, and they could hear something else: a low rumbling that came and went. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ted and B brushed aside the strange details. They were too excited at the prospect of finding their way into a completely unexplored passage. So they made a plan: come back with hand tools and a cordless drill, break up the solid rock, and widen the hole until it was big enough to squeeze through. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ted named the passage Floyd’s Tomb, as a nod to Floyd Collins — an early 20th century cave explorer who got trapped and died as he attempted to enlarge a small tunnel in a cave system in Kentucky. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every few weeks through early 2001, a new post would appear on the website. They detailed the slow, grueling work of drilling and chiseling through rock until the batteries on their lights and tools ran out. Since the cave was a good distance from where they lived, Ted and B would stay at a nearby motel, recharge their batteries and bodies, and continue working the next day before heading home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Occasionally, Ted would mention some odd detail. Something unsettling. In one post, he described the wind as getting louder, a howl at that point. The rumbling had become more frequent, and he noted that it seemed to be emanating from deeper in the cave. Then he’d move on, refocusing on the task at hand. Each post linked more photos, documenting the progression of the hole. And as the entries went on, the details got stranger. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a trip in February, they brought B’s Jack Russell Terrier into the cave. Typically excitable and enthusiastic, she became edgy and began to whimper as she approached the hole. Her hair stood on end and she refused to get any closer. Later that same trip, B heard a scratching, grinding sound coming from inside the hole. When he got Ted’s attention to listen, it stopped. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On another trip in early March, Ted was kneeling at the wall, drilling — ear plugs in and safety glasses on. Over the noise of the drill, he heard a high-pitched sound. He pulled his earplug out just in time to hear an ear-piercing scream coming from inside the hole, echoing through the darkness. In his journal, he described it as a cross between a man screaming in fear and a cougar screaming in pain. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next day, the two couldn’t stop thinking about the sound. But they rationalized it as some kind of animal and decided to continue on, focused on getting to the other side. They’d come too far to give up. In the next entry, Ted explained that they’d widened the hole enough to squeeze through. It was so tight that Ted had to turn his head to the side and wedge himself in with his arms pinned at his sides. As he went further, he could feel the rock pressing into his back. The only way forward was to exhale all of his breath and push with his feet. So that’s what he did. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Exhale. Scoot an inch or two. Breathe in shallowly. Exhale again. Scoot further. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The photo linked in that entry showed Ted wedged into the crevice wearing a black bandana, head cocked to the right. The flash lit up jagged rocks littering the floor beneath him. Then the passage began to open up. Ted was able to crawl forward, emerging for the first time into the untouched cavern. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The entries kept coming. And, without spoiling the rest of the story, things escalated from there. Ted found strange hieroglyphic markings on the cave wall, an unnaturally round rock that seemed to be moving on its own. A smell he described as damp, rotting, rancid, putrid, death, drifting up from deeper in the cave. Then, in the deepest section of the tunnel, he encountered something. Something that seemed to follow him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last entry on the site was from Ted, writing the morning of his final trip into the cave. By then, he was badly shaken and suffering from lucid nightmares. He was determined to figure out what was going on, once and for all. And then, the entries stopped. Even years later, nothing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Angelfire site stayed up, preserving Ted’s story. The collection of entries — nine in total, clocking in at over 25,000 words — is now known as Ted the Caver, and many consider it to be the very first creepypasta. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> At the time when I first read it, there was nothing like it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig Groshek is a horror author who runs Chilling Tales for Dark Nights, a company and YouTube channel devoted to creepypasta, along with several podcasts. He first came across Ted the Caver in high school. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> You’re just surfing the internet and all of a sudden you come across this poor guy, you know, getting trapped with unspeakable horrors in the underground. And the story very much leaves you feeling that you don’t know what happened to him. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> At the center of a lot of the online discussion was one question — was it real? The story had all these supernatural elements, but it also felt believable. The gear, the technical descriptions of caving, the photos. It read like a real caving journal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> Just when you thought there’s a chance that this was baloney, he threw up a photo. Critical thinking aside, that inclusion of photos drew you right back in, and it made everything that came after it even scarier. And of course we were experiencing this in real time. If you were there when it happened, this wasn’t a story you picked up years later. This was a man this was actually happening to, and you couldn’t do anything about it. It was like watching someone sleepwalk into traffic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But you couldn’t ask Ted. For years, no one could confirm who he was, or whether his name was even Ted. Authorship of the story was disputed, with several people taking credit. Eventually, the real Ted emerged and began posting intermittently on some online forums. In 2015, Craig decided to track him down in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> All I had to go on was the original post and some forums on the internet where he had appeared. And the way I found him was via reverse image search. He used the same picture, I believe he was standing on train tracks, maybe with his dog, and it was the same pictures of him on every forum that he used. I tracked him down to a disc golf course. I had the guy at the country club there, because they have a golf course and a disc golf and I had them hand Ted my information on a cocktail napkin. And the next thing you know, Ted’s calling me. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig commissioned Ted to write an original horror story for an anthology he was putting together. It was only the second horror story Ted had ever written. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Hi, my name is Ted Hegemann. I am the author of the story that is now known as “Ted the Caver.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> His story about the terrors lurking in Mystery Cave was his first. Ted is now 62 and lives in Utah. These days, he spends his free time playing disc golf. It’s the latest in a string of obsessions. 25 years ago, he was obsessed with caving. And, as it turns out, a lot of the story is based on real experiences. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> So, my buddy, Brad and I — who is B in the story — we went out to this cave that’s right on the border of Utah and Nevada. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Ted and Brad really did open up an entrance to a new passage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It took us numerous trips, I think eight trips before I was able to get past the opening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The squeeze through Floyd’s tomb? Ted says it happened just how he wrote it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was literally exhaling my lungs and scooting with my feet, with my arms down to my side to keep my shoulders down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Technically, he did the squeeze twice. By the second time, they had opened the passage up a little wider, and he was able to fit through with slightly more ease. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I was keeping a journal the entire time — a caving journal — as well as updating friends and family, you know, as to the progress. It was kind of a neat thing. And when we were done, I thought rather than telling everyone about it, I’ll just upload my journal on a — find a website — and put it up. And then I had the idea that it’d be kind of fun to embellish a little bit. And so that’s where the story came from. So much of it is just directly out of my caving journal. And then the creepy parts were invented, of course. But the idea didn’t come until after we had gone into the cave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> A lot of the eerie details were rooted in his actual experience, too. Like the air blowing through the hole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We knew about the hole because we would stop there, because the wind blew out and you generally worked up a little bit of a sweat getting to that point in the cave. So we would stop and just let the cool air cool us off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And the low rumbling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> We figured it was I-80 — just trucks or whatever — because it wasn’t constant. It was just every once in a while. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> And they really brought a Jack Russell terrier into the cave. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> Demon dog, oh my goodness, it nipped at me so many times. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> But the part about it whimpering and refusing to go near the hole, that was embellished. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It was having a good time running around exploring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> I asked Ted at what point the story became complete fiction. I’m thinking of — there’s the terrifying scream that you both hear. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> The scream. The grinding noise that we would hear inside, the smell when I went in there, and the round rock. There was no round rock, sadly. Oh, and the little hieroglyph thing that was in there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> It took Ted almost a year to write the whole thing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> And at one point, I gave up on it. I thought, “Oh, this is dumb. Who’s going to want to read this?” But then I sucked it up and thought, “Yeah, at least finish it. And then who cares? You know, if nothing happens.” But yeah, little did I know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> He posted it, one update at a time, through the spring of 2001, and he knew the story had attracted a decent readership. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I did have a hidden counter on there and got up into the tens of thousands of views. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> The story simmered underground, making its way through different communities, but never going viral the way things might today. And then, a few years after he posted the story, someone sent him a link to a caving forum where it was being discussed. After that, he started digging around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> That was one of the cooler weekends of my life. I remember our internet was really slow. So I went to the library and I just kept searching and found all these forums where they’re talking about it. And it just blew me away. How many people liked it. So many people said it scared them to death in very colorful ways. It was just so fun to know that that people were reading it and enjoying it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> For Ted, who’s not even a big horror fan, the fact that this story he posted 25 years ago keeps coming up is a lasting source of enjoyment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> I just discovered this like last year. I started Googling and I found all of these YouTube channels where they talk about the story. They’ll read it and then give their thoughts about it. And I mean, one of them had three million views. It just kind of blew me away. I think it’s just a blast. I love it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> So is Ted the Caver the first creepypasta? As with most things on the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint. The term creepypasta itself came into use years later. And some people point to the genre’s similarities to chain emails from the 90s, which pre-date Ted’s story. But Craig Groshek says Ted the Caver certainly has a claim to the title. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> If you’re looking at the Mount Rushmore of creepypasta, of internet-based horror, Ted the Caver’s is definitely up there. In terms of storytelling — the immersion, the fact that you felt like this was a real person that may have actually disappeared, and for years that remained uncontested — you have to put it up there just for that. He was really a pioneer without realizing that’s what he was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> More widely known creepypastas like Slenderman and more recently Backrooms, which was turned into a Hollywood movie this year, all have their roots in Ted the Caver. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> I think you can trace it to a lot of these things, but Backrooms being the most recent example. I don’t know that you can say these things wouldn’t have existed without Ted, but you can’t say that they would either. This entire genre started with a couple of people copying and pasting creepy stuff to try to get a rise out of somebody. And Ted absolutely leaned into that at the end. He knew there were people that thought he was dead and he didn’t even care. Thanks, Ted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> When Ted Hegemann posted his story on Angelfire, he could have never anticipated where it would go. It was adapted into a movie in 2008 called Living Dark: The Story of Ted the Caver. And as for Mystery Cave? It’s been officially mapped out now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Ted Hegemann:\u003c/strong> It’s called “Interstate Cave” and thankfully they did call that passage “Floyd’s Tomb” so it’s official on the map now. And DeWalt’s Dig, it was the opening, because we were using DeWalt tools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Chris Egusa:\u003c/strong> Craig says that for all the ways storytelling has changed over the years with digital media, in some ways, it hasn’t changed at all. Instead of sitting around a physical campfire, we now sit around a digital one — on message boards, comment sections, and Discord chat rooms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Craig Groshek:\u003c/strong> It started with one man telling his story around what is essentially a digital campfire. And as time has gone on, more and more people have gathered around that fire. And 20 plus years later people are still telling that story and that is a testament to how believable it was, how well written it was how immersive it was and how well it tapped into a primal fear that a lot of people have — whether it’s of the unknown, of the dark or not knowing what you can’t see. And that’s why I think it has stood the test of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That was senior editor Chris Egusa. One thing about me: You will never catch me caving. Ever. The idea of squeezing into an underground passage where you can get stuck or lost or run out of air sounds hellish enough. And there might be an entity down there? No, thank you! Between whatever’s in the caves and Slenderman lurking in the woods, it seems safer to just stay inside. But the monsters from creepypastas can get you even if you never log off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the break, we have a story about the creature haunting your screens. But first, we wanted to remind you that Close All Tabs depends on listeners like you to keep us going. To become a member and support the show, go to donate.kqed.org/podcasts. Okay, when we’re back, what do you know about Momo? Stick around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome back to the Close All Tabs special spooky story time. This next one is about an entity that I hate looking at, even as a full-grown adult. This creepypasta retelling comes from our very own intern, Lauren Yoon. Let’s open another new tab. The legend of Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> Picture a gaunt, paper-skinned woman with a protruding neck and bulging eyes. Her jet-black hair stringy to match a thousand-eye stare that could kill. She looks uncanny. The most important feature of the infamous viral image: she holds a smile that spans cheek-to-cheek in the shape of a “V.” Yep, that’s right. My internet urban legend is Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Fandom:\u003c/strong> Do you want a surprise? Look in their eyes. I won’t lie, you’re going to die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> It’s 2019. Musical.ly had just become TikTok. Everyone was doing the woah, and Avengers: Endgame was in theaters. And Momo was threatening harm to all who came across her. I remember Momo being passed around between my friend group, joking she would haunt them while they slept or something. Here’s my friend, Sophia, talking about Momo. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Sophia Bruno:\u003c/strong> I was very much afraid of it in the sense that I just thought it was a weird-looking picture that my friend introduced me to because I think she was like, “Oh Momo’s gonna get you” and I was like, “What is Momo?” And then she showed me. And my friends and I would mostly joke about it like, “Momo is gonna get you whatever” but in terms of the real-life stories I mean I believed them and I believed — I feel like there was a mysterious lore around it like it would just kind of you and like attach itself to you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> In reality, I also hated Momo. If I was joking about it with friends, it was mostly because laughter is the best defense mechanism against fear. What scared me the most were stories of Momo contacting you over the phone and telling you to do horrible things to yourself or others. It became known in mainstream media as “the Momo challenge.” The idea was that kids would challenge each other to make contact with Momo, sparking her wrath. She was even rumored to have reached kids’ videos on YouTube, where her face would pop up out of nowhere during an episode of Peppa Pig. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rumors caused a media frenzy, and Momo became a sensationalized, quote, danger to children. The Post, The Today Show, and a bunch of other news outlets around the world warned concerned parents about the internet legend. They encouraged parents to put restrictions on social media and YouTube for their kids — something parents should probably be doing anyway — without evidence that the Momo challenge was real. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Surprise! It wasn’t. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There has been no evidence to show that Momo or anyone posing as the character actually contacted people, let alone children. YouTube denied any claims of Momo popping up in the middle of their videos, too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So where did Momo even come from? Well, she’s a picture of a sculpture called “Mother Bird,” created by Japanese artist Keisuke Aiso. If we zoom out of their original picture, you can clearly see the figure, propped up on a stand in an art gallery. The face we all know and…hate? Attached to a human chest with two huge bird legs. Keisuke based her off of this Japanese folklore called “Ubume,” a version of which translates to “child-snatching bird.” Makes sense. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The image first spread on a Chinese social dating app called Momo, and that’s how the Momo we know today was born. So how did she spread so fast? And so far? I mean, a police station in Northern Ireland issued a statement and Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram, both figures warning parents about this dangerous, quote, challenge. My friend Rena has a theory that this all happened because the internet was a little newer to us at the time. AI wasn’t generating images like they are today, so we took a lot of things at face value. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Rena Lee:\u003c/strong> So we didn’t have this backpedaling of, “Is this AI, is this real?” A lot of information and media that we were fed at the time, it was easier to believe, “Oh my God, this looks so realistic. This has to be a real picture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> I personally think it’s a combination of this naivete, plus the misinformation being spread by major national news outlets. The public sphere unfortunately feeds off of fear — talk about the horror of it all, right? — and Momo was the scapegoat for millennials and boomers concerned about what new dangers the internet proposed for their children. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keisuke destroyed the original sculpture not too long after it was created because it started rotting. It was made of materials that weren’t meant to last long. The only part of the sculpture remaining is its eyeball. Here is an excerpt of Keisuke’s interview with The Sun from 2019. He’s speaking through a translator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from The Sun:\u003c/strong> I got rid of Momo, so it is no longer here with me. I believe it no longer exists in this world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Lauren Yoon:\u003c/strong> He was pretty horrified by the way his art became so misunderstood and taken out of context. I wonder if people today would be as scared as they were five, six years ago when we weren’t burdened with the constant doubt that comes with the images we see online today. The landscape of internet paranoia has changed, and so I wonder if the Momo challenge could be recreated in this day and age. I even miss the mystery she brought to my life, something that has slowly dissipated as I trust the internet less and less. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Momo may have been a hoax, but her impact was real. The image of her bulging eyes and wide smile is still burned into the back of my skull. And when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, and I open my eyes to the dark corner of my room, she’s the figure I imagine standing there…waiting for my eyes to close again. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> That story was brought to you by our intern, Lauren Yoon. We’ll have more on Momo in our further reading, but before you hit that link, consider this your jumpscare warning. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyway, I have one more story for you. It starts with an eBay listing for an antique wine cabinet with strict warnings to never open it, lest you unleash misfortune upon anyone who comes in contact with the box. But the real horror story here is disappointingly mundane. Let’s open one last tab. The haunted doll scam market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most infamous haunted objects was actually sold on eBay. In 2003, Kevin Mannis listed an antique wine cabinet with an unusually detailed description. He had picked it up at an estate sale, and the woman who sold it to him said it belonged to her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. Her grandmother had been insistent that her family never, ever open the box. She said it contained a spirit called a dybbuk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Did Kevin heed the warning? No. He brought it back to his workshop and opened it right up — ignoring the creepy locks of hair and carved Hebrew prayers inside. A series of tragedies followed. His mother had a stroke when she opened the box. His siblings complained of terrifying nightmares. Someone who knocked the box off a shelf died by suicide the same day. Kevin himself started having visions of a demonic old woman with sunken eyes. He recounted the story in his eBay listing, which ended with, “Help me.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The box was bought and resold several times over the next decade. Owners complained of hair falling out in clumps, bleeding from the eyes, waking up choking, and dreams of the creepy old woman. The box finally found a permanent home in a museum for haunted objects, sealed behind layers of protective glass. It even inspired the 2012 movie, The Possession. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then, five years ago, Kevin admitted that it was all fake. He made up everything in the original listing. There are no dybbuk boxes in Jewish folklore. The malicious spirits attached to people, not objects. The people who bought the box after Kevin sold it maintained that their hauntings really happened. But as far as Kevin was concerned, the whole eBay thing was a creative writing exercise that spiraled out of control. But today, haunted objects are a hot commodity. And one object, in particular, has become incredibly popular in the secondhand haunted market: dolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> EBay, Etsy, they’re all over the place. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is Taylor, a TikTok creator and YouTuber, also known as Paranormal Teej. She’s a paranormal investigator and haunted doll caretaker. She called me from a room packed with dolls. Can you describe the room you’re in? Like what’s around you? What are the stories behind all that? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yes. So in this room, we have about 120 haunted dolls. They come from all around the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor keeps them lined up on shelves. Some are porcelain collector’s dolls, dressed in frilly skirts. Others are soft rag dolls, clearly pre-loved by some young child. And while we talked, I swear I could feel them gazing back at me through the screen. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They keep me on my toes. I work with a lot of, like, trickster spirits. I am very interested in working with, like, spirits with kind of wacky, wild personalities. They are a riot. We adore them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She introduced me to a few of them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So first one I’m going to point out is Jeremiah. If I don’t point him out to you, he will mess with our recordings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Jeremiah is this big soft bear, wearing a striped t-shirt. His plush legs dangle off the shelf, like a little kid’s would. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> He is a six and a half year old little boy. The half is very important to him. Six is not acceptable. He moves, he moves things, um, especially lollipops. That’s, like, kind of his gig. He loves green things. Um, everything he wants has to be green. So he has moved like lollie pops around our house, threw them down the stairs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed out another doll. She has a cherubic face and stark black pigtails, and she’s besties with Jeremiah. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So Hoshiko is five. She’s from Japan. She’ll cause you to have, like, visions like in mirrors and things and she’ll like pop up. So I get the Samara from The Ring in the mirror trick every once in a while. Then she thinks it’s so funny because she likes, like, the reaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And lastly, Taylor points out Ciel. He’s in a black, pointed hat. Like a little witch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And he is very wise, very gifted. He has given me dreams about things happening a year before they happen and then they come true. And he’s just kind of, he’s my guy. So yeah, those are my, my buddies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> You may be skeptical of all this — but there were a couple of inexplicable incidents in the calls I had with Taylor. At some points, the entire video platform that we used flickered — not someone’s webcam, but the whole site. After the interview, our producer, Maya, said she heard low growling coming from Taylor’s side. When Taylor talked about her doll’s antics, I thought I heard faint giggling in the background. And there were chunks of our interview that our transcription software could not figure out. Instead, it spat out a jumble of German, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Brazilian, Portuguese, French, Danish, Korean, and a splash of Telugu. Was that Jeremiah messing with us? Although Maya and I were a little freaked out, Taylor seemed unfazed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Everybody asks, like, “How are you safe living in a house with 120 haunted dolls? How are, how were you safe?” And the honest answer is like, they, they respect me because I respect them. I’m just nice to them. Like that’s really all it takes is just like basic kindness. Um, and I think that makes the paranormal a lot less scary when you realize that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Ghosts and the paranormal have been part of Taylor’s life for as long as she could remember. Her mother is a professional psychic. Her aunt is a paranormal investigator. Her grandmother would pull out the Ouija board whenever Taylor stayed over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> My whole dad’s side of the family, even the ones who don’t want to or want anything to do with the paranormal, see ghosts for whatever reason. And so I just, I kind of grew up in this environment where, like, ghosts aren’t scary. They’re just like a thing, you know, like it’s just a fact of life, kind of attitude about it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor and her husband bonded over the paranormal and fell in love with doll collecting together. They consider themselves spirit keepers — almost like afterlife caretakers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Some spirits legitimately did own their vessel when they were alive. They were attached to it in life and they’re still attached to, you know, like we have spirits whose vessel was like their comfort item as a kid kind of thing. I do have cases where it was like a spirit who was haunting a location and like the location was getting torn down and they were scared because they didn’t know what would happen to them if the location disappeared. They didn’t know if they would disappear, too. So they kind of found a different way out of necessity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Actually confirming a haunting can take months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> A lot of spirits will be very quiet and you will have no activity and then six months in at random, they’ll just kind of like pop off and because they’re comfortable with you now. The paranormal field is not a science, right? We don’t have a textbook that says, “This is how you investigate an object. This is how you investigate a location.” And so for us, what our method looks like — because that evidence component is really important to me — I do not feel comfortable saying something is haunted unless I know 100%. If I am 99% sure, I won’t even say, “Yes.” I have to be 100% sure. The other thing about paranormal activity is it’s not predictable. There is zero predictability. You can’t say turn the lights off and they turn the lights off. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So to investigate whether a doll is haunted, Taylor first considers what she calls “subjective observations.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Anything from, I saw that doll move to — I saw a ghost in my house to — I heard footsteps or I got a dream from — about this doll, but for me subjective reports are not enough for me to confirm something is haunted because the brain does crazy things. When people are scared and they are around something that they’re suspecting, the brain can do really crazy things to, you know, trick us. You have things like pareidolia, which is, we see faces in things. And so, people can take that as paranormal, but it’s really just your brain playing tricks on you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> So she tries to collect data: fluctuations in air temperature and air pressure, whether motion sensors are activated, and audio and video recordings. She looks for anomalies that she can document and compare against a control. And lastly, Taylor tries to make contact with whatever might be haunting the doll. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So everybody communicates with spirit slightly differently. For me, the way that works best for me personally is a spirit box. What a spirit box is, is essentially, it is an intentionally broken radio, okay? So basically it rapidly sweeps through radio stations and they can manipulate the radio signals to be able to communicate with you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> She often posts spirit box sessions with her dolls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Clip from Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So that’s something you’re still trying to understand about 2026? The men awful. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Did you hear, “The men awful?” Or did you hear a jumble of static? Skeptics say the audio fragments that are picked up by spirit boxes are random and that it’s confirmation bias and pareidolia that leads investigators to find meaning in the sounds. Taylor, however, says it’s more reliable than other methods. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> There are other tools like Pendulum and Ouija Board, for example, and those things your hands are involved. And for me, like my hands being involved in something, it doesn’t feel like quite as valid of evidence to me. So I really like Spirit Box because my hands are not involved in that. I can’t control what comes out of that box. I have no involvement in that so I like the personal removal from it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Sometimes the investigation is a bust. Taylor told me about this time her friends thought she bought a haunted doll. So she brought it over. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Pulled out a spirit box and I’m like, “Hey, like if anybody’s there, like can we talk?” And I got nothing for a long time. You know, I’m like, “Maybe they’re shy.” So I keep asking questions. Nothing is happening. I’m like, “Okay.” Not even like a little bit — not even like a hesitation — nothing. And I’m looking at my friend and I am like, “We’re not getting anything.” And then the spirit box starts talking. And I am thinking, “Oh, maybe they finally decided to show up.” No. Um, it’s Omi, who’s down here in the blue, she’s hilarious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Taylor pointed to a doll behind her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And she comes on and she’s like, “There’s nothing there.” And I’m like, “It’s not haunted, is it?” And she’s, like, “No.” And I’m like, “Thanks!” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Here’s the tea: the paranormal makes for really good content. This was a very niche hobby until a few years ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So, in my opinion, I think the COVID pandemic just shot haunted doll sales up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> This is around the same time “witchtok” took off — the corner of TikTok dedicated to modern witchcraft. Videos of spell jar recipes, algorithmically recommended tarot readings, and ghost hunting all overlapped with the same audience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And I think that is largely due to the fact that people were home and they were bored out of their mind and they were looking for something to do. And I think a lot of people were also doom scrolling at that time. Everybody was sitting on TikTok and YouTube all day long watching videos and so people had haunted dolls or making more videos about their haunted dolls than usual because they’re at home all day with them and it was just a perfect storm for like a lot more people who like were not involved in the paranormal or anything to just kind of like decide to try something different. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The more sensational the paranormal content, the better it did online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> And one of the party tricks that I see a lot is with EMF meters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> These are handheld devices that detect and measure electromagnetic activity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> They are not ghost metal detectors. Everybody just sees the EMF spike and they assume, “Oh, that’s a ghost,” but they don’t think about all of the other things that set off an EMF meter. Well, we’re in 2026. We have smartwatches that are setting off EMF meters, Wi-Fi, your cell phone — those things are set off by any form of electricity and all of our houses and all these locations are full of electricity, right? But a lot of people will, you know, share proof that their doll is haunted by essentially putting their phone right up to a doll that has an EMF meter on its lap and the EMF is going off and it’s hitting red and everybody’s forgetting that the phone that they’re filming that video on is what is triggering it. So when I see an account where the whole page is just EMF up to a cell phone and nothing else, I’m suspicious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> By becoming so trendy, Taylor says the paranormal community has become less about making contact with the other side and more about making content out of it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I think it’s social media and it’s not just haunted dolls, it’s the whole overall paranormal community. You know, the people that are into the paranormal will chase it to the end of the earth. I mean, some of these locations will charge you, you know, hundreds, thousands of dollars to go investigate there for the night. It’s extremely lucrative. Investigators are seeking evidence. They are interested, obviously. But there’s also, I think, the social media pressure. Content creators, especially, it’s like they, you know, want to — to get content out and they want to keep going so they have to go to more haunted locations and you know, have to have more experiences, because they’re sharing the experiences with the public and people are expecting to see it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> And as this genre of content took off, the market for haunted objects suddenly became very lucrative. EBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplace technically do allow for sales of haunted or occult objects, as long as the listing includes a disclaimer that it’s for entertainment purposes only. But that disclaimer also means that you can get away with anything. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> People want to have a paranormal experience. People are interested in that now. It didn’t used to be. Everybody didn’t wanna have a paranormal experience before, but now it’s like, people are chasing an experience. So people have learned — there are people who will pay anything to get to have this happen. I think that people have caught on to that. It’s trendy right now, it’s in right now and everybody’s looking for a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And so, people have learned like, okay, before I could go to like, buy one of those empty storage lockers and I could sell everything for $10 a piece, whatever, but if the haunted doll people pay 200 bucks for that, that’s what I’m going to charge. Um, and the fact of the matter is, when people buy it, people will sell it because there’s a demand for it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> Like the dybbuk box that duped countless people 20 years ago, many of these listings have elaborate descriptions recounting tales of supernatural, otherworldly encounters. And dolls, especially, can go for way more than what they’re typically worth if they’re labeled “haunted.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> I mean, I’ve seen in the thousands, multiple times. I always tell people the higher the price doesn’t mean that it’s more haunted than the ones that are a lower price. Like, a spirit is a spirit. There’s no such thing as like, this spirit is more spirity than this other spirit. My rule of thumb that I always tell people is like, “You can’t put a price on the paranormal,” right? Paranormal experiences are not guaranteed. Paranormal experiences are not scientific fact. So for me, ethically, I believe that the object should be priced similarly to the price that their vessel or their doll is worth. So if you have a doll that is like a collector’s item and worth $300 — yeah, list it for $300. If you have a doll that’s worth $50, list it for $50. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> The dybbuk box eBay listing was such a novelty at the time. Now, haunted doll listings are a dime a dozen. On eBay today, I scrolled through listings for haunted dolls, haunted clip-on earrings, haunted keys, haunted cargo pants, haunted labubus and — not joking — a quote, haunted by curious dybbuk box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am not cut out for the haunted doll life, but if you were to buy one, how are you supposed to sift through all the haunted scams? Taylor actually makes haunted doll guides and recently started focusing more on creating seller checklists so her followers can vet listings for themselves. She’s wary of any seller that makes content of EMF readings. She’s also suspicious of large-scale listings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> You go on their page and they have a hundred Haunted Dolls listed and nearly all of them have the same story. I mean, spirits are — they’re people and every person is different. So how do you have a 100 spirits who all are the same person basically with a different name and like slightly changed details? So that’s a red flag. The other thing is if the facts don’t line up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So I have seen — this happens a lot. This is a big one. The story will say, “Oh, this doll is haunted by so-and-so and so-and-so owned this doll when they were alive and it was very meaningful to them, so they chose to keep it with them in the afterlife.” And you source the year on the vessel, and the vessel — the doll itself — was made in 1980. It says that the spirit is from the 1800s. That’s impossible. They couldn’t have owned the doll in the 1800s when the doll was made in the 1980s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> TikTok is full of complaints and warnings of haunted scams. This is especially frustrating to Taylor, who really sees spirit keeping as a lifelong commitment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Seeing people repeatedly getting things that are fake. One, obviously it’s a waste of money. I mean, obviously that’s irritating. Financial scamming is no joke and pisses me off. But it goes beyond that into, you know, those are people that could give an actual spirit a really nice place to live. And getting scammed over and over again chases them away from this hobby. I may be able to change, you know, the quality of afterlife for the spirits in my home. I can help a finite number of spirits, but I can help a lot more spirits if I can teach other people to do what I’m doing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I’m still not sure what my relationship to the paranormal is. I want objective evidence. Data. A clear, unequivocal answer that explains why things are the way that they are. But throughout the interview, I kept catching glimpses of Jeremiah over Taylor’s shoulder with his fluffy teddy bear ears and little legs dangling over the edge of the shelf. And when Taylor talked about taking care of spirits in the afterlife, I swear, I saw him perk up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That’s it for Close All Tabs’ special spooky storytime. We’ll have a fresh deep dive for you next week, but if you’re dying to open more tabs about the tales we told today, check out the episode description for some suggested reading. Or stick around after the credits for some bonus content. Okay, let’s close all these tabs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Close All Tabs is a production of KQED Studios and is reported and hosted by me, Morgan Sung. This episode was produced by Maya Cueva and edited by Chris Hambrick. It was engineered by Brendan Willard and senior editor Chris Egusa, who also composed our theme song and credits music. Additional production support by Cayla Mihalovich. Our intern is Lauren Yoon. Additional music by APM. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad. Jen Chien is Executive Director of Podcasts, and Ethan Toven-Lindsey is our Editor-in-Chief. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Special thanks to Hallie Tut, Ted Hegemann, Craig Groshek, Rena Lee, and Paranormal Teej for sharing their stories with us. This episode includes clips and archive tape from Hallie Tut, Eli Unique, Paranomal Teej, and Villains Wiki.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This episode’s keyboard sounds were submitted by Alex Tran and recorded on his white Apple Maker Hi-75 keyboard with Foggered in Red Samurai keycaps and Gator on Milky Yellow Pro V2 switches. Thanks for listening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> So when it comes to buying and selling, they don’t really care about the concept of it. Their primary focus is always like, “Am I going somewhere where somebody is going to be nice to me or not?” That’s what they care about — is like, “Am I going to a good home?” But the one thing I know they don’t like is the shipping. They don’t like shipping. I hear complaints about shipping all the time. So. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Morgan Sung:\u003c/strong> I mean, yeah, you can’t, you, can’t yeah, kind of out of your control. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Paranormal Teej:\u003c/strong> Yeah. I’m like, “Sorry.” \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"slug": "halloween-dog-costume-contests-san-francisco-bay-area-sausalito-santa-cruz-2026",
"title": "Important: Dogs in Halloween Costumes in Your Area",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you certain that your beloved dachshund would outshine all the other dogs in their adorable Halloween hotdog costume? That the public \u003cem>must\u003c/em> see your pug in \u003ca href=\"https://store.usps.com/store/product/us-mail-carrier-dog-costume-P_843201\">a USPS mailman getup\u003c/a>, delivering a little package?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Know that your instincts here are completely right and that yes, you should indeed enter your child in a Halloween costume contest or parade focused solely on pets — of which there are several throughout the Bay Area this weekend and next. (This reporter does not envy the job of the judges — because truly, we are all winners here.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DezYDqRDjkL/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more on what events are available — many of which are free — and be sure to check details before heading out, in case of any cancellations or delays because of weather. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween pet portrait session, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In preparation for spooky season celebrations, your pet can have their portraits taken for free at pet daycare and supply shop Expert Pet in the city’s Ingleside District. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">reserve a spot on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-1536x1163.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dogs dressed up for the season at 2025’s “Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween.”\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween,’ San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This canine-centric Halloween celebration in Mission Bay’s SPARK Social SF food truck spot is free to attend, although an \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bark-at-spark-howl-o-ween-tickets-1998393395441\">RSVP on Eventbrite is required\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event includes vendors, a pup cup eating race, a costume contest and a parade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween party and costume contest, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also hosted by Ingleside’s Expert Pet, this \u003ca href=\"https://www.expertpet.com/halloween-party-costume-contest\">party and dog contest\u003c/a> offers a first prize of a goodie bag worth $100. There’ll also be treats and pet portrait sessions. The event is free, but be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/halloween-party-costume-contest-tickets-2003333405143\">RSVP on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the \u003cem>in-person\u003c/em> contest is for dogs, there is a cat version online, in which the winner gets a $50 goodie bag. But you’ll need to have your feline’s picture taken at \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">the shop’s free pet portrait sessions\u003c/a> on Saturday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DeccXaTEqOr/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween pet contest and parade in Aptos\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thursday, Oct. 29, 4:30-6:30 p.m. \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Santa Cruz Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is \u003ca href=\"https://spcasc.org/event/seacliff-inn-halloween-pet-costume-parade/\">hosting these fearsome festivities\u003c/a> at Aptos’ Seacliff Inn for free. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, you can also meet dogs that are up for adoption, adding more members to your family (to dress up for \u003cem>next\u003c/em> Halloween).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/p/Dd907PVSZOq/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sausalito’s Halloween parade and dog costume contest \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5:45 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Halloween night, the city of Sausalito is throwing a parade from around 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, at 6:30 p.m., you’ll be treated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincitycalendar.org/index.php/event/sausalitos-halloween-parade-and-festival\">the dog costume contest\u003c/a>, with categories like “Best Little Dog,” “Best Big Dog” and “Best Couple (human and dog).”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DQuXShpj4HR/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Halloween in the Park’ dog costume contest, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Halloween Saturday, the Nob Hill Association is hosting a dog costume contest in Huntington Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to social media, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nobhillassociation/p/DecYWIkmOlu/\">no sign-up is required\u003c/a> — so you can spontaneously show up.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Are you certain that your beloved dachshund would outshine all the other dogs in their adorable Halloween hotdog costume? That the public \u003cem>must\u003c/em> see your pug in \u003ca href=\"https://store.usps.com/store/product/us-mail-carrier-dog-costume-P_843201\">a USPS mailman getup\u003c/a>, delivering a little package?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Know that your instincts here are completely right and that yes, you should indeed enter your child in a Halloween costume contest or parade focused solely on pets — of which there are several throughout the Bay Area this weekend and next. (This reporter does not envy the job of the judges — because truly, we are all winners here.) \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read more on what events are available — many of which are free — and be sure to check details before heading out, in case of any cancellations or delays because of weather. \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Saturday, Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In preparation for spooky season celebrations, your pet can have their portraits taken for free at pet daycare and supply shop Expert Pet in the city’s Ingleside District. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">reserve a spot on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">reserve a spot on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-1536x1163.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-1536x1163.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dogs dressed up for the season at 2025’s “Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween.”\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This canine-centric Halloween celebration in Mission Bay’s SPARK Social SF food truck spot is free to attend, although an \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bark-at-spark-howl-o-ween-tickets-1998393395441\">RSVP on Eventbrite is required\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also hosted by Ingleside’s Expert Pet, this \u003ca href=\"https://www.expertpet.com/halloween-party-costume-contest\">party and dog contest\u003c/a> offers a first prize of a goodie bag worth $100. There’ll also be treats and pet portrait sessions. The event is free, but be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/halloween-party-costume-contest-tickets-2003333405143\">RSVP on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the \u003cem>in-person\u003c/em> contest is for dogs, there is a cat version online, in which the winner gets a $50 goodie bag. But you’ll need to have your feline’s picture taken at \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">the shop’s free pet portrait sessions\u003c/a> on Saturday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Santa Cruz Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is \u003ca href=\"https://spcasc.org/event/seacliff-inn-halloween-pet-costume-parade/\">hosting these fearsome festivities\u003c/a> at Aptos’ Seacliff Inn for free. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here, you can also meet dogs that are up for adoption, adding more members to your family (to dress up for \u003cem>next\u003c/em> Halloween).\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Halloween Saturday, the Nob Hill Association is hosting a dog costume contest in Huntington Park. \u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you certain that your beloved dachshund would outshine all the other dogs in their adorable Halloween hotdog costume? That the public \u003cem>must\u003c/em> see your pug in \u003ca href=\"https://store.usps.com/store/product/us-mail-carrier-dog-costume-P_843201\">a USPS mailman getup\u003c/a>, delivering a little package?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Know that your instincts here are completely right and that yes, you should indeed enter your child in a Halloween costume contest or parade focused solely on pets — of which there are several throughout the Bay Area this weekend and next. (This reporter does not envy the job of the judges — because truly, we are all winners here.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more on what events are available — many of which are free — and be sure to check details before heading out, in case of any cancellations or delays because of weather. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween pet portrait session, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In preparation for spooky season celebrations, your pet can have their portraits taken for free at pet daycare and supply shop Expert Pet in the city’s Ingleside District. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">reserve a spot on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1514\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106210\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Cool-Dudes-0cd4e344-1536x1163.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dogs dressed up for the season at 2025’s “Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween.”\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Bark at SPARK: Howl-O-Ween,’ San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This canine-centric Halloween celebration in Mission Bay’s SPARK Social SF food truck spot is free to attend, although an \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bark-at-spark-howl-o-ween-tickets-1998393395441\">RSVP on Eventbrite is required\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event includes vendors, a pup cup eating race, a costume contest and a parade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween party and costume contest, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also hosted by Ingleside’s Expert Pet, this \u003ca href=\"https://www.expertpet.com/halloween-party-costume-contest\">party and dog contest\u003c/a> offers a first prize of a goodie bag worth $100. There’ll also be treats and pet portrait sessions. The event is free, but be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/halloween-party-costume-contest-tickets-2003333405143\">RSVP on Eventbrite\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the \u003cem>in-person\u003c/em> contest is for dogs, there is a cat version online, in which the winner gets a $50 goodie bag. But you’ll need to have your feline’s picture taken at \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-halloween-pet-photo-studio-tickets-2003033161105\">the shop’s free pet portrait sessions\u003c/a> on Saturday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Halloween pet contest and parade in Aptos\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thursday, Oct. 29, 4:30-6:30 p.m. \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Santa Cruz Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is \u003ca href=\"https://spcasc.org/event/seacliff-inn-halloween-pet-costume-parade/\">hosting these fearsome festivities\u003c/a> at Aptos’ Seacliff Inn for free. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, you can also meet dogs that are up for adoption, adding more members to your family (to dress up for \u003cem>next\u003c/em> Halloween).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sausalito’s Halloween parade and dog costume contest \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5:45 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Halloween night, the city of Sausalito is throwing a parade from around 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, at 6:30 p.m., you’ll be treated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincitycalendar.org/index.php/event/sausalitos-halloween-parade-and-festival\">the dog costume contest\u003c/a>, with categories like “Best Little Dog,” “Best Big Dog” and “Best Couple (human and dog).”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Halloween in the Park’ dog costume contest, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 p.m.\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Halloween Saturday, the Nob Hill Association is hosting a dog costume contest in Huntington Park. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to social media, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nobhillassociation/p/DecYWIkmOlu/\">no sign-up is required\u003c/a> — so you can spontaneously show up.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "going-to-cheer-for-the-valkyries-this-saturday-stop-by-boohalla",
"title": "Going to Cheer for the Valkyries This Saturday? Stop by ‘Boohalla’",
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"headTitle": "Going to Cheer for the Valkyries This Saturday? Stop by ‘Boohalla’ | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>At the intersection of Third Avenue and Clement Street in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s Inner Richmond, there stands a perfect encapsulation of how this reporter’s October is going: A Halloween-themed Valkyries installation, fittingly titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/boohalla/\">“Boohalla.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Boohalla — an adorable spin on “Ballhalla,” which is what the Chase Center becomes for Valkyries fans during games — you can find skeletons donning signature purple and lavender, a giant roster chalk fun of chilling puns (forward Gabby Williams is now “G. Wicked Williams,” Kaitlyn Chen is “K. Chensaw”) and a graveyard memorializing women’s basketball teams that have lost on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">the Valkyries’ road to the finals\u003c/a>, which are starting this Saturday against the Atlanta Dream. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, of course, one cannot forget Natalie Na-Cauldron, a skeleton rocking a black tracksuit and long dark hair, reminiscent of Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, off to the corner, drawing a game plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104681\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bay Area couple Sarah Swig, left, and Ainsley Rossitto, right, who created “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, speak about their creative process and inspiration behind the tribute display at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Can you tell we’re passionate?” said Sarah Swig, steward of Boohalla. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s become, like, my whole personality,” her wife, Ainsley Rossitto, said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Valkyries have made it to the WNBA Finals in their sophomore year as a franchise, rallying a fanbase that has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101576/fans-rally-at-chase-center-as-valkyries-win-their-first-playoff-game-on-sunday\">a reputation in the league for its enthusiasm\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Be sure to also check out KQED’s guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">how to follow the finals and where to watch the game\u003c/a>, including \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1yIDpg_Y8ULIO2-IdC2H3wmR9nZeXbl4&femb=1&ll=0%2C0&z=7\">bars in or near the Inner Richmond\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1393\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104689\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab-1536x1070.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “This is Boohalla” flag hangs in the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“A huge part of the commentary on the Valkyries now making it to the finals is that nobody saw this coming,” Rossitto said. “But I think, for those of us in the Bay Area, we all saw this coming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swig and Rossitto recently bought their home together in the summer, and first set up Boohalla in late September. Known among their friends as the couple that goes all out for Halloween, playoffs gave them the chance to combine their two loves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you step outside, it’s hard to go anywhere in San Francisco without seeing Violet or the logo somewhere,” Rossitto said. “We want to build on that enthusiasm.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swig saw the installation as “just a manifestation in the real world of all of the pride that we feel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re very lucky in that we go to a lot of the games, but not everybody does,” Swig said. “And I feel like we see people come here and they’re taking selfies, they’re bringing their kids … it’s just another way for people to celebrate and be connected with other people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Natalie said, ‘Ballhalla is everywhere.’ It doesn’t have to be at Chase Center,” she said. “We’re our little corner here, with Boohalla.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The installation changes with each team the Valkyries take on. When this reporter visited, it was still Aces-themed — the team that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103702/golden-state-valkyries-advance-to-wnba-finals-after-sweeping-las-vegas-aces\">the Valkyries swept during semifinals\u003c/a>. The skeletons are proudly dusting playing cards with a broom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We did a little bottle service for the skeletons here to celebrate,” Rossitto said. “We have some things rolling out for the Dream very soon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And with the display come the Valkyries’ fervent fans. Rossitto said that they regularly find people outside their yard, taking pictures and posting on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104690\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104690\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bentley, the 12-year-old Maltese Yorkie mix, stands in “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1349\" data-id=\"12104679\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Halle Berry, Golden State Valkyries player Gabby Williams’ cat, part of “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, is exhibited at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104688\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104688\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A tombstone with WNBA team logos that the Golden State Valkyries have defeated is exhibited at “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104686\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104686\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A skeleton holding queen and ace cards is exhibited at “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is especially a hit among kids on their way to school. Two little girls told Swig that they wanted to be Valkyries for Halloween. A young boy, she said, saw the display and rattled off, by heart, all of the teams in the WNBA league. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really heartwarming,” Swig said. “This fan base is just so positive, and that really stems from the players, from the leadership, from the team … They really cultivated the entire Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That diversity is reflected in the fans the couple has met. They said that people have stopped by the house traveling from all over the Bay Area — Santa Rosa to the East Bay to the Peninsula. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104680\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the raven and Golden State Valkyries mascot, part of “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, is exhibited at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“They don’t feel like strangers,” Rossitto said. “You guys are bonded by the same thing, and the fandom, and everybody’s been so friendly … I’d say hundreds of people have come by.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And many of them are hungry for more. The couple has already been asked what they are planning for Christmas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But they are likely capping the installation at the end of October — which is also the last game of the finals, if the Valkyries and Dream tie. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ll be back next year,” Rossitto said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At Boohalla — an adorable spin on “Ballhalla,” which is what the Chase Center becomes for Valkyries fans during games — you can find skeletons donning signature purple and lavender, a giant roster chalk fun of chilling puns (forward Gabby Williams is now “G. Wicked Williams,” Kaitlyn Chen is “K. Chensaw”) and a graveyard memorializing women’s basketball teams that have lost on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">the Valkyries’ road to the finals\u003c/a>, which are starting this Saturday against the Atlanta Dream. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And, of course, one cannot forget Natalie Na-Cauldron, a skeleton rocking a black tracksuit and long dark hair, reminiscent of Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, off to the corner, drawing a game plan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Valkyries have made it to the WNBA Finals in their sophomore year as a franchise, rallying a fanbase that has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101576/fans-rally-at-chase-center-as-valkyries-win-their-first-playoff-game-on-sunday\">a reputation in the league for its enthusiasm\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Be sure to also check out KQED’s guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">how to follow the finals and where to watch the game\u003c/a>, including \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1yIDpg_Y8ULIO2-IdC2H3wmR9nZeXbl4&femb=1&ll=0%2C0&z=7\">bars in or near the Inner Richmond\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A huge part of the commentary on the Valkyries now making it to the finals is that nobody saw this coming,” Rossitto said. “But I think, for those of us in the Bay Area, we all saw this coming.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swig and Rossitto recently bought their home together in the summer, and first set up Boohalla in late September. Known among their friends as the couple that goes all out for Halloween, playoffs gave them the chance to combine their two loves. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When you step outside, it’s hard to go anywhere in San Francisco without seeing Violet or the logo somewhere,” Rossitto said. “We want to build on that enthusiasm.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Swig saw the installation as “just a manifestation in the real world of all of the pride that we feel.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re very lucky in that we go to a lot of the games, but not everybody does,” Swig said. “And I feel like we see people come here and they’re taking selfies, they’re bringing their kids … it’s just another way for people to celebrate and be connected with other people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Natalie said, ‘Ballhalla is everywhere.’ It doesn’t have to be at Chase Center,” she said. “We’re our little corner here, with Boohalla.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The installation changes with each team the Valkyries take on. When this reporter visited, it was still Aces-themed — the team that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103702/golden-state-valkyries-advance-to-wnba-finals-after-sweeping-las-vegas-aces\">the Valkyries swept during semifinals\u003c/a>. The skeletons are proudly dusting playing cards with a broom.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The installation changes with each team the Valkyries take on. When this reporter visited, it was still Aces-themed — the team that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103702/golden-state-valkyries-advance-to-wnba-finals-after-sweeping-las-vegas-aces\">the Valkyries swept during semifinals\u003c/a>. The skeletons are proudly dusting playing cards with a broom.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We did a little bottle service for the skeletons here to celebrate,” Rossitto said. “We have some things rolling out for the Dream very soon.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They don’t feel like strangers,” Rossitto said. “You guys are bonded by the same thing, and the fandom, and everybody’s been so friendly … I’d say hundreds of people have come by.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But they are likely capping the installation at the end of October — which is also the last game of the finals, if the Valkyries and Dream tie. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Make the pilgrimage to this decorated Inner Richmond home during the WNBA Finals. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>At the intersection of Third Avenue and Clement Street in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>’s Inner Richmond, there stands a perfect encapsulation of how this reporter’s October is going: A Halloween-themed Valkyries installation, fittingly titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/boohalla/\">“Boohalla.”\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Boohalla — an adorable spin on “Ballhalla,” which is what the Chase Center becomes for Valkyries fans during games — you can find skeletons donning signature purple and lavender, a giant roster chalk fun of chilling puns (forward Gabby Williams is now “G. Wicked Williams,” Kaitlyn Chen is “K. Chensaw”) and a graveyard memorializing women’s basketball teams that have lost on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">the Valkyries’ road to the finals\u003c/a>, which are starting this Saturday against the Atlanta Dream. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And, of course, one cannot forget Natalie Na-Cauldron, a skeleton rocking a black tracksuit and long dark hair, reminiscent of Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, off to the corner, drawing a game plan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104681\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-5-KQED-21607af1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bay Area couple Sarah Swig, left, and Ainsley Rossitto, right, who created “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, speak about their creative process and inspiration behind the tribute display at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Can you tell we’re passionate?” said Sarah Swig, steward of Boohalla. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s become, like, my whole personality,” her wife, Ainsley Rossitto, said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Valkyries have made it to the WNBA Finals in their sophomore year as a franchise, rallying a fanbase that has garnered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101576/fans-rally-at-chase-center-as-valkyries-win-their-first-playoff-game-on-sunday\">a reputation in the league for its enthusiasm\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Be sure to also check out KQED’s guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104461/ballhalla-better-be-prepping-where-to-cheer-on-the-valkyries-in-the-wnba-finals\">how to follow the finals and where to watch the game\u003c/a>, including \u003ca href=\"http://google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1yIDpg_Y8ULIO2-IdC2H3wmR9nZeXbl4&femb=1&ll=0%2C0&z=7\">bars in or near the Inner Richmond\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1393\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104689\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab-160x111.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-18-KQED-25fa52ab-1536x1070.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A “This is Boohalla” flag hangs in the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“A huge part of the commentary on the Valkyries now making it to the finals is that nobody saw this coming,” Rossitto said. “But I think, for those of us in the Bay Area, we all saw this coming.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swig and Rossitto recently bought their home together in the summer, and first set up Boohalla in late September. Known among their friends as the couple that goes all out for Halloween, playoffs gave them the chance to combine their two loves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When you step outside, it’s hard to go anywhere in San Francisco without seeing Violet or the logo somewhere,” Rossitto said. “We want to build on that enthusiasm.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Swig saw the installation as “just a manifestation in the real world of all of the pride that we feel.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re very lucky in that we go to a lot of the games, but not everybody does,” Swig said. “And I feel like we see people come here and they’re taking selfies, they’re bringing their kids … it’s just another way for people to celebrate and be connected with other people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Natalie said, ‘Ballhalla is everywhere.’ It doesn’t have to be at Chase Center,” she said. “We’re our little corner here, with Boohalla.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The installation changes with each team the Valkyries take on. When this reporter visited, it was still Aces-themed — the team that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103702/golden-state-valkyries-advance-to-wnba-finals-after-sweeping-las-vegas-aces\">the Valkyries swept during semifinals\u003c/a>. The skeletons are proudly dusting playing cards with a broom.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We did a little bottle service for the skeletons here to celebrate,” Rossitto said. “We have some things rolling out for the Dream very soon.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And with the display come the Valkyries’ fervent fans. Rossitto said that they regularly find people outside their yard, taking pictures and posting on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104690\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104690\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-19-KQED-9b0e7516-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bentley, the 12-year-old Maltese Yorkie mix, stands in “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1349\" data-id=\"12104679\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104679\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-1-KQED-5c659068-1536x1036.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Halle Berry, Golden State Valkyries player Gabby Williams’ cat, part of “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, is exhibited at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104688\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104688\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-17-KQED-9727889f-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A tombstone with WNBA team logos that the Golden State Valkyries have defeated is exhibited at “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104686\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104686\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-15-KQED-2a3306eb-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A skeleton holding queen and ace cards is exhibited at “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Golden State Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is especially a hit among kids on their way to school. Two little girls told Swig that they wanted to be Valkyries for Halloween. A young boy, she said, saw the display and rattled off, by heart, all of the teams in the WNBA league. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s really heartwarming,” Swig said. “This fan base is just so positive, and that really stems from the players, from the leadership, from the team … They really cultivated the entire Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That diversity is reflected in the fans the couple has met. They said that people have stopped by the house traveling from all over the Bay Area — Santa Rosa to the East Bay to the Peninsula. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104680\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_BOOHALLAVALKYRIES_GC-3-KQED-7a709b01-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Violet the raven and Golden State Valkyries mascot, part of “Boohalla,” the Halloween-themed Valkyries display, created by couple Ainsley Rossitto and Sarah Swig, is exhibited at their home in San Francisco on Oct. 15, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“They don’t feel like strangers,” Rossitto said. “You guys are bonded by the same thing, and the fandom, and everybody’s been so friendly … I’d say hundreds of people have come by.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And many of them are hungry for more. The couple has already been asked what they are planning for Christmas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But they are likely capping the installation at the end of October — which is also the last game of the finals, if the Valkyries and Dream tie. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ll be back next year,” Rossitto said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "fall-day-trip-tour-the-north-bays-historic-atmospheric-cemeteries",
"title": "Fall Day Trip: Tour the North Bay's Historic, Atmospheric Cemeteries",
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"headTitle": "Fall Day Trip: Tour the North Bay’s Historic, Atmospheric Cemeteries | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>With fall finally in full swing, you may feel a hankering to lean into the season, embrace the shorter days and seek out the crisper weather and eerie atmosphere that October can bring. Autumn can also be the best time to visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a>, where wine country’s autumn foliage paints the region red and gold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as it turns out, the northern stretches of the Bay Area have a wealth of picturesque historic cemeteries — most open to the public — where you can go to feel the chilly air, honor those who have passed and even gain a new perspective on life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Timothy Maloney, general manager of Santa Rosa Memorial Park, said visiting a cemetery can often be the best way to understand the history of a place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A gravestone at the pet cemetery at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Any time Maloney and his wife take a trip, “we stop at a cemetery — to see not just who’s there, but just to feel the presence of those who have come before,” he said. “Because this \u003cem>is \u003c/em>the history, and we’re the custodians of that history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keep reading for a roundup of the North Bay’s historic cemeteries — and their intriguing backstories — to visit this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>(And remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these historic cemeteries below, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces, and make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends. These spots may be compelling, atmospheric locations, but they’re still the resting places of peoples’ loved ones.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#tours\">Guided cemetery tours around the North Bay this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: If you’re looking for views\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Occupying a vast hillside in Petaluma is \u003ca href=\"https://cypresshillmemorialpark.com/\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park\u003c/a>, a stunning, well-manicured cemetery that also gives visitors a peek above the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056776/san-francisco-bay-area-fall-foliage-near-me-map-colors-clocks-go-back\">North Bay’s rolling multi-colored hills.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nestled among imposing, crow-filled cypress trees are rows of gravesites dating back to 1866. Some of these are typical tombstones while others serve as large monuments to individual families. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101141\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grave sites at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The paths between graves are wide and strollable; many are adorned with flowers or other decorations, and the park has several benches dedicated to the deceased that offer a chance to rest and look at the view.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here you’ll also find a small pet cemetery where you can honor the companions that have passed. Near the top of the cemetery is the most striking view, where you can also find the gravesite of local businessman John McNear and his wife Clara, \u003ca href=\"https://petalumahistorian.com/category/john-a-mcnear/\">for whom he developed Cypress Hill\u003c/a> in 1859 after her death.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: On a hike\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nestled among oak trees in Santa Rosa is its rural cemetery, a city-owned property that spans nearly 16 acres, where you can wind through rustic and historic graves dating all the way back to the 1850s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a great place to go to learn about Santa Rosa’s history, according to Bill Montgomery, retired deputy director of parks for the city. \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1069/History-of-the-Cemetery\">The cemetery originated in 1854,\u003c/a> the same year Santa Rosa was established as the county seat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the property went to ruin during the 1950s, even after the city took it over via \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/eminent_domain\">eminent domain\u003c/a> and tried to restore it. That is, until 1993 — when Montgomery himself was asked to give a tour of the cemetery for a local newspaper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101147\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visitors walk on a path past a headstone at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we walked around and looked at the mess at the time, it was heavily overgrown; many of the tombstones were down,” he said. “[The reporter] asked, ‘Are we gonna do anything with this?’ And I said, ‘Well, the city doesn’t have any money.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Montgomery said he remembers saying that “the only thing we could possibly do is solicit volunteers, so we decided to actually try that out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forty people showed up to the first meeting of what is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1066/Get-Involved\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ever since, the group meets regularly to maintain the cemetery, which attained its historical landmark status from the city in 1997.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103786\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The grave site of Richard and Sallie Fulkerson at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we got the thing together better, people began to see it as a resource — almost as a park — and began to walk through it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery is a popular spot for dog walkers, hikers and runners. Montgomery said the cemetery’s rich history and style — inspired by a New England \u003ca href=\"https://www.gravegeeks.org/post/rediscovering-the-rural-cemetery-movement-america-s-first-parks-and-their-lasting-impact-part-two\">rural cemetery trend\u003c/a> — attracts visitors from all over the Bay Area to what he called its “bucolic” landscape. Its trees, in particular, are a highlight, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it was set aside for the cemetery, it was basically a grass hillside,” he said. “And then as time went by, people planted around graves, birds dropped seeds and acorns, and we’ve got the forest that’s up there now.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some notable tombstones are the 35 people who died in Santa Rosa in the 1906 earthquake, all buried in one area. Also here are Civil War soldiers, early settlers of the area and victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Santa Rosa Memorial Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: To explore local history\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You won’t have far to walk to this next spot, Santa Rosa Memorial Park — it’s next door to the rural cemetery. This privately owned cemetery abuts the public one, so you can continue your hike from rustic hills to bright green lawns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The most famous gravesite here is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ripleys.com/stories/robert-ripley-history\">Robert Ripley from Ripley’s Believe It or Not\u003c/a>! Another honorable mention is \u003ca href=\"https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16312-Biography-12-George-Harrison-Shull-1874-1954-.html\">George Harrison Shull\u003c/a>, the inventor of hybrid corn, which paved the way for modern agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Maloney, the general manager of the cemetery, said it was established in 1885 by the \u003ca href=\"https://odd-fellows.org/\">Independent Order of Odd Fellows\u003c/a>, an international fraternal organization.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not all municipalities had a particular burial ground, and so fraternal orders did so,” he said. “All for the purpose of an honored burial space and a place for people to come and remember.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many generations of families are buried there, as are notable figures in Northern California history — many of whose names you might recognize. “The Todds of Todd Road were hop farmers; they are there,” Maloney said. “The Guerns of Guerneville are there, and on and on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many go to visit the sites of loved ones and honor their passing, it’s also a popular place for anyone to pass through and appreciate the sights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want people to come and experience this place because it’s gorgeous,” Maloney said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bodega Cemetery, Point Reyes Life-Saving Service Cemetery and Olema Cemetery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See them: On a road trip\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you embark on a scenic coastal drive in the North Bay, you’ll have the reward of seeing three small but beautiful historic cemeteries all in one go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Head up Highway 1 to your first stop near Bodega Bay at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stphilipstteresa.org/cemetery.html\">Bodega Calvary Cemetery\u003c/a>. Established in 1860, the small cemetery is set up on a sometimes-foggy hillside overlooking Bodega Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkz9HI75R2c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is famous for its proximity to the St. Teresa of Avila church, whose cameo in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” has long attracted visitors to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One particularly moving detail about this place: The cemetery’s first occupant in 1869 was a 7-year-old boy, and families have chosen to bury \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2019/06/02/sonoma-stories-bodega-marks-150-years-of-its-cemetery-on-the-hill/?clearUserState=true\">several other children there\u003c/a> too over the years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second stop on your journey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-life-saving-service-cemetery.htm\">the U.S. Life-Saving Service Cemetery at Point Reyes National Seashore\u003c/a>, hidden in a knoll of eucalyptus and cypress trees at the north end of Drake’s Estero. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11769096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The graves of the four “surfmen” in Point Reyes at the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery. (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Buried there are several men who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/stories_maritime_lifeboatstation.htm\">died patrolling\u003c/a> the rocky, dangerous shore nearby while looking for shipwrecks and crews to help rescue. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11659308/you-dont-have-to-come-back-life-and-death-in-the-waters-of-point-reyes\">Read more about their story from KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finally, head to Olema Cemetery near the town of Point Reyes Station for a peaceful visit to this small but poignant plot serving the sleepy town of Olema, just outside Point Reyes. Buried here are dairy farmers, artists and \u003ca href=\"https://marinmagazine.com/community/sustainability/olema/\">those of local fame.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=olema+cemetery&rlz=1C1GCEW_enUS1106US1106&oq=Olema+Cemetery&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABiABBiiBDIHCAUQABjvBTIHCAYQABjvBagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#lrd=0x8085c130ad810943:0x704b2ebeb03d4f72,1,,,,\">The singular written Google review\u003c/a> of this place puts it simply: “If I had to be six feet deep in the dirt, this is the place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tours\">Guided cemetery tours in the North Bay\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1080/Tours-Events\">the preservation committee runs regular tours\u003c/a> on the history of the graveyard and city. Mark your 2027 calendars for their extremely popular annual lamplight tour, which takes place in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve been sold out since that started, I believe in 1996,” Montgomery said. “We’re able to get about 400 people through two nights in small groups.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101146\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Many flat marker gravestones are being engulfed by the environment at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also take a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/7920/Santa-Rosa-Rural-Cemetery-Self-Guided-Tour-Brochure?bidId=\">self-guided tour\u003c/a> of the cemetery any time by picking up a brochure at the Franklin or McDonald gates and reading the various interpretive signs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also frequently sold out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tulocaycemetery.org/cemetery-tours\">Tulocay Cemetery\u003c/a> in Napa hosts an annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/event/napa-county-historical-society-announces-the-2026-heritage-halloween-tulocay-cemetery-tour/17743/\">Halloween tour\u003c/a>, this year’s on Oct. 24 from 4-5:30 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour shares the story of the cemetery’s occupants and how they shaped the region’s history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Arts Senior Editor — and lifelong Santa Rosa resident — Gabe Meline contributed reporting to this guide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With fall finally in full swing, you may feel a hankering to lean into the season, embrace the shorter days and seek out the crisper weather and eerie atmosphere that October can bring. Autumn can also be the best time to visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a>, where wine country’s autumn foliage paints the region red and gold. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With fall finally in full swing, you may feel a hankering to lean into the season, embrace the shorter days and seek out the crisper weather and eerie atmosphere that October can bring. Autumn can also be the best time to visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a>, where wine country’s autumn foliage paints the region red and gold. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And as it turns out, the northern stretches of the Bay Area have a wealth of picturesque historic cemeteries — most open to the public — where you can go to feel the chilly air, honor those who have passed and even gain a new perspective on life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And as it turns out, the northern stretches of the Bay Area have a wealth of picturesque historic cemeteries — most open to the public — where you can go to feel the chilly air, honor those who have passed and even gain a new perspective on life. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Timothy Maloney, general manager of Santa Rosa Memorial Park, said visiting a cemetery can often be the best way to understand the history of a place.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Timothy Maloney, general manager of Santa Rosa Memorial Park, said visiting a cemetery can often be the best way to understand the history of a place.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A gravestone at the pet cemetery at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101142\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A gravestone at the pet cemetery at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Any time Maloney and his wife take a trip, “we stop at a cemetery — to see not just who’s there, but just to feel the presence of those who have come before,” he said. “Because this \u003cem>is \u003c/em>the history, and we’re the custodians of that history.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Any time Maloney and his wife take a trip, “we stop at a cemetery — to see not just who’s there, but just to feel the presence of those who have come before,” he said. “Because this \u003cem>is \u003c/em>the history, and we’re the custodians of that history.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep reading for a roundup of the North Bay’s historic cemeteries — and their intriguing backstories — to visit this fall. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>(And remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these historic cemeteries below, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces, and make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends. These spots may be compelling, atmospheric locations, but they’re still the resting places of peoples’ loved ones.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>(And remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these historic cemeteries below, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces, and make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends. These spots may be compelling, atmospheric locations, but they’re still the resting places of peoples’ loved ones.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"Jump straight to: Guided cemetery tours around the North Bay this fall"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#tours\">Guided cemetery tours around the North Bay this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#tours\">Guided cemetery tours around the North Bay this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: If you’re looking for views\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: If you’re looking for views\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Occupying a vast hillside in Petaluma is \u003ca href=\"https://cypresshillmemorialpark.com/\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park\u003c/a>, a stunning, well-manicured cemetery that also gives visitors a peek above the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056776/san-francisco-bay-area-fall-foliage-near-me-map-colors-clocks-go-back\">North Bay’s rolling multi-colored hills.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Occupying a vast hillside in Petaluma is \u003ca href=\"https://cypresshillmemorialpark.com/\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park\u003c/a>, a stunning, well-manicured cemetery that also gives visitors a peek above the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056776/san-francisco-bay-area-fall-foliage-near-me-map-colors-clocks-go-back\">North Bay’s rolling multi-colored hills.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nestled among imposing, crow-filled cypress trees are rows of gravesites dating back to 1866. Some of these are typical tombstones while others serve as large monuments to individual families. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nestled among imposing, crow-filled cypress trees are rows of gravesites dating back to 1866. Some of these are typical tombstones while others serve as large monuments to individual families. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101141\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grave sites at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101141\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grave sites at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The paths between graves are wide and strollable; many are adorned with flowers or other decorations, and the park has several benches dedicated to the deceased that offer a chance to rest and look at the view.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The paths between graves are wide and strollable; many are adorned with flowers or other decorations, and the park has several benches dedicated to the deceased that offer a chance to rest and look at the view.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here you’ll also find a small pet cemetery where you can honor the companions that have passed. Near the top of the cemetery is the most striking view, where you can also find the gravesite of local businessman John McNear and his wife Clara, \u003ca href=\"https://petalumahistorian.com/category/john-a-mcnear/\">for whom he developed Cypress Hill\u003c/a> in 1859 after her death.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Here you’ll also find a small pet cemetery where you can honor the companions that have passed. Near the top of the cemetery is the most striking view, where you can also find the gravesite of local businessman John McNear and his wife Clara, \u003ca href=\"https://petalumahistorian.com/category/john-a-mcnear/\">for whom he developed Cypress Hill\u003c/a> in 1859 after her death.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: On a hike\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: On a hike\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nestled among oak trees in Santa Rosa is its rural cemetery, a city-owned property that spans nearly 16 acres, where you can wind through rustic and historic graves dating all the way back to the 1850s. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nestled among oak trees in Santa Rosa is its rural cemetery, a city-owned property that spans nearly 16 acres, where you can wind through rustic and historic graves dating all the way back to the 1850s. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a great place to go to learn about Santa Rosa’s history, according to Bill Montgomery, retired deputy director of parks for the city. \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1069/History-of-the-Cemetery\">The cemetery originated in 1854,\u003c/a> the same year Santa Rosa was established as the county seat. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the property went to ruin during the 1950s, even after the city took it over via \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/eminent_domain\">eminent domain\u003c/a> and tried to restore it. That is, until 1993 — when Montgomery himself was asked to give a tour of the cemetery for a local newspaper.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101147\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visitors walk on a path past a headstone at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As we walked around and looked at the mess at the time, it was heavily overgrown; many of the tombstones were down,” he said. “[The reporter] asked, ‘Are we gonna do anything with this?’ And I said, ‘Well, the city doesn’t have any money.’”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Montgomery said he remembers saying that “the only thing we could possibly do is solicit volunteers, so we decided to actually try that out.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Forty people showed up to the first meeting of what is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1066/Get-Involved\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Forty people showed up to the first meeting of what is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1066/Get-Involved\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ever since, the group meets regularly to maintain the cemetery, which attained its historical landmark status from the city in 1997.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103786\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The grave site of Richard and Sallie Fulkerson at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103786\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The grave site of Richard and Sallie Fulkerson at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As we got the thing together better, people began to see it as a resource — almost as a park — and began to walk through it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery is a popular spot for dog walkers, hikers and runners. Montgomery said the cemetery’s rich history and style — inspired by a New England \u003ca href=\"https://www.gravegeeks.org/post/rediscovering-the-rural-cemetery-movement-america-s-first-parks-and-their-lasting-impact-part-two\">rural cemetery trend\u003c/a> — attracts visitors from all over the Bay Area to what he called its “bucolic” landscape. Its trees, in particular, are a highlight, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Today, the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery is a popular spot for dog walkers, hikers and runners. Montgomery said the cemetery’s rich history and style — inspired by a New England \u003ca href=\"https://www.gravegeeks.org/post/rediscovering-the-rural-cemetery-movement-america-s-first-parks-and-their-lasting-impact-part-two\">rural cemetery trend\u003c/a> — attracts visitors from all over the Bay Area to what he called its “bucolic” landscape. Its trees, in particular, are a highlight, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it was set aside for the cemetery, it was basically a grass hillside,” he said. “And then as time went by, people planted around graves, birds dropped seeds and acorns, and we’ve got the forest that’s up there now.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When it was set aside for the cemetery, it was basically a grass hillside,” he said. “And then as time went by, people planted around graves, birds dropped seeds and acorns, and we’ve got the forest that’s up there now.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some notable tombstones are the 35 people who died in Santa Rosa in the 1906 earthquake, all buried in one area. Also here are Civil War soldiers, early settlers of the area and victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some notable tombstones are the 35 people who died in Santa Rosa in the 1906 earthquake, all buried in one area. Also here are Civil War soldiers, early settlers of the area and victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: To explore local history\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: To explore local history\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You won’t have far to walk to this next spot, Santa Rosa Memorial Park — it’s next door to the rural cemetery. This privately owned cemetery abuts the public one, so you can continue your hike from rustic hills to bright green lawns.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You won’t have far to walk to this next spot, Santa Rosa Memorial Park — it’s next door to the rural cemetery. This privately owned cemetery abuts the public one, so you can continue your hike from rustic hills to bright green lawns.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The most famous gravesite here is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ripleys.com/stories/robert-ripley-history\">Robert Ripley from Ripley’s Believe It or Not\u003c/a>! Another honorable mention is \u003ca href=\"https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16312-Biography-12-George-Harrison-Shull-1874-1954-.html\">George Harrison Shull\u003c/a>, the inventor of hybrid corn, which paved the way for modern agriculture.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The most famous gravesite here is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ripleys.com/stories/robert-ripley-history\">Robert Ripley from Ripley’s Believe It or Not\u003c/a>! Another honorable mention is \u003ca href=\"https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16312-Biography-12-George-Harrison-Shull-1874-1954-.html\">George Harrison Shull\u003c/a>, the inventor of hybrid corn, which paved the way for modern agriculture.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Maloney, the general manager of the cemetery, said it was established in 1885 by the \u003ca href=\"https://odd-fellows.org/\">Independent Order of Odd Fellows\u003c/a>, an international fraternal organization.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Maloney, the general manager of the cemetery, said it was established in 1885 by the \u003ca href=\"https://odd-fellows.org/\">Independent Order of Odd Fellows\u003c/a>, an international fraternal organization.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Not all municipalities had a particular burial ground, and so fraternal orders did so,” he said. “All for the purpose of an honored burial space and a place for people to come and remember.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Not all municipalities had a particular burial ground, and so fraternal orders did so,” he said. “All for the purpose of an honored burial space and a place for people to come and remember.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many generations of families are buried there, as are notable figures in Northern California history — many of whose names you might recognize. “The Todds of Todd Road were hop farmers; they are there,” Maloney said. “The Guerns of Guerneville are there, and on and on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many generations of families are buried there, as are notable figures in Northern California history — many of whose names you might recognize. “The Todds of Todd Road were hop farmers; they are there,” Maloney said. “The Guerns of Guerneville are there, and on and on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While many go to visit the sites of loved ones and honor their passing, it’s also a popular place for anyone to pass through and appreciate the sights. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While many go to visit the sites of loved ones and honor their passing, it’s also a popular place for anyone to pass through and appreciate the sights. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We want people to come and experience this place because it’s gorgeous,” Maloney said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We want people to come and experience this place because it’s gorgeous,” Maloney said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Bodega Cemetery, Point Reyes Life-Saving Service Cemetery and Olema Cemetery",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bodega Cemetery, Point Reyes Life-Saving Service Cemetery and Olema Cemetery\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See them: On a road trip\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See them: On a road trip\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you embark on a scenic coastal drive in the North Bay, you’ll have the reward of seeing three small but beautiful historic cemeteries all in one go.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you embark on a scenic coastal drive in the North Bay, you’ll have the reward of seeing three small but beautiful historic cemeteries all in one go.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Head up Highway 1 to your first stop near Bodega Bay at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stphilipstteresa.org/cemetery.html\">Bodega Calvary Cemetery\u003c/a>. Established in 1860, the small cemetery is set up on a sometimes-foggy hillside overlooking Bodega Bay. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Head up Highway 1 to your first stop near Bodega Bay at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stphilipstteresa.org/cemetery.html\">Bodega Calvary Cemetery\u003c/a>. Established in 1860, the small cemetery is set up on a sometimes-foggy hillside overlooking Bodega Bay. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It is famous for its proximity to the St. Teresa of Avila church, whose cameo in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” has long attracted visitors to the area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One particularly moving detail about this place: The cemetery’s first occupant in 1869 was a 7-year-old boy, and families have chosen to bury \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2019/06/02/sonoma-stories-bodega-marks-150-years-of-its-cemetery-on-the-hill/?clearUserState=true\">several other children there\u003c/a> too over the years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One particularly moving detail about this place: The cemetery’s first occupant in 1869 was a 7-year-old boy, and families have chosen to bury \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2019/06/02/sonoma-stories-bodega-marks-150-years-of-its-cemetery-on-the-hill/?clearUserState=true\">several other children there\u003c/a> too over the years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The second stop on your journey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-life-saving-service-cemetery.htm\">the U.S. Life-Saving Service Cemetery at Point Reyes National Seashore\u003c/a>, hidden in a knoll of eucalyptus and cypress trees at the north end of Drake’s Estero. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11769096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The graves of the four “surfmen” in Point Reyes at the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11769096\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The graves of the four “surfmen” in Point Reyes at the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Buried there are several men who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/stories_maritime_lifeboatstation.htm\">died patrolling\u003c/a> the rocky, dangerous shore nearby while looking for shipwrecks and crews to help rescue. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11659308/you-dont-have-to-come-back-life-and-death-in-the-waters-of-point-reyes\">Read more about their story from KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Buried there are several men who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/stories_maritime_lifeboatstation.htm\">died patrolling\u003c/a> the rocky, dangerous shore nearby while looking for shipwrecks and crews to help rescue. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11659308/you-dont-have-to-come-back-life-and-death-in-the-waters-of-point-reyes\">Read more about their story from KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Finally, head to Olema Cemetery near the town of Point Reyes Station for a peaceful visit to this small but poignant plot serving the sleepy town of Olema, just outside Point Reyes. Buried here are dairy farmers, artists and \u003ca href=\"https://marinmagazine.com/community/sustainability/olema/\">those of local fame.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Finally, head to Olema Cemetery near the town of Point Reyes Station for a peaceful visit to this small but poignant plot serving the sleepy town of Olema, just outside Point Reyes. Buried here are dairy farmers, artists and \u003ca href=\"https://marinmagazine.com/community/sustainability/olema/\">those of local fame.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=olema+cemetery&rlz=1C1GCEW_enUS1106US1106&oq=Olema+Cemetery&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABiABBiiBDIHCAUQABjvBTIHCAYQABjvBagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#lrd=0x8085c130ad810943:0x704b2ebeb03d4f72,1,,,,\">The singular written Google review\u003c/a> of this place puts it simply: “If I had to be six feet deep in the dirt, this is the place.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=olema+cemetery&rlz=1C1GCEW_enUS1106US1106&oq=Olema+Cemetery&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABiABBiiBDIHCAUQABjvBTIHCAYQABjvBagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#lrd=0x8085c130ad810943:0x704b2ebeb03d4f72,1,,,,\">The singular written Google review\u003c/a> of this place puts it simply: “If I had to be six feet deep in the dirt, this is the place.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Guided cemetery tours in the North Bay",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tours\">Guided cemetery tours in the North Bay\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tours\">Guided cemetery tours in the North Bay\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1080/Tours-Events\">the preservation committee runs regular tours\u003c/a> on the history of the graveyard and city. Mark your 2027 calendars for their extremely popular annual lamplight tour, which takes place in September.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1080/Tours-Events\">the preservation committee runs regular tours\u003c/a> on the history of the graveyard and city. Mark your 2027 calendars for their extremely popular annual lamplight tour, which takes place in September.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve been sold out since that started, I believe in 1996,” Montgomery said. “We’re able to get about 400 people through two nights in small groups.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve been sold out since that started, I believe in 1996,” Montgomery said. “We’re able to get about 400 people through two nights in small groups.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101146\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Many flat marker gravestones are being engulfed by the environment at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101146\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Many flat marker gravestones are being engulfed by the environment at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also take a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/7920/Santa-Rosa-Rural-Cemetery-Self-Guided-Tour-Brochure?bidId=\">self-guided tour\u003c/a> of the cemetery any time by picking up a brochure at the Franklin or McDonald gates and reading the various interpretive signs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You can also take a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/7920/Santa-Rosa-Rural-Cemetery-Self-Guided-Tour-Brochure?bidId=\">self-guided tour\u003c/a> of the cemetery any time by picking up a brochure at the Franklin or McDonald gates and reading the various interpretive signs.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also frequently sold out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tulocaycemetery.org/cemetery-tours\">Tulocay Cemetery\u003c/a> in Napa hosts an annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/event/napa-county-historical-society-announces-the-2026-heritage-halloween-tulocay-cemetery-tour/17743/\">Halloween tour\u003c/a>, this year’s on Oct. 24 from 4-5:30 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour shares the story of the cemetery’s occupants and how they shaped the region’s history. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also frequently sold out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tulocaycemetery.org/cemetery-tours\">Tulocay Cemetery\u003c/a> in Napa hosts an annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/event/napa-county-historical-society-announces-the-2026-heritage-halloween-tulocay-cemetery-tour/17743/\">Halloween tour\u003c/a>, this year’s on Oct. 24 from 4-5:30 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour shares the story of the cemetery’s occupants and how they shaped the region’s history. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Arts Senior Editor — and lifelong Santa Rosa resident — Gabe Meline contributed reporting to this guide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Arts Senior Editor — and lifelong Santa Rosa resident — Gabe Meline contributed reporting to this guide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Storied graves, scenic vistas and fall foliage combine for a stunning autumn day out.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>With fall finally in full swing, you may feel a hankering to lean into the season, embrace the shorter days and seek out the crisper weather and eerie atmosphere that October can bring. Autumn can also be the best time to visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/north-bay\">North Bay\u003c/a>, where wine country’s autumn foliage paints the region red and gold. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And as it turns out, the northern stretches of the Bay Area have a wealth of picturesque historic cemeteries — most open to the public — where you can go to feel the chilly air, honor those who have passed and even gain a new perspective on life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Timothy Maloney, general manager of Santa Rosa Memorial Park, said visiting a cemetery can often be the best way to understand the history of a place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101142\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A gravestone at the pet cemetery at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Any time Maloney and his wife take a trip, “we stop at a cemetery — to see not just who’s there, but just to feel the presence of those who have come before,” he said. “Because this \u003cem>is \u003c/em>the history, and we’re the custodians of that history.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Keep reading for a roundup of the North Bay’s historic cemeteries — and their intriguing backstories — to visit this fall. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>(And remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these historic cemeteries below, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces, and make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends. These spots may be compelling, atmospheric locations, but they’re still the resting places of peoples’ loved ones.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#tours\">Guided cemetery tours around the North Bay this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: If you’re looking for views\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Occupying a vast hillside in Petaluma is \u003ca href=\"https://cypresshillmemorialpark.com/\">Cypress Hill Memorial Park\u003c/a>, a stunning, well-manicured cemetery that also gives visitors a peek above the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056776/san-francisco-bay-area-fall-foliage-near-me-map-colors-clocks-go-back\">North Bay’s rolling multi-colored hills.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nestled among imposing, crow-filled cypress trees are rows of gravesites dating back to 1866. Some of these are typical tombstones while others serve as large monuments to individual families. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101141\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Grave sites at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The paths between graves are wide and strollable; many are adorned with flowers or other decorations, and the park has several benches dedicated to the deceased that offer a chance to rest and look at the view.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here you’ll also find a small pet cemetery where you can honor the companions that have passed. Near the top of the cemetery is the most striking view, where you can also find the gravesite of local businessman John McNear and his wife Clara, \u003ca href=\"https://petalumahistorian.com/category/john-a-mcnear/\">for whom he developed Cypress Hill\u003c/a> in 1859 after her death.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: On a hike\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nestled among oak trees in Santa Rosa is its rural cemetery, a city-owned property that spans nearly 16 acres, where you can wind through rustic and historic graves dating all the way back to the 1850s. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a great place to go to learn about Santa Rosa’s history, according to Bill Montgomery, retired deputy director of parks for the city. \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1069/History-of-the-Cemetery\">The cemetery originated in 1854,\u003c/a> the same year Santa Rosa was established as the county seat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the property went to ruin during the 1950s, even after the city took it over via \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/eminent_domain\">eminent domain\u003c/a> and tried to restore it. That is, until 1993 — when Montgomery himself was asked to give a tour of the cemetery for a local newspaper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101147\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-57-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visitors walk on a path past a headstone at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we walked around and looked at the mess at the time, it was heavily overgrown; many of the tombstones were down,” he said. “[The reporter] asked, ‘Are we gonna do anything with this?’ And I said, ‘Well, the city doesn’t have any money.’”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Montgomery said he remembers saying that “the only thing we could possibly do is solicit volunteers, so we decided to actually try that out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Forty people showed up to the first meeting of what is now the \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1066/Get-Involved\">Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery Preservation Committee\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ever since, the group meets regularly to maintain the cemetery, which attained its historical landmark status from the city in 1997.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103786\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-49_qed-52c3c909-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The grave site of Richard and Sallie Fulkerson at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“As we got the thing together better, people began to see it as a resource — almost as a park — and began to walk through it,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery is a popular spot for dog walkers, hikers and runners. Montgomery said the cemetery’s rich history and style — inspired by a New England \u003ca href=\"https://www.gravegeeks.org/post/rediscovering-the-rural-cemetery-movement-america-s-first-parks-and-their-lasting-impact-part-two\">rural cemetery trend\u003c/a> — attracts visitors from all over the Bay Area to what he called its “bucolic” landscape. Its trees, in particular, are a highlight, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it was set aside for the cemetery, it was basically a grass hillside,” he said. “And then as time went by, people planted around graves, birds dropped seeds and acorns, and we’ve got the forest that’s up there now.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some notable tombstones are the 35 people who died in Santa Rosa in the 1906 earthquake, all buried in one area. Also here are Civil War soldiers, early settlers of the area and victims of the 1918 flu epidemic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Santa Rosa Memorial Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See it: To explore local history\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You won’t have far to walk to this next spot, Santa Rosa Memorial Park — it’s next door to the rural cemetery. This privately owned cemetery abuts the public one, so you can continue your hike from rustic hills to bright green lawns.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The most famous gravesite here is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ripleys.com/stories/robert-ripley-history\">Robert Ripley from Ripley’s Believe It or Not\u003c/a>! Another honorable mention is \u003ca href=\"https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16312-Biography-12-George-Harrison-Shull-1874-1954-.html\">George Harrison Shull\u003c/a>, the inventor of hybrid corn, which paved the way for modern agriculture.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Maloney, the general manager of the cemetery, said it was established in 1885 by the \u003ca href=\"https://odd-fellows.org/\">Independent Order of Odd Fellows\u003c/a>, an international fraternal organization.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not all municipalities had a particular burial ground, and so fraternal orders did so,” he said. “All for the purpose of an honored burial space and a place for people to come and remember.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many generations of families are buried there, as are notable figures in Northern California history — many of whose names you might recognize. “The Todds of Todd Road were hop farmers; they are there,” Maloney said. “The Guerns of Guerneville are there, and on and on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While many go to visit the sites of loved ones and honor their passing, it’s also a popular place for anyone to pass through and appreciate the sights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We want people to come and experience this place because it’s gorgeous,” Maloney said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bodega Cemetery, Point Reyes Life-Saving Service Cemetery and Olema Cemetery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>See them: On a road trip\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you embark on a scenic coastal drive in the North Bay, you’ll have the reward of seeing three small but beautiful historic cemeteries all in one go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Head up Highway 1 to your first stop near Bodega Bay at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stphilipstteresa.org/cemetery.html\">Bodega Calvary Cemetery\u003c/a>. Established in 1860, the small cemetery is set up on a sometimes-foggy hillside overlooking Bodega Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/kkz9HI75R2c'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/kkz9HI75R2c'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is famous for its proximity to the St. Teresa of Avila church, whose cameo in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” has long attracted visitors to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One particularly moving detail about this place: The cemetery’s first occupant in 1869 was a 7-year-old boy, and families have chosen to bury \u003ca href=\"https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2019/06/02/sonoma-stories-bodega-marks-150-years-of-its-cemetery-on-the-hill/?clearUserState=true\">several other children there\u003c/a> too over the years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The second stop on your journey is \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-life-saving-service-cemetery.htm\">the U.S. Life-Saving Service Cemetery at Point Reyes National Seashore\u003c/a>, hidden in a knoll of eucalyptus and cypress trees at the north end of Drake’s Estero. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11769096\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/08/RS30221_DSC_0965-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The graves of the four “surfmen” in Point Reyes at the Historic Life-Saving Station Cemetery. (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Buried there are several men who \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/historyculture/stories_maritime_lifeboatstation.htm\">died patrolling\u003c/a> the rocky, dangerous shore nearby while looking for shipwrecks and crews to help rescue. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11659308/you-dont-have-to-come-back-life-and-death-in-the-waters-of-point-reyes\">Read more about their story from KQED\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finally, head to Olema Cemetery near the town of Point Reyes Station for a peaceful visit to this small but poignant plot serving the sleepy town of Olema, just outside Point Reyes. Buried here are dairy farmers, artists and \u003ca href=\"https://marinmagazine.com/community/sustainability/olema/\">those of local fame.\u003c/a> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?q=olema+cemetery&rlz=1C1GCEW_enUS1106US1106&oq=Olema+Cemetery&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyDQgBEC4YrwEYxwEYgAQyCAgCEAAYFhgeMggIAxAAGBYYHjIKCAQQABiABBiiBDIHCAUQABjvBTIHCAYQABjvBagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#lrd=0x8085c130ad810943:0x704b2ebeb03d4f72,1,,,,\">The singular written Google review\u003c/a> of this place puts it simply: “If I had to be six feet deep in the dirt, this is the place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tours\">Guided cemetery tours in the North Bay\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/1080/Tours-Events\">the preservation committee runs regular tours\u003c/a> on the history of the graveyard and city. Mark your 2027 calendars for their extremely popular annual lamplight tour, which takes place in September.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve been sold out since that started, I believe in 1996,” Montgomery said. “We’re able to get about 400 people through two nights in small groups.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12101146\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/260922-NorthBayCemeteries-NG-44-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Many flat marker gravestones are being engulfed by the environment at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery in Santa Rosa on Sept. 22, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also take a \u003ca href=\"https://www.srcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/7920/Santa-Rosa-Rural-Cemetery-Self-Guided-Tour-Brochure?bidId=\">self-guided tour\u003c/a> of the cemetery any time by picking up a brochure at the Franklin or McDonald gates and reading the various interpretive signs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also frequently sold out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.tulocaycemetery.org/cemetery-tours\">Tulocay Cemetery\u003c/a> in Napa hosts an annual \u003ca href=\"https://www.visitnapavalley.com/event/napa-county-historical-society-announces-the-2026-heritage-halloween-tulocay-cemetery-tour/17743/\">Halloween tour\u003c/a>, this year’s on Oct. 24 from 4-5:30 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour shares the story of the cemetery’s occupants and how they shaped the region’s history. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED Arts Senior Editor — and lifelong Santa Rosa resident — Gabe Meline contributed reporting to this guide.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "tests-your-nerves-at-these-immersive-halloween-attractions-around-the-bay-area",
"title": "Test Your Nerves at These Immersive Halloween Attractions Around the Bay Area",
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"headTitle": "Test Your Nerves at These Immersive Halloween Attractions Around the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>If you ever wanted to test out your chances of being a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_girl\">Final Girl,\u003c/a> the Bay Area’s got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This October boasts a wide array of immersive Halloween experiences for lovers of spooky season, from haunted houses to themed parks to full-on theater productions. (I even personally tested one out for you.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about these events, what to expect and how you can secure tickets ahead of time. Be sure to check out the venue’s bag policy and any health warnings for guests, such as strobe lights or fog. Most venues also have rules on the types of costumes guests can wear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also be sure to keep in mind the number one rule of haunted house etiquette: Never touch the actors! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you prefer your haunts on the calmer side, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102383/historic-haunted-houses-tours-bay-area-san-francisco-bay-area-halloween-winchester-mystery-house-and-more-2026\">KQED’s roundup of tours and events in the Bay’s historic estates\u003c/a> — some of which also host immersive experiences, like the USS Hornet Museum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you \u003cem>really \u003c/em>prefer to keep the horrors at a safe distance, grab tickets to any of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102147/halloween-movies-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-horror-movie-screenings-2026\">these 100+ Halloween movie showings\u003c/a> across the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Terror Vault\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Best known as the Halloween offering by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/trulyca/3157/better-known-as-peaches-christ\">local drag legend Peaches Christ\u003c/a> herself, \u003ca href=\"https://www.terrorvault.com/\">Terror Vault is back at the San Francisco Mint\u003c/a> with an ’80s-slasher story — so expect masked killers, haunted video stores and gym class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For an hour, small groups will embark on a journey through “Hellville” — a series of rooms and corridors across the Mint — following actors in incredibly impressive, detailed sets that they can interact with. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This KQED reporter was able to embark on a preview of Terror Vault, and while no photos and videos were allowed inside, I can attest that each room really felt like I was sneaking through abandoned woods and movie theaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint. (Courtesy Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the type of immersive experience that I always yearned for during a time like Halloween (don’t we all want to safely test if we’d survive a horror movie?). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not a lot breaks the illusion, as long as you and your group are game to play along. I’ll admit, I was \u003cem>so \u003c/em>entranced by the scenery, I was smiling a lot more than screaming — and I don’t exactly have nerves of steel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because I am annoying, I opted for the “no touching” version of the show — meaning I opted not to wear a glow-in-the-dark band that signals to actors that a person is comfortable with being shaken or pushed around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re on the fence, guests who \u003cem>do \u003c/em>put on the band but decide they don’t want that experience anymore in the middle of the show can just take it off and drop it on the floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103765\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint. (Courtesy of Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In my run-through, my fellow group members were jostled and grabbed a bit, but nothing too rough. The downside of not wearing the band: I suspect I was spared from some scares because I opted out (although liquids were involved — and I got splashed, too).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While I’dlike to provide as few spoilers as possible, you should prepare for a lot of stairs, tight spaces and flashing lights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Separate from the main immersive production, Terror Vault contains a bar with drinks and snacks, tarot card reading, drag performances, an escape tomb and a VIP carnival pre-show — all good options to check out while you are waiting for your turn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This production is an adults-only venture and runs through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $69.60.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Black Cat Hotel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkyourstay\">immersive theatrical experience\u003c/a> — remember: not a real hotel! — is around 90 minutes and runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. Groups are kept small, with around 15 people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Performers may touch you during the show, but if you’d rather that does not happen, you can alert the staff at check-in and be given something to wear that indicates this — no explanation required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">according to the website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests ages 16 and up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">reservations\u003c/a> start at $39. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">House of Weird at The Haas-Lilienthal House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">the Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1424\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco. (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The tour is around 45 minutes long, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">lasers, complete darkness, flickering lights and UV light in use\u003c/a>. Also in the house is a ballroom bar and tarot card reading. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Available for guests ages 8 and up, slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fear Overload Scream Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one’s two haunted houses in Newark for the price of one: The Final Descent and the Greyhaven Hospital, both run by \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/attractions/\">Fear Overload Scream Park.\u003c/a> According to the website, it can take around 75 minutes to 2 hours to get through the entire park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91yGCEXicCU\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attractions are \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=a0d0f6a0-9963-42de-a701-d2d1fc98bd93\">operating through Nov. 7\u003c/a> — and on select days next month, there are the “Light Out Fright Nights” where \u003cem>all \u003c/em>lights are turned off, and groups must embark through the houses armed only with one glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These haunted houses are not recommended for those under 12, and anyone under 16 must also be accompanied by an adult over 21.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=7038badf-ca11-4d33-a8d1-b77e708be329\">start at around $28\u003c/a>, but some weekdays can go as low as $20.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sacramento Scream Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Further up north are four attractions that can be experienced \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/attractions/\">in one visit to this spooky Sacramento stop\u003c/a>: The Gator Gulch, the Silverthorn Amusement Park, the Greyhaven Hospital and Homecoming Horror. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also escape rooms available for those who want something a little extra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the website, the park is not recommended for those under 13, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/faq/\">“We don’t tone it down.”\u003c/a> You’ve been warned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sacramento Scream Park runs through Nov. 7, \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=b3f67f93-cffc-4d57-972e-05f1f4bc1e84\">starting around $29.\u003c/a> As with Fear Overload, there are select dates in November where all lights are turned off and navigation must be done by a single glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bernal Scream \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bernal Scream in San José boasts \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/show\">two haunted attractions\u003c/a> this year, a first for the park: The Last Confession and Anxiety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is a production where guests will not be touched. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/safety\">Bernal Scream organizers,\u003c/a> “It is possible in this extreme environment for you to get bumped or touched by accident from actors. However, we make every effort NEVER to touch a guest.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both shows run through Nov. 8, and tickets cost around $35. The Bernal Scream also offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebernalscream/2152976\">two tickets for the price of one\u003c/a>. Children \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/faq\">5 and under are free\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pirates of Emerson\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s better than a haunted house? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">haunted pirate ship,\u003c/a> which you can experience at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Expect four unsettling attractions plus games and live music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">the Pirates of Emerson’s website,\u003c/a> this venue is not recommended for those under 13, on account of it being “an EXTREMELY frightening adventure that may not be suited for those of an impressionable age.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pirates of Emerson builds a haunted pirate ship in the Alameda. (Courtesy of the Alameda County Fairgrounds)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pirates of Emerson does not aim to touch its guests. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">a tongue-in-cheek FAQ\u003c/a>, the website states: “Of course, in the darker areas, something may accidentally bump into you, but our cast members will probably not grab you. You may be grabbed by one of the members of your own group who is too terrified to continue without your help.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">Running until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, tickets start around $48. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nightfall at Fioli Gardens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A good option for those who are a little more squeamish around frights: Fioli Historic House and Gardens. Usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081122/bay-area-book-lovers-we-have-highly-literary-date-or-friend-hang-ideas-for-your-weekend\">an Austenland dream\u003c/a>, Fioli will be turning into \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">Nightfall\u003c/a>, its Halloween celebration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1406\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-1536x1080.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pumpkin installation at Filoli’s Nightfall. (Courtesy of Filoli)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>There are several events within the gardens, such as a Meadow Harvest Party, a historic house with mysteries in each room and a trail featuring 1,000 lit-up jack-o’-lanterns. This event tends to be full of families, with a vibe that’s more pleasingly spooky than scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nightfall runs through Sept. 1. If you want to go, be sure to get tickets quickly, since they tend to be a hot item. Prices \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">start at $55 for adults\u003c/a> and $50 for 15- to 17-year-olds as well as students. It is free for children under 3 and $45 for ages 4 to 14.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SÉANCE \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a fancier night out, try this Halloween magic show inside San Francisco’s Hotel Emblem with cards and mind-reading. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The catch: This event is available for three nights only on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, featuring \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/about\">Mill Valley magician Kevin Blake\u003c/a>. Drinks can be purchased at the hotel’s Obscenity Bar.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests 13 and up, tickets \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/\">start at $65\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv4E-lOrOZE\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">BOO Ball \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the venue’s first Halloween after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991736/oasis-san-francisco-drag-club-reopens-grand-reveal\">a brush with closure last year\u003c/a>, nightclub Oasis in SoMA will transform into \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF69rFld9zQ\">a monster mash\u003c/a> on Oct. 30 and 31. You’ll have no fewer than three themed floors for dancing: Dracula’s Ballroom Disco, Frankenstein’s Groove Lab and Mummy’s Tombstone Terrace. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/princess-halloween-boo-ball-w-jane-dont-1030-tickets-1996063761443\">start around $40\u003c/a>. And since this is a club, it is a 21+ venue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Interested in being one of the beautiful monsters entertaining (slash scaring) partiers? You can try \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKVlJZmgdz/?stkn=ODBmcXpoZmdsb3ly&img_index=1\">volunteering for the BOO Ball.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you ever wanted to test out your chances of being a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_girl\">Final Girl,\u003c/a> the Bay Area’s got you covered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you ever wanted to test out your chances of being a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_girl\">Final Girl,\u003c/a> the Bay Area’s got you covered. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This October boasts a wide array of immersive Halloween experiences for lovers of spooky season, from haunted houses to themed parks to full-on theater productions. (I even personally tested one out for you.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This October boasts a wide array of immersive Halloween experiences for lovers of spooky season, from haunted houses to themed parks to full-on theater productions. (I even personally tested one out for you.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about these events, what to expect and how you can secure tickets ahead of time. Be sure to check out the venue’s bag policy and any health warnings for guests, such as strobe lights or fog. Most venues also have rules on the types of costumes guests can wear.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about these events, what to expect and how you can secure tickets ahead of time. Be sure to check out the venue’s bag policy and any health warnings for guests, such as strobe lights or fog. Most venues also have rules on the types of costumes guests can wear.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also be sure to keep in mind the number one rule of haunted house etiquette: Never touch the actors! \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also be sure to keep in mind the number one rule of haunted house etiquette: Never touch the actors! \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you prefer your haunts on the calmer side, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102383/historic-haunted-houses-tours-bay-area-san-francisco-bay-area-halloween-winchester-mystery-house-and-more-2026\">KQED’s roundup of tours and events in the Bay’s historic estates\u003c/a> — some of which also host immersive experiences, like the USS Hornet Museum. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you prefer your haunts on the calmer side, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102383/historic-haunted-houses-tours-bay-area-san-francisco-bay-area-halloween-winchester-mystery-house-and-more-2026\">KQED’s roundup of tours and events in the Bay’s historic estates\u003c/a> — some of which also host immersive experiences, like the USS Hornet Museum. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you \u003cem>really \u003c/em>prefer to keep the horrors at a safe distance, grab tickets to any of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102147/halloween-movies-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-horror-movie-screenings-2026\">these 100+ Halloween movie showings\u003c/a> across the region.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you \u003cem>really \u003c/em>prefer to keep the horrors at a safe distance, grab tickets to any of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102147/halloween-movies-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-horror-movie-screenings-2026\">these 100+ Halloween movie showings\u003c/a> across the region.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Terror Vault",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Terror Vault\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Terror Vault\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Best known as the Halloween offering by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/trulyca/3157/better-known-as-peaches-christ\">local drag legend Peaches Christ\u003c/a> herself, \u003ca href=\"https://www.terrorvault.com/\">Terror Vault is back at the San Francisco Mint\u003c/a> with an ’80s-slasher story — so expect masked killers, haunted video stores and gym class.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Best known as the Halloween offering by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/trulyca/3157/better-known-as-peaches-christ\">local drag legend Peaches Christ\u003c/a> herself, \u003ca href=\"https://www.terrorvault.com/\">Terror Vault is back at the San Francisco Mint\u003c/a> with an ’80s-slasher story — so expect masked killers, haunted video stores and gym class.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For an hour, small groups will embark on a journey through “Hellville” — a series of rooms and corridors across the Mint — following actors in incredibly impressive, detailed sets that they can interact with. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For an hour, small groups will embark on a journey through “Hellville” — a series of rooms and corridors across the Mint — following actors in incredibly impressive, detailed sets that they can interact with. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This KQED reporter was able to embark on a preview of Terror Vault, and while no photos and videos were allowed inside, I can attest that each room really felt like I was sneaking through abandoned woods and movie theaters. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This KQED reporter was able to embark on a preview of Terror Vault, and while no photos and videos were allowed inside, I can attest that each room really felt like I was sneaking through abandoned woods and movie theaters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103754\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s the type of immersive experience that I always yearned for during a time like Halloween (don’t we all want to safely test if we’d survive a horror movie?). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s the type of immersive experience that I always yearned for during a time like Halloween (don’t we all want to safely test if we’d survive a horror movie?). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Not a lot breaks the illusion, as long as you and your group are game to play along. I’ll admit, I was \u003cem>so \u003c/em>entranced by the scenery, I was smiling a lot more than screaming — and I don’t exactly have nerves of steel. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Not a lot breaks the illusion, as long as you and your group are game to play along. I’ll admit, I was \u003cem>so \u003c/em>entranced by the scenery, I was smiling a lot more than screaming — and I don’t exactly have nerves of steel. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because I am annoying, I opted for the “no touching” version of the show — meaning I opted not to wear a glow-in-the-dark band that signals to actors that a person is comfortable with being shaken or pushed around. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Because I am annoying, I opted for the “no touching” version of the show — meaning I opted not to wear a glow-in-the-dark band that signals to actors that a person is comfortable with being shaken or pushed around. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re on the fence, guests who \u003cem>do \u003c/em>put on the band but decide they don’t want that experience anymore in the middle of the show can just take it off and drop it on the floor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re on the fence, guests who \u003cem>do \u003c/em>put on the band but decide they don’t want that experience anymore in the middle of the show can just take it off and drop it on the floor. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103765\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103765\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In my run-through, my fellow group members were jostled and grabbed a bit, but nothing too rough. The downside of not wearing the band: I suspect I was spared from some scares because I opted out (although liquids were involved — and I got splashed, too).\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In my run-through, my fellow group members were jostled and grabbed a bit, but nothing too rough. The downside of not wearing the band: I suspect I was spared from some scares because I opted out (although liquids were involved — and I got splashed, too).\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While I’dlike to provide as few spoilers as possible, you should prepare for a lot of stairs, tight spaces and flashing lights. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>While I’dlike to provide as few spoilers as possible, you should prepare for a lot of stairs, tight spaces and flashing lights. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Separate from the main immersive production, Terror Vault contains a bar with drinks and snacks, tarot card reading, drag performances, an escape tomb and a VIP carnival pre-show — all good options to check out while you are waiting for your turn. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Separate from the main immersive production, Terror Vault contains a bar with drinks and snacks, tarot card reading, drag performances, an escape tomb and a VIP carnival pre-show — all good options to check out while you are waiting for your turn. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This production is an adults-only venture and runs through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $69.60.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This production is an adults-only venture and runs through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $69.60.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Black Cat Hotel",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkyourstay\">immersive theatrical experience\u003c/a> — remember: not a real hotel! — is around 90 minutes and runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. Groups are kept small, with around 15 people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkyourstay\">immersive theatrical experience\u003c/a> — remember: not a real hotel! — is around 90 minutes and runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. Groups are kept small, with around 15 people.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Performers may touch you during the show, but if you’d rather that does not happen, you can alert the staff at check-in and be given something to wear that indicates this — no explanation required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">according to the website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Performers may touch you during the show, but if you’d rather that does not happen, you can alert the staff at check-in and be given something to wear that indicates this — no explanation required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">according to the website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests ages 16 and up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">reservations\u003c/a> start at $39. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests ages 16 and up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">reservations\u003c/a> start at $39. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "House of Weird at The Haas-Lilienthal House",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">House of Weird at The Haas-Lilienthal House\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">the Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">the Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The tour is around 45 minutes long, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">lasers, complete darkness, flickering lights and UV light in use\u003c/a>. Also in the house is a ballroom bar and tarot card reading. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The tour is around 45 minutes long, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">lasers, complete darkness, flickering lights and UV light in use\u003c/a>. Also in the house is a ballroom bar and tarot card reading. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Available for guests ages 8 and up, slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Available for guests ages 8 and up, slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Fear Overload Scream Park",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This one’s two haunted houses in Newark for the price of one: The Final Descent and the Greyhaven Hospital, both run by \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/attractions/\">Fear Overload Scream Park.\u003c/a> According to the website, it can take around 75 minutes to 2 hours to get through the entire park.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This one’s two haunted houses in Newark for the price of one: The Final Descent and the Greyhaven Hospital, both run by \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/attractions/\">Fear Overload Scream Park.\u003c/a> According to the website, it can take around 75 minutes to 2 hours to get through the entire park.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91yGCEXicCU\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91yGCEXicCU\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The attractions are \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=a0d0f6a0-9963-42de-a701-d2d1fc98bd93\">operating through Nov. 7\u003c/a> — and on select days next month, there are the “Light Out Fright Nights” where \u003cem>all \u003c/em>lights are turned off, and groups must embark through the houses armed only with one glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The attractions are \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=a0d0f6a0-9963-42de-a701-d2d1fc98bd93\">operating through Nov. 7\u003c/a> — and on select days next month, there are the “Light Out Fright Nights” where \u003cem>all \u003c/em>lights are turned off, and groups must embark through the houses armed only with one glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These haunted houses are not recommended for those under 12, and anyone under 16 must also be accompanied by an adult over 21.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These haunted houses are not recommended for those under 12, and anyone under 16 must also be accompanied by an adult over 21.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=7038badf-ca11-4d33-a8d1-b77e708be329\">start at around $28\u003c/a>, but some weekdays can go as low as $20.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=7038badf-ca11-4d33-a8d1-b77e708be329\">start at around $28\u003c/a>, but some weekdays can go as low as $20.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Sacramento Scream Park",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Further up north are four attractions that can be experienced \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/attractions/\">in one visit to this spooky Sacramento stop\u003c/a>: The Gator Gulch, the Silverthorn Amusement Park, the Greyhaven Hospital and Homecoming Horror. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Further up north are four attractions that can be experienced \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/attractions/\">in one visit to this spooky Sacramento stop\u003c/a>: The Gator Gulch, the Silverthorn Amusement Park, the Greyhaven Hospital and Homecoming Horror. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are also escape rooms available for those who want something a little extra. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are also escape rooms available for those who want something a little extra. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the website, the park is not recommended for those under 13, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/faq/\">“We don’t tone it down.”\u003c/a> You’ve been warned.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the website, the park is not recommended for those under 13, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/faq/\">“We don’t tone it down.”\u003c/a> You’ve been warned.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sacramento Scream Park runs through Nov. 7, \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=b3f67f93-cffc-4d57-972e-05f1f4bc1e84\">starting around $29.\u003c/a> As with Fear Overload, there are select dates in November where all lights are turned off and navigation must be done by a single glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sacramento Scream Park runs through Nov. 7, \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=b3f67f93-cffc-4d57-972e-05f1f4bc1e84\">starting around $29.\u003c/a> As with Fear Overload, there are select dates in November where all lights are turned off and navigation must be done by a single glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The Bernal Scream ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bernal Scream \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bernal Scream in San José boasts \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/show\">two haunted attractions\u003c/a> this year, a first for the park: The Last Confession and Anxiety. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Bernal Scream in San José boasts \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/show\">two haunted attractions\u003c/a> this year, a first for the park: The Last Confession and Anxiety. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is a production where guests will not be touched. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/safety\">Bernal Scream organizers,\u003c/a> “It is possible in this extreme environment for you to get bumped or touched by accident from actors. However, we make every effort NEVER to touch a guest.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is a production where guests will not be touched. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/safety\">Bernal Scream organizers,\u003c/a> “It is possible in this extreme environment for you to get bumped or touched by accident from actors. However, we make every effort NEVER to touch a guest.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both shows run through Nov. 8, and tickets cost around $35. The Bernal Scream also offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebernalscream/2152976\">two tickets for the price of one\u003c/a>. Children \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/faq\">5 and under are free\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Both shows run through Nov. 8, and tickets cost around $35. The Bernal Scream also offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebernalscream/2152976\">two tickets for the price of one\u003c/a>. Children \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/faq\">5 and under are free\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Pirates of Emerson ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pirates of Emerson\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s better than a haunted house? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">haunted pirate ship,\u003c/a> which you can experience at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Expect four unsettling attractions plus games and live music. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What’s better than a haunted house? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">haunted pirate ship,\u003c/a> which you can experience at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Expect four unsettling attractions plus games and live music. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">the Pirates of Emerson’s website,\u003c/a> this venue is not recommended for those under 13, on account of it being “an EXTREMELY frightening adventure that may not be suited for those of an impressionable age.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">the Pirates of Emerson’s website,\u003c/a> this venue is not recommended for those under 13, on account of it being “an EXTREMELY frightening adventure that may not be suited for those of an impressionable age.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pirates of Emerson builds a haunted pirate ship in the Alameda.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of the Alameda County Fairgrounds)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103756\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pirates of Emerson builds a haunted pirate ship in the Alameda.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of the Alameda County Fairgrounds)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Pirates of Emerson does not aim to touch its guests. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">a tongue-in-cheek FAQ\u003c/a>, the website states: “Of course, in the darker areas, something may accidentally bump into you, but our cast members will probably not grab you. You may be grabbed by one of the members of your own group who is too terrified to continue without your help.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Pirates of Emerson does not aim to touch its guests. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">a tongue-in-cheek FAQ\u003c/a>, the website states: “Of course, in the darker areas, something may accidentally bump into you, but our cast members will probably not grab you. You may be grabbed by one of the members of your own group who is too terrified to continue without your help.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">Running until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, tickets start around $48. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">Running until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, tickets start around $48. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Nightfall at Fioli Gardens",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nightfall at Fioli Gardens\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A good option for those who are a little more squeamish around frights: Fioli Historic House and Gardens. Usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081122/bay-area-book-lovers-we-have-highly-literary-date-or-friend-hang-ideas-for-your-weekend\">an Austenland dream\u003c/a>, Fioli will be turning into \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">Nightfall\u003c/a>, its Halloween celebration. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A good option for those who are a little more squeamish around frights: Fioli Historic House and Gardens. Usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081122/bay-area-book-lovers-we-have-highly-literary-date-or-friend-hang-ideas-for-your-weekend\">an Austenland dream\u003c/a>, Fioli will be turning into \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">Nightfall\u003c/a>, its Halloween celebration. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-1536x1080.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pumpkin installation at Filoli’s Nightfall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Filoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103759\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pumpkin installation at Filoli’s Nightfall.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Filoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are several events within the gardens, such as a Meadow Harvest Party, a historic house with mysteries in each room and a trail featuring 1,000 lit-up jack-o’-lanterns. This event tends to be full of families, with a vibe that’s more pleasingly spooky than scary.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There are several events within the gardens, such as a Meadow Harvest Party, a historic house with mysteries in each room and a trail featuring 1,000 lit-up jack-o’-lanterns. This event tends to be full of families, with a vibe that’s more pleasingly spooky than scary.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nightfall runs through Sept. 1. If you want to go, be sure to get tickets quickly, since they tend to be a hot item. Prices \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">start at $55 for adults\u003c/a> and $50 for 15- to 17-year-olds as well as students. It is free for children under 3 and $45 for ages 4 to 14.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nightfall runs through Sept. 1. If you want to go, be sure to get tickets quickly, since they tend to be a hot item. Prices \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">start at $55 for adults\u003c/a> and $50 for 15- to 17-year-olds as well as students. It is free for children under 3 and $45 for ages 4 to 14.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For a fancier night out, try this Halloween magic show inside San Francisco’s Hotel Emblem with cards and mind-reading. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For a fancier night out, try this Halloween magic show inside San Francisco’s Hotel Emblem with cards and mind-reading. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The catch: This event is available for three nights only on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, featuring \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/about\">Mill Valley magician Kevin Blake\u003c/a>. Drinks can be purchased at the hotel’s Obscenity Bar.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The catch: This event is available for three nights only on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, featuring \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/about\">Mill Valley magician Kevin Blake\u003c/a>. Drinks can be purchased at the hotel’s Obscenity Bar.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests 13 and up, tickets \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/\">start at $65\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests 13 and up, tickets \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/\">start at $65\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv4E-lOrOZE\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the venue’s first Halloween after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991736/oasis-san-francisco-drag-club-reopens-grand-reveal\">a brush with closure last year\u003c/a>, nightclub Oasis in SoMA will transform into \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF69rFld9zQ\">a monster mash\u003c/a> on Oct. 30 and 31. You’ll have no fewer than three themed floors for dancing: Dracula’s Ballroom Disco, Frankenstein’s Groove Lab and Mummy’s Tombstone Terrace. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the venue’s first Halloween after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991736/oasis-san-francisco-drag-club-reopens-grand-reveal\">a brush with closure last year\u003c/a>, nightclub Oasis in SoMA will transform into \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF69rFld9zQ\">a monster mash\u003c/a> on Oct. 30 and 31. You’ll have no fewer than three themed floors for dancing: Dracula’s Ballroom Disco, Frankenstein’s Groove Lab and Mummy’s Tombstone Terrace. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/princess-halloween-boo-ball-w-jane-dont-1030-tickets-1996063761443\">start around $40\u003c/a>. And since this is a club, it is a 21+ venue. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/princess-halloween-boo-ball-w-jane-dont-1030-tickets-1996063761443\">start around $40\u003c/a>. And since this is a club, it is a 21+ venue. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Interested in being one of the beautiful monsters entertaining (slash scaring) partiers? You can try \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKVlJZmgdz/?stkn=ODBmcXpoZmdsb3ly&img_index=1\">volunteering for the BOO Ball.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Bay Area has plenty of haunted houses, tours and productions that are taking Halloween to the next level this year.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>If you ever wanted to test out your chances of being a \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_girl\">Final Girl,\u003c/a> the Bay Area’s got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This October boasts a wide array of immersive Halloween experiences for lovers of spooky season, from haunted houses to themed parks to full-on theater productions. (I even personally tested one out for you.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about these events, what to expect and how you can secure tickets ahead of time. Be sure to check out the venue’s bag policy and any health warnings for guests, such as strobe lights or fog. Most venues also have rules on the types of costumes guests can wear.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also be sure to keep in mind the number one rule of haunted house etiquette: Never touch the actors! \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you prefer your haunts on the calmer side, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102383/historic-haunted-houses-tours-bay-area-san-francisco-bay-area-halloween-winchester-mystery-house-and-more-2026\">KQED’s roundup of tours and events in the Bay’s historic estates\u003c/a> — some of which also host immersive experiences, like the USS Hornet Museum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you \u003cem>really \u003c/em>prefer to keep the horrors at a safe distance, grab tickets to any of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102147/halloween-movies-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-horror-movie-screenings-2026\">these 100+ Halloween movie showings\u003c/a> across the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Terror Vault\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Best known as the Halloween offering by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/trulyca/3157/better-known-as-peaches-christ\">local drag legend Peaches Christ\u003c/a> herself, \u003ca href=\"https://www.terrorvault.com/\">Terror Vault is back at the San Francisco Mint\u003c/a> with an ’80s-slasher story — so expect masked killers, haunted video stores and gym class.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For an hour, small groups will embark on a journey through “Hellville” — a series of rooms and corridors across the Mint — following actors in incredibly impressive, detailed sets that they can interact with. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This KQED reporter was able to embark on a preview of Terror Vault, and while no photos and videos were allowed inside, I can attest that each room really felt like I was sneaking through abandoned woods and movie theaters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103754\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0003-13a0aecf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint. (Courtesy Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s the type of immersive experience that I always yearned for during a time like Halloween (don’t we all want to safely test if we’d survive a horror movie?). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not a lot breaks the illusion, as long as you and your group are game to play along. I’ll admit, I was \u003cem>so \u003c/em>entranced by the scenery, I was smiling a lot more than screaming — and I don’t exactly have nerves of steel. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because I am annoying, I opted for the “no touching” version of the show — meaning I opted not to wear a glow-in-the-dark band that signals to actors that a person is comfortable with being shaken or pushed around. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re on the fence, guests who \u003cem>do \u003c/em>put on the band but decide they don’t want that experience anymore in the middle of the show can just take it off and drop it on the floor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103765\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20260613_TerrorVaultSlashedMainSet_0008-76bf0ece-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from 2026’s Terror Vault at the San Francisco Mint. (Courtesy of Jenna Gable and Camillo Kearns/Terror Vault)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In my run-through, my fellow group members were jostled and grabbed a bit, but nothing too rough. The downside of not wearing the band: I suspect I was spared from some scares because I opted out (although liquids were involved — and I got splashed, too).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While I’dlike to provide as few spoilers as possible, you should prepare for a lot of stairs, tight spaces and flashing lights. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Separate from the main immersive production, Terror Vault contains a bar with drinks and snacks, tarot card reading, drag performances, an escape tomb and a VIP carnival pre-show — all good options to check out while you are waiting for your turn. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This production is an adults-only venture and runs through Nov. 8. Tickets start at $69.60.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Black Cat Hotel\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkyourstay\">immersive theatrical experience\u003c/a> — remember: not a real hotel! — is around 90 minutes and runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. Groups are kept small, with around 15 people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Performers may touch you during the show, but if you’d rather that does not happen, you can alert the staff at check-in and be given something to wear that indicates this — no explanation required, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">according to the website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests ages 16 and up, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">reservations\u003c/a> start at $39. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">House of Weird at The Haas-Lilienthal House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">the Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1424\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco. (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The tour is around 45 minutes long, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">lasers, complete darkness, flickering lights and UV light in use\u003c/a>. Also in the house is a ballroom bar and tarot card reading. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Available for guests ages 8 and up, slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fear Overload Scream Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one’s two haunted houses in Newark for the price of one: The Final Descent and the Greyhaven Hospital, both run by \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/attractions/\">Fear Overload Scream Park.\u003c/a> According to the website, it can take around 75 minutes to 2 hours to get through the entire park.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/91yGCEXicCU'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/91yGCEXicCU'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attractions are \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=a0d0f6a0-9963-42de-a701-d2d1fc98bd93\">operating through Nov. 7\u003c/a> — and on select days next month, there are the “Light Out Fright Nights” where \u003cem>all \u003c/em>lights are turned off, and groups must embark through the houses armed only with one glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These haunted houses are not recommended for those under 12, and anyone under 16 must also be accompanied by an adult over 21.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://fearoverload.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=7038badf-ca11-4d33-a8d1-b77e708be329\">start at around $28\u003c/a>, but some weekdays can go as low as $20.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sacramento Scream Park\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Further up north are four attractions that can be experienced \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/attractions/\">in one visit to this spooky Sacramento stop\u003c/a>: The Gator Gulch, the Silverthorn Amusement Park, the Greyhaven Hospital and Homecoming Horror. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are also escape rooms available for those who want something a little extra. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the website, the park is not recommended for those under 13, adding that \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/faq/\">“We don’t tone it down.”\u003c/a> You’ve been warned.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sacramento Scream Park runs through Nov. 7, \u003ca href=\"https://screamparkcalifornia.com/buy-tickets/?tx_inline_iframe=%2Fdate-selection&tx_sessionDataId=b3f67f93-cffc-4d57-972e-05f1f4bc1e84\">starting around $29.\u003c/a> As with Fear Overload, there are select dates in November where all lights are turned off and navigation must be done by a single glowstick per group. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Bernal Scream \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bernal Scream in San José boasts \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/show\">two haunted attractions\u003c/a> this year, a first for the park: The Last Confession and Anxiety. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is a production where guests will not be touched. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/safety\">Bernal Scream organizers,\u003c/a> “It is possible in this extreme environment for you to get bumped or touched by accident from actors. However, we make every effort NEVER to touch a guest.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both shows run through Nov. 8, and tickets cost around $35. The Bernal Scream also offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thebernalscream/2152976\">two tickets for the price of one\u003c/a>. Children \u003ca href=\"https://www.thebernalscream.com/faq\">5 and under are free\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pirates of Emerson\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s better than a haunted house? A \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">haunted pirate ship,\u003c/a> which you can experience at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Expect four unsettling attractions plus games and live music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">the Pirates of Emerson’s website,\u003c/a> this venue is not recommended for those under 13, on account of it being “an EXTREMELY frightening adventure that may not be suited for those of an impressionable age.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Pirates-of-Emerson-e3709c99-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pirates of Emerson builds a haunted pirate ship in the Alameda. (Courtesy of the Alameda County Fairgrounds)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pirates of Emerson does not aim to touch its guests. In \u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/faq/\">a tongue-in-cheek FAQ\u003c/a>, the website states: “Of course, in the darker areas, something may accidentally bump into you, but our cast members will probably not grab you. You may be grabbed by one of the members of your own group who is too terrified to continue without your help.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.piratesofemerson.com/\">Running until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, tickets start around $48. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nightfall at Fioli Gardens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A good option for those who are a little more squeamish around frights: Fioli Historic House and Gardens. Usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12081122/bay-area-book-lovers-we-have-highly-literary-date-or-friend-hang-ideas-for-your-weekend\">an Austenland dream\u003c/a>, Fioli will be turning into \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">Nightfall\u003c/a>, its Halloween celebration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1406\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103759\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Filoli-Nightfall-17-05b73518-1536x1080.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A pumpkin installation at Filoli’s Nightfall. (Courtesy of Filoli)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>There are several events within the gardens, such as a Meadow Harvest Party, a historic house with mysteries in each room and a trail featuring 1,000 lit-up jack-o’-lanterns. This event tends to be full of families, with a vibe that’s more pleasingly spooky than scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nightfall runs through Sept. 1. If you want to go, be sure to get tickets quickly, since they tend to be a hot item. Prices \u003ca href=\"https://filoli.org/whats-on/events/nightfall/\">start at $55 for adults\u003c/a> and $50 for 15- to 17-year-olds as well as students. It is free for children under 3 and $45 for ages 4 to 14.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SÉANCE \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For a fancier night out, try this Halloween magic show inside San Francisco’s Hotel Emblem with cards and mind-reading. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The catch: This event is available for three nights only on Oct. 28, 29 and 30, featuring \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/about\">Mill Valley magician Kevin Blake\u003c/a>. Drinks can be purchased at the hotel’s Obscenity Bar.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Appropriate for guests 13 and up, tickets \u003ca href=\"https://cardtablesf.com/\">start at $65\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/gv4E-lOrOZE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/gv4E-lOrOZE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">BOO Ball \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the venue’s first Halloween after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13991736/oasis-san-francisco-drag-club-reopens-grand-reveal\">a brush with closure last year\u003c/a>, nightclub Oasis in SoMA will transform into \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF69rFld9zQ\">a monster mash\u003c/a> on Oct. 30 and 31. You’ll have no fewer than three themed floors for dancing: Dracula’s Ballroom Disco, Frankenstein’s Groove Lab and Mummy’s Tombstone Terrace. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/princess-halloween-boo-ball-w-jane-dont-1030-tickets-1996063761443\">start around $40\u003c/a>. And since this is a club, it is a 21+ venue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Interested in being one of the beautiful monsters entertaining (slash scaring) partiers? You can try \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKVlJZmgdz/?stkn=ODBmcXpoZmdsb3ly&img_index=1\">volunteering for the BOO Ball.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "50-years-on-anne-rices-interview-with-the-vampire-remains-immortal-in-san-francisco",
"title": "50 Years on, Anne Rice’s ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Remains Immortal in San Francisco",
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"headTitle": "50 Years on, Anne Rice’s ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Remains Immortal in San Francisco | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>It took a few years for Anne Rice and her family to realize that, after a shaky start, her 1976 debut novel “Interview with the Vampire” was striking a chord. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it makes sense that it happened in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a city she had called home for years — when several young, elegant men waltzed into one of her book signings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As her son, the author Christopher Rice, told KQED, the men were decked in 18th-century waistcoats, their long hair tied off in a ribbon. They were, in short, dressed as the main characters of Rice’s said shaky debut novel: Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the men posed for pictures with a flustered Rice, the author saw personally, for the first time, that the novel Christopher said she’d regarded as “this black spot on her career” was finally finding its home: with the queer community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1304\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103573\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce-1536x1001.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Authors Christopher Rice (left) and Anne Rice sign copies of their books “The Heavens Rise” and “The Wolves Of Midwinter,” respectively, at Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove on Nov. 2, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. (Amanda Edwards/WireImage via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over time this underground audience discovered the book, discovered how transgressive it was, how rule-breaking it was,” Christopher said. “And all of that really did happen in San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” marks its 50th anniversary this year, and Christopher details \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/books/review/anne-rice-interview-with-the-vampire-50th-anniversary.html\">this very anecdote\u003c/a> in his afterword to \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/InterviewWithTheVampire50th.html\">a new semicentennial reissue\u003c/a> of the novel by Penguin Random House. (His behind-the-scenes nugget that didn’t make the final print edition: how Rice and his aunt “just went bananas over how attractive these guys were.”)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The novel chronicles the tumultuous life and relationship between Louis and the man who turned both him and their companion Claudia into vampires: Lestat. And despite initial mixed reviews, the book and its subsequent sequels making up the “Vampire Chronicles” series have, over the decades, become a bona fide gothic classic — further popularizing the idea of the vampire as a tortured protagonist. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rice also wrote the screenplay for the 1994 film adaptation of “Interview With the Vampire” starring Brad Pitt, a young Kirsten Dunst and, most notoriously, \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-21-ca-41119-story.html\">Tom Cruise\u003c/a>. Then, in the 2020s, the series was introduced to a new generation of fans through the television show adaptation on AMC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q662gCwpKfI\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that the story’s pivotal framing device — the titular interview between Louis and a young journalist — takes place in a San Francisco Victorian on Divisadero Street, New Orleans has understandably pulled rank as the “home” of “Interview with the Vampire.” Not only is the Louisiana city a recurring setting in the books, but it’s also where Rice herself was born and raised and where, after finally finding her success as a writer, she lived in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOM3-YpkQKa/?img_index=3\">a gorgeous historic home\u003c/a> for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s also where she rests in a family mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery, where \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/COL.html\">her memorial\u003c/a>, attended by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/anne-rice-vampire-memorial-documentary/article_36ac316f-b1e8-4e58-8309-bfaa8024e537.html\">over a thousand people\u003c/a>, was held. And New Orleans has now become a central gathering point for fervent Rice fans, where they regularly \u003ca href=\"https://vamplestat.com/\">hold a Vampire’s Ball\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But according to Christopher, his mother’s most famous series of novels “don’t just have a San Francisco connection.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They have a San Francisco foundation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Rebellion against that darkness’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rice first lived here as a University of San Francisco student, and moved back to the city in the early 60s with Stan, the high-school sweetheart who’d become her husband. They were both \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CKIMtBEpAjp/?vrfl=b3Awc3d2eGN3bjd3\">in their early twenties\u003c/a>, and they were in the midst of the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even though the Rices were more observers than participants — “in the middle of Haight-Ashbury in the 60s, I was typing away while everybody around me was dropping acid and smoking grass,” Rice told \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130524225924/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/books/other-incarnations-of-the-vampire-author.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1988 — the ethos of the city is firmly reflected in the “Interview With the Vampire” series. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I like to say the young men who probably inspired Louis and Lestat were people she saw on the streets of the Haight-Ashbury or the Castro District,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 50th Anniversary Edition of the Anne Rice novel, “Interview with the Vampire” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The hints of the idea of “letting your freak flag fly,” Christopher said, are there from the first book. But it really crescendos in the second book of the “Vampire Chronicles” series, 1985’s “The Vampire Lestat,” in which the raucous Lestat holds an earth-shattering rock concert (for vampires!) in none other than Daly City’s own Cow Palace. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In contrast to the Bay Area, New Orleans is Rice’s setting for “the old vampire world,” Christopher said. But “when on the contemporary stage, [Lestat] says, ‘Vampires should come out, come out wherever you are, and be counted among all the great diversity of the human world.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s the city by the Bay, baby,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Rice family lived around the Bay Area for over two decades. “In California, almost all of us have an acquired lifestyle: We came here to have it,” she said in a 2014 interview with \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">\u003cem>The California Sunday Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“To be a writer, to be a bohemian, to put our art and our liberal ideas before, say, pleasing our cousins.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After giving birth to Christopher in Berkeley, the Rices moved back across the bay into a Castro District home at 3887 17th Street — a place Christopher said he “loved growing up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103577\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Victorian home located on 503 Divisadero St., which inspired Anne Rice’s novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A key setting from “Interview With the Vampire” is just a 30-minute walk from the house: The Victorian home on 503 Divisadero Street, where Rice set the titular interview. Rice said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoSb8H3znfI\">2011\u003c/a> that she came across the house — which is now painted a deep, dark blue — when her professor husband was being interviewed for a radio show nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s where I got the idea of a boy-interviewer,” she said. “Little things like that spark short stories, novels.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But tragedy in the city was in full force: In the Castro, Christopher said, the Rice family was “living at ground zero” during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Neighbors were dying. There were lines out of pharmacies, he said, and shuttered storefronts with signs reading “Closed due to illness.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I do believe that, in some part, the rock star energy of \u003cem>The Vampire Lestat\u003c/em> was about a rebellion against that darkness,” Christopher said. “It was this attempt to have queerness rise up and put on a leather jacket and sing to the masses, to push back all the death.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The family was still suffering with a personal loss of their own, too. In 1972, the couple’s daughter Michele had died of leukemia at the age of 5 — before Christopher was born.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"instagram-no-caption-wrapper\" style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 540px; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center;\">\n \u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CixSBcULxR8/embed/?captioned=0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"720\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowtransparency=\"true\" style=\"border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; border-radius: 12px; box-shadow: 0 1px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Christopher said he learned about Michele by accident in school. Over the course of his life, he got to learn about his sister from his parents, about her “otherworldly endurance” and her “zen brilliance.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it was easy for them to be living at the ground zero of another epidemic that was about the blood,” Christopher said. “It was incredibly influential on [Rice].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the years after Michele’s death, Rice returned to an old short story and expanded it in just five weeks into what became “Interview with the Vampire,” written in her \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">North Berkeley garden apartment.\u003c/a> This version further developed the character of a surrogate daughter for Lestat and Louis, Claudia — turned into a vampire at age five and forever a child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>”I never noticed when I was writing,” Rice said in \u003cem>The New York Times \u003c/em>interview. ”It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t connect Claudia with my daughter at the time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The vampire is an outsider’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” represented a “paradigm shift in how we look at monsters in ourselves,” said author Eric Shaw Quinn, Rice’s friend who helps oversee the estate with Christopher. “And our own persecution of ourselves, and of monsters in our culture.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was there at the beginning of \u003cem>Interview with a Vampire\u003c/em>, and it was such an inspirational moment in my life,” Quinn said. “We’re all inspired by the San Francisco philosophy of it — or the Anne philosophy of it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Being you is exactly what you should do; you are exactly as you should be,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1964\" height=\"1304\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103640\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg 1964w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1964px) 100vw, 1964px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anne Rice on Aug. 15, 1995. (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The vampire is an outsider,” Rice herself \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20260408070054/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anne-rice-on-sparkly-vampires-twilight-true-blood-and-werewolves/\">told the Daily Beast in 2011\u003c/a>. “He’s the perfect metaphor for those things.” And Rice’s exploration of the outsider figure has resonated with its queer fanbase over half a century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the book may have initially been received as a gay allegory, it is now widely understood to be “a full-on queer narrative,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The audience that made the “Vampire Chronicles” into what Christopher called “underground hits” was “largely made up of queer people,” he said. “They were the people who saw the passionate, romantic connection between Louis and Lestat and their determination to raise a child.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This narrative heavily imprinted on many fans at an early age. Like Grey Starr of Oakland, who first encountered Rice’s work after watching the 1994 film adaptation when she was young. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve always been queer, so I could always suss that out as a kid,” Starr said. “I read the books when I was way too young … I used to go to school wearing a shirt that said, ‘Red Beans, Anne Rice.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1287\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-1536x988.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kirsten Dunst in a scene from the film “Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” 1994. (Warner Brothers/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The sensuality of that book really got me at a young age, because this was right around the time that I’m hitting puberty, I’m discovering kind of my own sexuality,” San Francisco drag performer Piranha Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a kid visiting the city, Psychotronica remembered being excited to pass Castro Street, because the “Vampire Chronicles” series featured a vampire bar — called Dracula’s Daughter — in the area. “Not realizing really at that time that it’s \u003cem>also \u003c/em>where all the gays were and where I eventually would be,” she said with a laugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The series also explored gender identity. Rice herself told an interviewer \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anne-rice-feel-like-im-gay_n_585d33cae4b0d9a59457fc44\">in a 2016 interview\u003c/a> that it was “very hard for me to remember that I have a gender.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I grew up in the 90s, when you’d see trans folks in media, oftentimes it would be trashy talk shows where they were the butt of the joke, and described as mentally ill,” said Psychotronica, who is a trans woman. But the language of gender in Rice’s books rang true to her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That was one of the biggest things that made me a lifelong fan of her writing,” she said. “Because it was the first door that I felt opened to me to any kind of self-discovery.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many Bay Area fans, the series’ inherent queerness has made a huge impact not just on their lives, but their art too. Psychotronica credits what she called the “sensuality and decadence” of Rice’s writing as one of the major reasons she began performing onstage. “I want to channel rock star Lestat when I’m on stage,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Psychotronica learned of the series through her mother, who she described as an Anne Rice superfan — similar to Starr’s mother, a “cool goth mom” who is part of her band, Pretty Frankenstein. In fact, that intergenerational nature of Rice’s fanbase is a recurring theme among Bay Area fans and even reminiscent of the writer’s bond with her son Christopher as he became an author in his own right. (Check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/9605/anne-and-christopher-rice-fall-in-love-with-this-mother-son-author-team\">this delightful 2013 KQED interview\u003c/a> that asks the pair which of their gay fanbases would win in a fight.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal that this media has essentially shaped our lives in such an amazing way,” Starr said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A home to androgynous pansexual ancient vampires’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Psychotronica is just one of the acts in Starr’s forthcoming “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show in Oakland, right before Halloween. (Starr hosted past themed drag nights as Lumpia Anne Rice.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another of the performers slated for that night is Sacramento’s Alexa Gerrity — a cosplaying burlesque act who’ll be performing as Louis. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gerrity counts herself as a newer fan of the “Vampire Chronicles”’ thanks to her best friend Desrea Sabo — a Rice fan who described cutting their own bangs as a kid “because I thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIm8HfwnmVE\">they would grow back like Claudia’s\u003c/a>” — introducing them to the AMC television series.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103580\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L-R): Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian seen onstage at the AMC Networks media presentation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire” during the 2024 TCA Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Feb. 6, 2024, in Pasadena, California. (JC Olivera/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>What inspired Gerrity about the series was a major change it makes from the books in the casting of Louis and Claudia, portrayed variously by Black actors Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles and Bailey Bass. Along with a shift in time period and a more overt portrayal of sexuality, the show reimagined Louis not as the white plantation owner of the books but as a Black brothel owner in 1900s New Orleans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As a Black woman, it just really hit a lot harder … him coming to terms with who he is as a person,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The queer experience, trying to see how he feels coming to terms with his sexuality … those are things that I can relate to growing up as a Black woman who grew up in the South as well and coming out to my family, to my friends,” Gerrity said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to Black characters in the gothic romance genre, “sometimes it’s looked at as weird, or we’re excluded from those spaces,” she said. “So to see us be embraced so wholly, and in these beautiful vibrant colors and scenes and imagery — it was just incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, Gerrity and Sabo regularly cosplay together as Louis and Lestat at fan conventions — not unlike those readers who entered Rice’s San Francisco book signing all those decades ago. “It’s beautiful to be able to cosplay such a dynamic duo,” Garrity said. “Being able to be covered in blood with my best friend — I’m never going to be upset.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Sabo, who was born and raised in San Francisco, Rice’s work has only strengthened their connection to their home. “As a kid who has always — and still hopes — to be turned into a vampire someday, being able to walk down the street and see those locations, it made the fantasy so much more deep and real for me,” Sabo said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment echoed by Psychotronica — a way of seeing this city, with its rolling fog and Victorian houses looming over its steep streets, in all its gothic splendor. “I can totally see how San Francisco would be such an attractive home to these androgynous pansexual ancient vampires,” Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think [Rice] loving it so much was one of the things that really made me fall in love with the city. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To mark “Interview with the Vampire”’s 50th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of vampiric affairs across the Bay Area, including elegant masquerades, fashion shows, raves and drag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earth Gala’s Vampire Ball at Verdi Club\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday, Oct. 9, at the Verdi Club in San Francisco, there will be \u003ca href=\"https://partiful.com/e/ow96u5LIkuJMIeEndMi4\">a vampire ball and fashion walkway\u003c/a> centered on “eco-couture,” where the winner can receive a $1000 cash prize. The gala is serving as a fundraiser for the Amazon rainforest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earth-galas-vampire-ball-halloween-costume-ball-in-san-francisco-tickets-1999189409340?aff=oddtdtcreator\">General admission \u003c/a>costs around $108, but late entry after 10 p.m. is around $40.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CAVE RAVE: CLAWZ – VAMPIRE RAVE at The Foundry\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This rave on Friday, Oct. 9 at The Foundry in San Francisco starts at 10 p.m. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cave-rave-clawz-vampire-rave-tickets-2001031409813?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">can be found online\u003c/a> and are around $20.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBhKbF2xMA\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">International Vampire Fest at The Balboa Theater\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Balboa Theater in San Francisco, there’ll be a series of vampiric movies playing all day long from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/international-vampire-film-fest\">Individual tickets \u003c/a>are around $15. A full day pass is $30. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Particularly exciting for this reporter: two of her favorite movies of all time are part of the international lineup: Sweden’s “Let the Right One In” (2008) and Iran’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”\u003cem> \u003c/em>(2014).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you aren’t able to make it that day, the following day in Richmond there’s a free \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd_nZm_OvZ1/?stkn=Y3ozeHRnOXllaTVh\">screening of “Fright Night”(1985) in 16 mm\u003c/a> at The Planetarium venue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vampire’s Ball at SP2 Communal Bar\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at SP2 Communal Bar in San José, there’s a vampire’s ball with a best-dressed contest. It is free to enter before 10:30 p.m. and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-ball-tickets-2002597411767?aff=ebdssbcategorybrowse\">$12.51 afterward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Théâtre des Vampires Drag Show at The Thee Stork Club\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Oct. 29 at Thee Stork Club in Oakland, there’s an “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show featuring \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XR0RM128haG3D0EyeNKvH\">music from the television show’s third season\u003c/a>, “The Vampire Lestat,” by Pretty Frankenstein. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://wl.eventim.us/event/the-vampire-lestat-drag-show/695682?afflky=TheeStorkClub\">are available online for $12 and at the door for $15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helena’s Masquerade at QBar\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not quite vampire-themed but very important for any emo kid, t\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKJiM9Njr8\">he broken, the beaten and the damned\u003c/a>: On Thursday, Oct. 29 at San Francisco’s QBar, you’ll find a Hot Topic-filled dance night of My Chemical Romance, Evanescence and Paramore. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/helenas-masquerade-emo-night-halloween-party-in-the-castro-tickets-1998505545886?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> range from around $7 to $14.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Halloween Vampire Tour of San Francisco\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 31 in San Francisco, a six-stop tour with \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Harker\">Mina Harker\u003c/a> throughout the Nob Hill Neighborhood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-halloween-vampire-tour-of-san-francisco-tickets-2001672663821?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are around $40.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula Kiss” at Coqueta\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Oct. 31 at Coqueta in San Francisco, there’s an immersive production of the play “Dracula Kiss.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dracula-kiss-tickets-2002563537448?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $44.52.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Black Cat Hotel at The Palace Theater\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This immersive theatrical experience runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">Reservations \u003c/a>start at $39. (Keep in mind, this is not a real hotel!)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout October, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents a stage production of “Dracula\u003cem>” \u003c/em>at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/dracula/\">start around $44\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Le Bal Des Vampires at Alameda Elks Lodge\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Nov. 7 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/alameda-elks-lodge-1015-at-2255-santa-clara-avenue-alameda-ca/le-bal-des-vampires/1959917641345476/\">the Alameda Elks Lodge\u003c/a>, there’s a vampire affair in an elegant ballroom featuring music throughout the centuries: 18th-century Baroque contredanses, 19th-century Victorian rotary and Viennese waltzes, 20th-century tangos, blues and rock and roll. \u003ca href=\"https://www.peersdance.org/vamps2026.html\">Tickets \u003c/a>are around $50.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It took a few years for Anne Rice and her family to realize that, after a shaky start, her 1976 debut novel “Interview with the Vampire” was striking a chord. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But it makes sense that it happened in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a city she had called home for years — when several young, elegant men waltzed into one of her book signings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As her son, the author Christopher Rice, told KQED, the men were decked in 18th-century waistcoats, their long hair tied off in a ribbon. They were, in short, dressed as the main characters of Rice’s said shaky debut novel: Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As her son, the author Christopher Rice, told KQED, the men were decked in 18th-century waistcoats, their long hair tied off in a ribbon. They were, in short, dressed as the main characters of Rice’s said shaky debut novel: Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As the men posed for pictures with a flustered Rice, the author saw personally, for the first time, that the novel Christopher said she’d regarded as “this black spot on her career” was finally finding its home: with the queer community. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As the men posed for pictures with a flustered Rice, the author saw personally, for the first time, that the novel Christopher said she’d regarded as “this black spot on her career” was finally finding its home: with the queer community. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103573\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Authors Christopher Rice (left) and Anne Rice sign copies of their books “The Heavens Rise” and “The Wolves Of Midwinter,” respectively, at Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove on Nov. 2, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Amanda Edwards/WireImage via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Over time this underground audience discovered the book, discovered how transgressive it was, how rule-breaking it was,” Christopher said. “And all of that really did happen in San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” marks its 50th anniversary this year, and Christopher details \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/books/review/anne-rice-interview-with-the-vampire-50th-anniversary.html\">this very anecdote\u003c/a> in his afterword to \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/InterviewWithTheVampire50th.html\">a new semicentennial reissue\u003c/a> of the novel by Penguin Random House. (His behind-the-scenes nugget that didn’t make the final print edition: how Rice and his aunt “just went bananas over how attractive these guys were.”)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” marks its 50th anniversary this year, and Christopher details \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/books/review/anne-rice-interview-with-the-vampire-50th-anniversary.html\">this very anecdote\u003c/a> in his afterword to \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/InterviewWithTheVampire50th.html\">a new semicentennial reissue\u003c/a> of the novel by Penguin Random House. (His behind-the-scenes nugget that didn’t make the final print edition: how Rice and his aunt “just went bananas over how attractive these guys were.”)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The novel chronicles the tumultuous life and relationship between Louis and the man who turned both him and their companion Claudia into vampires: Lestat. And despite initial mixed reviews, the book and its subsequent sequels making up the “Vampire Chronicles” series have, over the decades, become a bona fide gothic classic — further popularizing the idea of the vampire as a tortured protagonist. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The novel chronicles the tumultuous life and relationship between Louis and the man who turned both him and their companion Claudia into vampires: Lestat. And despite initial mixed reviews, the book and its subsequent sequels making up the “Vampire Chronicles” series have, over the decades, become a bona fide gothic classic — further popularizing the idea of the vampire as a tortured protagonist. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rice also wrote the screenplay for the 1994 film adaptation of “Interview With the Vampire” starring Brad Pitt, a young Kirsten Dunst and, most notoriously, \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-21-ca-41119-story.html\">Tom Cruise\u003c/a>. Then, in the 2020s, the series was introduced to a new generation of fans through the television show adaptation on AMC.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that the story’s pivotal framing device — the titular interview between Louis and a young journalist — takes place in a San Francisco Victorian on Divisadero Street, New Orleans has understandably pulled rank as the “home” of “Interview with the Vampire.” Not only is the Louisiana city a recurring setting in the books, but it’s also where Rice herself was born and raised and where, after finally finding her success as a writer, she lived in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOM3-YpkQKa/?img_index=3\">a gorgeous historic home\u003c/a> for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that the story’s pivotal framing device — the titular interview between Louis and a young journalist — takes place in a San Francisco Victorian on Divisadero Street, New Orleans has understandably pulled rank as the “home” of “Interview with the Vampire.” Not only is the Louisiana city a recurring setting in the books, but it’s also where Rice herself was born and raised and where, after finally finding her success as a writer, she lived in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOM3-YpkQKa/?img_index=3\">a gorgeous historic home\u003c/a> for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s also where she rests in a family mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery, where \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/COL.html\">her memorial\u003c/a>, attended by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/anne-rice-vampire-memorial-documentary/article_36ac316f-b1e8-4e58-8309-bfaa8024e537.html\">over a thousand people\u003c/a>, was held. And New Orleans has now become a central gathering point for fervent Rice fans, where they regularly \u003ca href=\"https://vamplestat.com/\">hold a Vampire’s Ball\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s also where she rests in a family mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery, where \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/COL.html\">her memorial\u003c/a>, attended by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/anne-rice-vampire-memorial-documentary/article_36ac316f-b1e8-4e58-8309-bfaa8024e537.html\">over a thousand people\u003c/a>, was held. And New Orleans has now become a central gathering point for fervent Rice fans, where they regularly \u003ca href=\"https://vamplestat.com/\">hold a Vampire’s Ball\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But according to Christopher, his mother’s most famous series of novels “don’t just have a San Francisco connection.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘Rebellion against that darkness’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rice first lived here as a University of San Francisco student, and moved back to the city in the early 60s with Stan, the high-school sweetheart who’d become her husband. They were both \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CKIMtBEpAjp/?vrfl=b3Awc3d2eGN3bjd3\">in their early twenties\u003c/a>, and they were in the midst of the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rice first lived here as a University of San Francisco student, and moved back to the city in the early 60s with Stan, the high-school sweetheart who’d become her husband. They were both \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CKIMtBEpAjp/?vrfl=b3Awc3d2eGN3bjd3\">in their early twenties\u003c/a>, and they were in the midst of the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But even though the Rices were more observers than participants — “in the middle of Haight-Ashbury in the 60s, I was typing away while everybody around me was dropping acid and smoking grass,” Rice told \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130524225924/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/books/other-incarnations-of-the-vampire-author.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1988 — the ethos of the city is firmly reflected in the “Interview With the Vampire” series. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But even though the Rices were more observers than participants — “in the middle of Haight-Ashbury in the 60s, I was typing away while everybody around me was dropping acid and smoking grass,” Rice told \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130524225924/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/books/other-incarnations-of-the-vampire-author.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1988 — the ethos of the city is firmly reflected in the “Interview With the Vampire” series. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I like to say the young men who probably inspired Louis and Lestat were people she saw on the streets of the Haight-Ashbury or the Castro District,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 50th Anniversary Edition of the Anne Rice novel, “Interview with the Vampire” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103570\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 50th Anniversary Edition of the Anne Rice novel, “Interview with the Vampire” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The hints of the idea of “letting your freak flag fly,” Christopher said, are there from the first book. But it really crescendos in the second book of the “Vampire Chronicles” series, 1985’s “The Vampire Lestat,” in which the raucous Lestat holds an earth-shattering rock concert (for vampires!) in none other than Daly City’s own Cow Palace. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The hints of the idea of “letting your freak flag fly,” Christopher said, are there from the first book. But it really crescendos in the second book of the “Vampire Chronicles” series, 1985’s “The Vampire Lestat,” in which the raucous Lestat holds an earth-shattering rock concert (for vampires!) in none other than Daly City’s own Cow Palace. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In contrast to the Bay Area, New Orleans is Rice’s setting for “the old vampire world,” Christopher said. But “when on the contemporary stage, [Lestat] says, ‘Vampires should come out, come out wherever you are, and be counted among all the great diversity of the human world.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In contrast to the Bay Area, New Orleans is Rice’s setting for “the old vampire world,” Christopher said. But “when on the contemporary stage, [Lestat] says, ‘Vampires should come out, come out wherever you are, and be counted among all the great diversity of the human world.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s the city by the Bay, baby,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Rice family lived around the Bay Area for over two decades. “In California, almost all of us have an acquired lifestyle: We came here to have it,” she said in a 2014 interview with \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">\u003cem>The California Sunday Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“To be a writer, to be a bohemian, to put our art and our liberal ideas before, say, pleasing our cousins.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Rice family lived around the Bay Area for over two decades. “In California, almost all of us have an acquired lifestyle: We came here to have it,” she said in a 2014 interview with \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">\u003cem>The California Sunday Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“To be a writer, to be a bohemian, to put our art and our liberal ideas before, say, pleasing our cousins.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After giving birth to Christopher in Berkeley, the Rices moved back across the bay into a Castro District home at 3887 17th Street — a place Christopher said he “loved growing up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After giving birth to Christopher in Berkeley, the Rices moved back across the bay into a Castro District home at 3887 17th Street — a place Christopher said he “loved growing up.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103577\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Victorian home located on 503 Divisadero St., which inspired Anne Rice’s novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103577\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Victorian home located on 503 Divisadero St., which inspired Anne Rice’s novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A key setting from “Interview With the Vampire” is just a 30-minute walk from the house: The Victorian home on 503 Divisadero Street, where Rice set the titular interview. Rice said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoSb8H3znfI\">2011\u003c/a> that she came across the house — which is now painted a deep, dark blue — when her professor husband was being interviewed for a radio show nearby. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s where I got the idea of a boy-interviewer,” she said. “Little things like that spark short stories, novels.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But tragedy in the city was in full force: In the Castro, Christopher said, the Rice family was “living at ground zero” during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Neighbors were dying. There were lines out of pharmacies, he said, and shuttered storefronts with signs reading “Closed due to illness.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But tragedy in the city was in full force: In the Castro, Christopher said, the Rice family was “living at ground zero” during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Neighbors were dying. There were lines out of pharmacies, he said, and shuttered storefronts with signs reading “Closed due to illness.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I do believe that, in some part, the rock star energy of \u003cem>The Vampire Lestat\u003c/em> was about a rebellion against that darkness,” Christopher said. “It was this attempt to have queerness rise up and put on a leather jacket and sing to the masses, to push back all the death.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I do believe that, in some part, the rock star energy of \u003cem>The Vampire Lestat\u003c/em> was about a rebellion against that darkness,” Christopher said. “It was this attempt to have queerness rise up and put on a leather jacket and sing to the masses, to push back all the death.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The family was still suffering with a personal loss of their own, too. In 1972, the couple’s daughter Michele had died of leukemia at the age of 5 — before Christopher was born.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The family was still suffering with a personal loss of their own, too. In 1972, the couple’s daughter Michele had died of leukemia at the age of 5 — before Christopher was born.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cdiv class=\"instagram-no-caption-wrapper\" style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 540px; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center;\">\n \u003ciframe src=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CixSBcULxR8/embed/?captioned=0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"720\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowtransparency=\"true\" style=\"border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; border-radius: 12px; box-shadow: 0 1px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Christopher said he learned about Michele by accident in school. Over the course of his life, he got to learn about his sister from his parents, about her “otherworldly endurance” and her “zen brilliance.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Christopher said he learned about Michele by accident in school. Over the course of his life, he got to learn about his sister from his parents, about her “otherworldly endurance” and her “zen brilliance.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it was easy for them to be living at the ground zero of another epidemic that was about the blood,” Christopher said. “It was incredibly influential on [Rice].” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it was easy for them to be living at the ground zero of another epidemic that was about the blood,” Christopher said. “It was incredibly influential on [Rice].” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the years after Michele’s death, Rice returned to an old short story and expanded it in just five weeks into what became “Interview with the Vampire,” written in her \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">North Berkeley garden apartment.\u003c/a> This version further developed the character of a surrogate daughter for Lestat and Louis, Claudia — turned into a vampire at age five and forever a child.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the years after Michele’s death, Rice returned to an old short story and expanded it in just five weeks into what became “Interview with the Vampire,” written in her \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">North Berkeley garden apartment.\u003c/a> This version further developed the character of a surrogate daughter for Lestat and Louis, Claudia — turned into a vampire at age five and forever a child.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>”I never noticed when I was writing,” Rice said in \u003cem>The New York Times \u003c/em>interview. ”It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t connect Claudia with my daughter at the time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>”I never noticed when I was writing,” Rice said in \u003cem>The New York Times \u003c/em>interview. ”It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t connect Claudia with my daughter at the time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘The vampire is an outsider’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The vampire is an outsider’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” represented a “paradigm shift in how we look at monsters in ourselves,” said author Eric Shaw Quinn, Rice’s friend who helps oversee the estate with Christopher. “And our own persecution of ourselves, and of monsters in our culture.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” represented a “paradigm shift in how we look at monsters in ourselves,” said author Eric Shaw Quinn, Rice’s friend who helps oversee the estate with Christopher. “And our own persecution of ourselves, and of monsters in our culture.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was there at the beginning of \u003cem>Interview with a Vampire\u003c/em>, and it was such an inspirational moment in my life,” Quinn said. “We’re all inspired by the San Francisco philosophy of it — or the Anne philosophy of it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I was there at the beginning of \u003cem>Interview with a Vampire\u003c/em>, and it was such an inspirational moment in my life,” Quinn said. “We’re all inspired by the San Francisco philosophy of it — or the Anne philosophy of it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Being you is exactly what you should do; you are exactly as you should be,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Being you is exactly what you should do; you are exactly as you should be,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103640\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg 1964w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anne Rice on Aug. 15, 1995.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103640\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anne Rice on Aug. 15, 1995.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The vampire is an outsider,” Rice herself \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20260408070054/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anne-rice-on-sparkly-vampires-twilight-true-blood-and-werewolves/\">told the Daily Beast in 2011\u003c/a>. “He’s the perfect metaphor for those things.” And Rice’s exploration of the outsider figure has resonated with its queer fanbase over half a century.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The vampire is an outsider,” Rice herself \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20260408070054/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anne-rice-on-sparkly-vampires-twilight-true-blood-and-werewolves/\">told the Daily Beast in 2011\u003c/a>. “He’s the perfect metaphor for those things.” And Rice’s exploration of the outsider figure has resonated with its queer fanbase over half a century.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the book may have initially been received as a gay allegory, it is now widely understood to be “a full-on queer narrative,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While the book may have initially been received as a gay allegory, it is now widely understood to be “a full-on queer narrative,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The audience that made the “Vampire Chronicles” into what Christopher called “underground hits” was “largely made up of queer people,” he said. “They were the people who saw the passionate, romantic connection between Louis and Lestat and their determination to raise a child.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The audience that made the “Vampire Chronicles” into what Christopher called “underground hits” was “largely made up of queer people,” he said. “They were the people who saw the passionate, romantic connection between Louis and Lestat and their determination to raise a child.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This narrative heavily imprinted on many fans at an early age. Like Grey Starr of Oakland, who first encountered Rice’s work after watching the 1994 film adaptation when she was young. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve always been queer, so I could always suss that out as a kid,” Starr said. “I read the books when I was way too young … I used to go to school wearing a shirt that said, ‘Red Beans, Anne Rice.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve always been queer, so I could always suss that out as a kid,” Starr said. “I read the books when I was way too young … I used to go to school wearing a shirt that said, ‘Red Beans, Anne Rice.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-1536x988.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-1536x988.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kirsten Dunst in a scene from the film “Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” 1994. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Warner Brothers/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103579\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kirsten Dunst in a scene from the film “Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” 1994. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Warner Brothers/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The sensuality of that book really got me at a young age, because this was right around the time that I’m hitting puberty, I’m discovering kind of my own sexuality,” San Francisco drag performer Piranha Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The sensuality of that book really got me at a young age, because this was right around the time that I’m hitting puberty, I’m discovering kind of my own sexuality,” San Francisco drag performer Piranha Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a kid visiting the city, Psychotronica remembered being excited to pass Castro Street, because the “Vampire Chronicles” series featured a vampire bar — called Dracula’s Daughter — in the area. “Not realizing really at that time that it’s \u003cem>also \u003c/em>where all the gays were and where I eventually would be,” she said with a laugh.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As a kid visiting the city, Psychotronica remembered being excited to pass Castro Street, because the “Vampire Chronicles” series featured a vampire bar — called Dracula’s Daughter — in the area. “Not realizing really at that time that it’s \u003cem>also \u003c/em>where all the gays were and where I eventually would be,” she said with a laugh.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The series also explored gender identity. Rice herself told an interviewer \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anne-rice-feel-like-im-gay_n_585d33cae4b0d9a59457fc44\">in a 2016 interview\u003c/a> that it was “very hard for me to remember that I have a gender.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The series also explored gender identity. Rice herself told an interviewer \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anne-rice-feel-like-im-gay_n_585d33cae4b0d9a59457fc44\">in a 2016 interview\u003c/a> that it was “very hard for me to remember that I have a gender.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When I grew up in the 90s, when you’d see trans folks in media, oftentimes it would be trashy talk shows where they were the butt of the joke, and described as mentally ill,” said Psychotronica, who is a trans woman. But the language of gender in Rice’s books rang true to her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When I grew up in the 90s, when you’d see trans folks in media, oftentimes it would be trashy talk shows where they were the butt of the joke, and described as mentally ill,” said Psychotronica, who is a trans woman. But the language of gender in Rice’s books rang true to her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That was one of the biggest things that made me a lifelong fan of her writing,” she said. “Because it was the first door that I felt opened to me to any kind of self-discovery.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That was one of the biggest things that made me a lifelong fan of her writing,” she said. “Because it was the first door that I felt opened to me to any kind of self-discovery.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For many Bay Area fans, the series’ inherent queerness has made a huge impact not just on their lives, but their art too. Psychotronica credits what she called the “sensuality and decadence” of Rice’s writing as one of the major reasons she began performing onstage. “I want to channel rock star Lestat when I’m on stage,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For many Bay Area fans, the series’ inherent queerness has made a huge impact not just on their lives, but their art too. Psychotronica credits what she called the “sensuality and decadence” of Rice’s writing as one of the major reasons she began performing onstage. “I want to channel rock star Lestat when I’m on stage,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Psychotronica learned of the series through her mother, who she described as an Anne Rice superfan — similar to Starr’s mother, a “cool goth mom” who is part of her band, Pretty Frankenstein. In fact, that intergenerational nature of Rice’s fanbase is a recurring theme among Bay Area fans and even reminiscent of the writer’s bond with her son Christopher as he became an author in his own right. (Check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/9605/anne-and-christopher-rice-fall-in-love-with-this-mother-son-author-team\">this delightful 2013 KQED interview\u003c/a> that asks the pair which of their gay fanbases would win in a fight.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Psychotronica learned of the series through her mother, who she described as an Anne Rice superfan — similar to Starr’s mother, a “cool goth mom” who is part of her band, Pretty Frankenstein. In fact, that intergenerational nature of Rice’s fanbase is a recurring theme among Bay Area fans and even reminiscent of the writer’s bond with her son Christopher as he became an author in his own right. (Check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/9605/anne-and-christopher-rice-fall-in-love-with-this-mother-son-author-team\">this delightful 2013 KQED interview\u003c/a> that asks the pair which of their gay fanbases would win in a fight.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal that this media has essentially shaped our lives in such an amazing way,” Starr said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal that this media has essentially shaped our lives in such an amazing way,” Starr said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘A home to androgynous pansexual ancient vampires’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Psychotronica is just one of the acts in Starr’s forthcoming “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show in Oakland, right before Halloween. (Starr hosted past themed drag nights as Lumpia Anne Rice.) \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Psychotronica is just one of the acts in Starr’s forthcoming “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show in Oakland, right before Halloween. (Starr hosted past themed drag nights as Lumpia Anne Rice.) \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another of the performers slated for that night is Sacramento’s Alexa Gerrity — a cosplaying burlesque act who’ll be performing as Louis. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another of the performers slated for that night is Sacramento’s Alexa Gerrity — a cosplaying burlesque act who’ll be performing as Louis. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gerrity counts herself as a newer fan of the “Vampire Chronicles”’ thanks to her best friend Desrea Sabo — a Rice fan who described cutting their own bangs as a kid “because I thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIm8HfwnmVE\">they would grow back like Claudia’s\u003c/a>” — introducing them to the AMC television series.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gerrity counts herself as a newer fan of the “Vampire Chronicles”’ thanks to her best friend Desrea Sabo — a Rice fan who described cutting their own bangs as a kid “because I thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIm8HfwnmVE\">they would grow back like Claudia’s\u003c/a>” — introducing them to the AMC television series.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103580\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L-R): Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian seen onstage at the AMC Networks media presentation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire” during the 2024 TCA Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Feb. 6, 2024, in Pasadena, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (JC Olivera/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103580\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L-R): Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian seen onstage at the AMC Networks media presentation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire” during the 2024 TCA Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Feb. 6, 2024, in Pasadena, California. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (JC Olivera/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What inspired Gerrity about the series was a major change it makes from the books in the casting of Louis and Claudia, portrayed variously by Black actors Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles and Bailey Bass. Along with a shift in time period and a more overt portrayal of sexuality, the show reimagined Louis not as the white plantation owner of the books but as a Black brothel owner in 1900s New Orleans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What inspired Gerrity about the series was a major change it makes from the books in the casting of Louis and Claudia, portrayed variously by Black actors Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles and Bailey Bass. Along with a shift in time period and a more overt portrayal of sexuality, the show reimagined Louis not as the white plantation owner of the books but as a Black brothel owner in 1900s New Orleans. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“As a Black woman, it just really hit a lot harder … him coming to terms with who he is as a person,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“As a Black woman, it just really hit a lot harder … him coming to terms with who he is as a person,” she said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The queer experience, trying to see how he feels coming to terms with his sexuality … those are things that I can relate to growing up as a Black woman who grew up in the South as well and coming out to my family, to my friends,” Gerrity said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The queer experience, trying to see how he feels coming to terms with his sexuality … those are things that I can relate to growing up as a Black woman who grew up in the South as well and coming out to my family, to my friends,” Gerrity said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When it comes to Black characters in the gothic romance genre, “sometimes it’s looked at as weird, or we’re excluded from those spaces,” she said. “So to see us be embraced so wholly, and in these beautiful vibrant colors and scenes and imagery — it was just incredible.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When it comes to Black characters in the gothic romance genre, “sometimes it’s looked at as weird, or we’re excluded from those spaces,” she said. “So to see us be embraced so wholly, and in these beautiful vibrant colors and scenes and imagery — it was just incredible.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, Gerrity and Sabo regularly cosplay together as Louis and Lestat at fan conventions — not unlike those readers who entered Rice’s San Francisco book signing all those decades ago. “It’s beautiful to be able to cosplay such a dynamic duo,” Garrity said. “Being able to be covered in blood with my best friend — I’m never going to be upset.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Now, Gerrity and Sabo regularly cosplay together as Louis and Lestat at fan conventions — not unlike those readers who entered Rice’s San Francisco book signing all those decades ago. “It’s beautiful to be able to cosplay such a dynamic duo,” Garrity said. “Being able to be covered in blood with my best friend — I’m never going to be upset.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Sabo, who was born and raised in San Francisco, Rice’s work has only strengthened their connection to their home. “As a kid who has always — and still hopes — to be turned into a vampire someday, being able to walk down the street and see those locations, it made the fantasy so much more deep and real for me,” Sabo said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Sabo, who was born and raised in San Francisco, Rice’s work has only strengthened their connection to their home. “As a kid who has always — and still hopes — to be turned into a vampire someday, being able to walk down the street and see those locations, it made the fantasy so much more deep and real for me,” Sabo said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment echoed by Psychotronica — a way of seeing this city, with its rolling fog and Victorian houses looming over its steep streets, in all its gothic splendor. “I can totally see how San Francisco would be such an attractive home to these androgynous pansexual ancient vampires,” Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment echoed by Psychotronica — a way of seeing this city, with its rolling fog and Victorian houses looming over its steep streets, in all its gothic splendor. “I can totally see how San Francisco would be such an attractive home to these androgynous pansexual ancient vampires,” Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think [Rice] loving it so much was one of the things that really made me fall in love with the city. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think [Rice] loving it so much was one of the things that really made me fall in love with the city. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To mark “Interview with the Vampire”’s 50th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of vampiric affairs across the Bay Area, including elegant masquerades, fashion shows, raves and drag.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To mark “Interview with the Vampire”’s 50th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of vampiric affairs across the Bay Area, including elegant masquerades, fashion shows, raves and drag.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Earth Gala’s Vampire Ball at Verdi Club"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earth Gala’s Vampire Ball at Verdi Club\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Friday, Oct. 9, at the Verdi Club in San Francisco, there will be \u003ca href=\"https://partiful.com/e/ow96u5LIkuJMIeEndMi4\">a vampire ball and fashion walkway\u003c/a> centered on “eco-couture,” where the winner can receive a $1000 cash prize. The gala is serving as a fundraiser for the Amazon rainforest. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Friday, Oct. 9, at the Verdi Club in San Francisco, there will be \u003ca href=\"https://partiful.com/e/ow96u5LIkuJMIeEndMi4\">a vampire ball and fashion walkway\u003c/a> centered on “eco-couture,” where the winner can receive a $1000 cash prize. The gala is serving as a fundraiser for the Amazon rainforest. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earth-galas-vampire-ball-halloween-costume-ball-in-san-francisco-tickets-1999189409340?aff=oddtdtcreator\">General admission \u003c/a>costs around $108, but late entry after 10 p.m. is around $40.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earth-galas-vampire-ball-halloween-costume-ball-in-san-francisco-tickets-1999189409340?aff=oddtdtcreator\">General admission \u003c/a>costs around $108, but late entry after 10 p.m. is around $40.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "CAVE RAVE: CLAWZ – VAMPIRE RAVE at The Foundry"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CAVE RAVE: CLAWZ – VAMPIRE RAVE at The Foundry\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This rave on Friday, Oct. 9 at The Foundry in San Francisco starts at 10 p.m. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cave-rave-clawz-vampire-rave-tickets-2001031409813?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">can be found online\u003c/a> and are around $20.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This rave on Friday, Oct. 9 at The Foundry in San Francisco starts at 10 p.m. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cave-rave-clawz-vampire-rave-tickets-2001031409813?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">can be found online\u003c/a> and are around $20.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBhKbF2xMA\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "International Vampire Fest at The Balboa Theater"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">International Vampire Fest at The Balboa Theater\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Balboa Theater in San Francisco, there’ll be a series of vampiric movies playing all day long from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/international-vampire-film-fest\">Individual tickets \u003c/a>are around $15. A full day pass is $30. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Balboa Theater in San Francisco, there’ll be a series of vampiric movies playing all day long from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/international-vampire-film-fest\">Individual tickets \u003c/a>are around $15. A full day pass is $30. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Particularly exciting for this reporter: two of her favorite movies of all time are part of the international lineup: Sweden’s “Let the Right One In” (2008) and Iran’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”\u003cem> \u003c/em>(2014).\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you aren’t able to make it that day, the following day in Richmond there’s a free \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd_nZm_OvZ1/?stkn=Y3ozeHRnOXllaTVh\">screening of “Fright Night”(1985) in 16 mm\u003c/a> at The Planetarium venue.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if you aren’t able to make it that day, the following day in Richmond there’s a free \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd_nZm_OvZ1/?stkn=Y3ozeHRnOXllaTVh\">screening of “Fright Night”(1985) in 16 mm\u003c/a> at The Planetarium venue.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Vampire’s Ball at SP2 Communal Bar"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vampire’s Ball at SP2 Communal Bar\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at SP2 Communal Bar in San José, there’s a vampire’s ball with a best-dressed contest. It is free to enter before 10:30 p.m. and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-ball-tickets-2002597411767?aff=ebdssbcategorybrowse\">$12.51 afterward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at SP2 Communal Bar in San José, there’s a vampire’s ball with a best-dressed contest. It is free to enter before 10:30 p.m. and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-ball-tickets-2002597411767?aff=ebdssbcategorybrowse\">$12.51 afterward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Théâtre des Vampires Drag Show at The Thee Stork Club"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Théâtre des Vampires Drag Show at The Thee Stork Club\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Oct. 29 at Thee Stork Club in Oakland, there’s an “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show featuring \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XR0RM128haG3D0EyeNKvH\">music from the television show’s third season\u003c/a>, “The Vampire Lestat,” by Pretty Frankenstein. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://wl.eventim.us/event/the-vampire-lestat-drag-show/695682?afflky=TheeStorkClub\">are available online for $12 and at the door for $15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Oct. 29 at Thee Stork Club in Oakland, there’s an “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show featuring \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XR0RM128haG3D0EyeNKvH\">music from the television show’s third season\u003c/a>, “The Vampire Lestat,” by Pretty Frankenstein. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://wl.eventim.us/event/the-vampire-lestat-drag-show/695682?afflky=TheeStorkClub\">are available online for $12 and at the door for $15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Helena’s Masquerade at QBar"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helena’s Masquerade at QBar\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Not quite vampire-themed but very important for any emo kid, t\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKJiM9Njr8\">he broken, the beaten and the damned\u003c/a>: On Thursday, Oct. 29 at San Francisco’s QBar, you’ll find a Hot Topic-filled dance night of My Chemical Romance, Evanescence and Paramore. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/helenas-masquerade-emo-night-halloween-party-in-the-castro-tickets-1998505545886?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> range from around $7 to $14.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Not quite vampire-themed but very important for any emo kid, t\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKJiM9Njr8\">he broken, the beaten and the damned\u003c/a>: On Thursday, Oct. 29 at San Francisco’s QBar, you’ll find a Hot Topic-filled dance night of My Chemical Romance, Evanescence and Paramore. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/helenas-masquerade-emo-night-halloween-party-in-the-castro-tickets-1998505545886?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> range from around $7 to $14.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The Halloween Vampire Tour of San Francisco"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 31 in San Francisco, a six-stop tour with \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Harker\">Mina Harker\u003c/a> throughout the Nob Hill Neighborhood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-halloween-vampire-tour-of-san-francisco-tickets-2001672663821?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are around $40.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 31 in San Francisco, a six-stop tour with \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Harker\">Mina Harker\u003c/a> throughout the Nob Hill Neighborhood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-halloween-vampire-tour-of-san-francisco-tickets-2001672663821?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are around $40.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "“Dracula Kiss” at Coqueta"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula Kiss” at Coqueta\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Oct. 31 at Coqueta in San Francisco, there’s an immersive production of the play “Dracula Kiss.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dracula-kiss-tickets-2002563537448?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $44.52.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Oct. 31 at Coqueta in San Francisco, there’s an immersive production of the play “Dracula Kiss.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dracula-kiss-tickets-2002563537448?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $44.52.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The Black Cat Hotel at The Palace Theater "
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Black Cat Hotel at The Palace Theater\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This immersive theatrical experience runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">Reservations \u003c/a>start at $39. (Keep in mind, this is not a real hotel!)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This immersive theatrical experience runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">Reservations \u003c/a>start at $39. (Keep in mind, this is not a real hotel!)\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "“Dracula” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003c/h3>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Throughout October, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents a stage production of “Dracula\u003cem>” \u003c/em>at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/dracula/\">start around $44\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Throughout October, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents a stage production of “Dracula\u003cem>” \u003c/em>at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/dracula/\">start around $44\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Le Bal Des Vampires at Alameda Elks Lodge"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Nov. 7 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/alameda-elks-lodge-1015-at-2255-santa-clara-avenue-alameda-ca/le-bal-des-vampires/1959917641345476/\">the Alameda Elks Lodge\u003c/a>, there’s a vampire affair in an elegant ballroom featuring music throughout the centuries: 18th-century Baroque contredanses, 19th-century Victorian rotary and Viennese waltzes, 20th-century tangos, blues and rock and roll. \u003ca href=\"https://www.peersdance.org/vamps2026.html\">Tickets \u003c/a>are around $50.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Anne Rice is best associated with New Orleans, but loved ones and fans say her life in the Bay Area is crucial to her rich, gothic universe. \n",
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"title": "50 Years on, Anne Rice’s ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Remains Immortal in San Francisco | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>It took a few years for Anne Rice and her family to realize that, after a shaky start, her 1976 debut novel “Interview with the Vampire” was striking a chord. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But it makes sense that it happened in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a city she had called home for years — when several young, elegant men waltzed into one of her book signings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As her son, the author Christopher Rice, told KQED, the men were decked in 18th-century waistcoats, their long hair tied off in a ribbon. They were, in short, dressed as the main characters of Rice’s said shaky debut novel: Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As the men posed for pictures with a flustered Rice, the author saw personally, for the first time, that the novel Christopher said she’d regarded as “this black spot on her career” was finally finding its home: with the queer community. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1304\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103573\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty2-2a1f88ce-1536x1001.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Authors Christopher Rice (left) and Anne Rice sign copies of their books “The Heavens Rise” and “The Wolves Of Midwinter,” respectively, at Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Grove on Nov. 2, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. (Amanda Edwards/WireImage via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“Over time this underground audience discovered the book, discovered how transgressive it was, how rule-breaking it was,” Christopher said. “And all of that really did happen in San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” marks its 50th anniversary this year, and Christopher details \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/books/review/anne-rice-interview-with-the-vampire-50th-anniversary.html\">this very anecdote\u003c/a> in his afterword to \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/InterviewWithTheVampire50th.html\">a new semicentennial reissue\u003c/a> of the novel by Penguin Random House. (His behind-the-scenes nugget that didn’t make the final print edition: how Rice and his aunt “just went bananas over how attractive these guys were.”)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The novel chronicles the tumultuous life and relationship between Louis and the man who turned both him and their companion Claudia into vampires: Lestat. And despite initial mixed reviews, the book and its subsequent sequels making up the “Vampire Chronicles” series have, over the decades, become a bona fide gothic classic — further popularizing the idea of the vampire as a tortured protagonist. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rice also wrote the screenplay for the 1994 film adaptation of “Interview With the Vampire” starring Brad Pitt, a young Kirsten Dunst and, most notoriously, \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-09-21-ca-41119-story.html\">Tom Cruise\u003c/a>. Then, in the 2020s, the series was introduced to a new generation of fans through the television show adaptation on AMC.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/q662gCwpKfI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/q662gCwpKfI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite the fact that the story’s pivotal framing device — the titular interview between Louis and a young journalist — takes place in a San Francisco Victorian on Divisadero Street, New Orleans has understandably pulled rank as the “home” of “Interview with the Vampire.” Not only is the Louisiana city a recurring setting in the books, but it’s also where Rice herself was born and raised and where, after finally finding her success as a writer, she lived in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOM3-YpkQKa/?img_index=3\">a gorgeous historic home\u003c/a> for over a decade. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s also where she rests in a family mausoleum at Metairie Cemetery, where \u003ca href=\"https://annerice.com/COL.html\">her memorial\u003c/a>, attended by \u003ca href=\"https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/anne-rice-vampire-memorial-documentary/article_36ac316f-b1e8-4e58-8309-bfaa8024e537.html\">over a thousand people\u003c/a>, was held. And New Orleans has now become a central gathering point for fervent Rice fans, where they regularly \u003ca href=\"https://vamplestat.com/\">hold a Vampire’s Ball\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But according to Christopher, his mother’s most famous series of novels “don’t just have a San Francisco connection.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“They have a San Francisco foundation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Rebellion against that darkness’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rice first lived here as a University of San Francisco student, and moved back to the city in the early 60s with Stan, the high-school sweetheart who’d become her husband. They were both \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CKIMtBEpAjp/?vrfl=b3Awc3d2eGN3bjd3\">in their early twenties\u003c/a>, and they were in the midst of the Beat Generation and the Summer of Love. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even though the Rices were more observers than participants — “in the middle of Haight-Ashbury in the 60s, I was typing away while everybody around me was dropping acid and smoking grass,” Rice told \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130524225924/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/07/books/other-incarnations-of-the-vampire-author.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm\">\u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1988 — the ethos of the city is firmly reflected in the “Interview With the Vampire” series. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I like to say the young men who probably inspired Louis and Lestat were people she saw on the streets of the Haight-Ashbury or the Castro District,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103570\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00064_TV_qed-c1495c2d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 50th Anniversary Edition of the Anne Rice novel, “Interview with the Vampire” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The hints of the idea of “letting your freak flag fly,” Christopher said, are there from the first book. But it really crescendos in the second book of the “Vampire Chronicles” series, 1985’s “The Vampire Lestat,” in which the raucous Lestat holds an earth-shattering rock concert (for vampires!) in none other than Daly City’s own Cow Palace. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In contrast to the Bay Area, New Orleans is Rice’s setting for “the old vampire world,” Christopher said. But “when on the contemporary stage, [Lestat] says, ‘Vampires should come out, come out wherever you are, and be counted among all the great diversity of the human world.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s the city by the Bay, baby,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Rice family lived around the Bay Area for over two decades. “In California, almost all of us have an acquired lifestyle: We came here to have it,” she said in a 2014 interview with \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">\u003cem>The California Sunday Magazine\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“To be a writer, to be a bohemian, to put our art and our liberal ideas before, say, pleasing our cousins.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After giving birth to Christopher in Berkeley, the Rices moved back across the bay into a Castro District home at 3887 17th Street — a place Christopher said he “loved growing up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103577\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af.JPG 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260929-annericesf-00030_TVA_qed-060d71af-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Victorian home located on 503 Divisadero St., which inspired Anne Rice’s novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” in San Francisco on Sept. 29, 2026. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A key setting from “Interview With the Vampire” is just a 30-minute walk from the house: The Victorian home on 503 Divisadero Street, where Rice set the titular interview. Rice said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoSb8H3znfI\">2011\u003c/a> that she came across the house — which is now painted a deep, dark blue — when her professor husband was being interviewed for a radio show nearby. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s where I got the idea of a boy-interviewer,” she said. “Little things like that spark short stories, novels.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But tragedy in the city was in full force: In the Castro, Christopher said, the Rice family was “living at ground zero” during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Neighbors were dying. There were lines out of pharmacies, he said, and shuttered storefronts with signs reading “Closed due to illness.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I do believe that, in some part, the rock star energy of \u003cem>The Vampire Lestat\u003c/em> was about a rebellion against that darkness,” Christopher said. “It was this attempt to have queerness rise up and put on a leather jacket and sing to the masses, to push back all the death.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The family was still suffering with a personal loss of their own, too. In 1972, the couple’s daughter Michele had died of leukemia at the age of 5 — before Christopher was born.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"instagram-no-caption-wrapper\" style=\"width: 100%; max-width: 540px; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center;\">\n \u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.instagram.com/reel/CixSBcULxR8/embed/?captioned=0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"720\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowtransparency=\"true\" style=\"border: 1px solid #e3e3e3; border-radius: 12px; box-shadow: 0 1px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Christopher said he learned about Michele by accident in school. Over the course of his life, he got to learn about his sister from his parents, about her “otherworldly endurance” and her “zen brilliance.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think it was easy for them to be living at the ground zero of another epidemic that was about the blood,” Christopher said. “It was incredibly influential on [Rice].” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the years after Michele’s death, Rice returned to an old short story and expanded it in just five weeks into what became “Interview with the Vampire,” written in her \u003ca href=\"https://story.californiasunday.com/ann-rice-in-palm-desert/\">North Berkeley garden apartment.\u003c/a> This version further developed the character of a surrogate daughter for Lestat and Louis, Claudia — turned into a vampire at age five and forever a child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>”I never noticed when I was writing,” Rice said in \u003cem>The New York Times \u003c/em>interview. ”It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t connect Claudia with my daughter at the time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘The vampire is an outsider’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Interview with the Vampire” represented a “paradigm shift in how we look at monsters in ourselves,” said author Eric Shaw Quinn, Rice’s friend who helps oversee the estate with Christopher. “And our own persecution of ourselves, and of monsters in our culture.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was there at the beginning of \u003cem>Interview with a Vampire\u003c/em>, and it was such an inspirational moment in my life,” Quinn said. “We’re all inspired by the San Francisco philosophy of it — or the Anne philosophy of it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Being you is exactly what you should do; you are exactly as you should be,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1964\" height=\"1304\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103640\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677.jpg 1964w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-502548923-a900e677-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1964px) 100vw, 1964px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anne Rice on Aug. 15, 1995. (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The vampire is an outsider,” Rice herself \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20260408070054/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anne-rice-on-sparkly-vampires-twilight-true-blood-and-werewolves/\">told the Daily Beast in 2011\u003c/a>. “He’s the perfect metaphor for those things.” And Rice’s exploration of the outsider figure has resonated with its queer fanbase over half a century.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the book may have initially been received as a gay allegory, it is now widely understood to be “a full-on queer narrative,” Christopher said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The audience that made the “Vampire Chronicles” into what Christopher called “underground hits” was “largely made up of queer people,” he said. “They were the people who saw the passionate, romantic connection between Louis and Lestat and their determination to raise a child.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This narrative heavily imprinted on many fans at an early age. Like Grey Starr of Oakland, who first encountered Rice’s work after watching the 1994 film adaptation when she was young. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve always been queer, so I could always suss that out as a kid,” Starr said. “I read the books when I was way too young … I used to go to school wearing a shirt that said, ‘Red Beans, Anne Rice.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1287\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103579\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/InterviewVampireGetty-11ba3b20-1536x988.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kirsten Dunst in a scene from the film “Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” 1994. (Warner Brothers/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“The sensuality of that book really got me at a young age, because this was right around the time that I’m hitting puberty, I’m discovering kind of my own sexuality,” San Francisco drag performer Piranha Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a kid visiting the city, Psychotronica remembered being excited to pass Castro Street, because the “Vampire Chronicles” series featured a vampire bar — called Dracula’s Daughter — in the area. “Not realizing really at that time that it’s \u003cem>also \u003c/em>where all the gays were and where I eventually would be,” she said with a laugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The series also explored gender identity. Rice herself told an interviewer \u003ca href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/anne-rice-feel-like-im-gay_n_585d33cae4b0d9a59457fc44\">in a 2016 interview\u003c/a> that it was “very hard for me to remember that I have a gender.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When I grew up in the 90s, when you’d see trans folks in media, oftentimes it would be trashy talk shows where they were the butt of the joke, and described as mentally ill,” said Psychotronica, who is a trans woman. But the language of gender in Rice’s books rang true to her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That was one of the biggest things that made me a lifelong fan of her writing,” she said. “Because it was the first door that I felt opened to me to any kind of self-discovery.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For many Bay Area fans, the series’ inherent queerness has made a huge impact not just on their lives, but their art too. Psychotronica credits what she called the “sensuality and decadence” of Rice’s writing as one of the major reasons she began performing onstage. “I want to channel rock star Lestat when I’m on stage,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Psychotronica learned of the series through her mother, who she described as an Anne Rice superfan — similar to Starr’s mother, a “cool goth mom” who is part of her band, Pretty Frankenstein. In fact, that intergenerational nature of Rice’s fanbase is a recurring theme among Bay Area fans and even reminiscent of the writer’s bond with her son Christopher as he became an author in his own right. (Check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/9605/anne-and-christopher-rice-fall-in-love-with-this-mother-son-author-team\">this delightful 2013 KQED interview\u003c/a> that asks the pair which of their gay fanbases would win in a fight.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s kind of surreal that this media has essentially shaped our lives in such an amazing way,” Starr said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A home to androgynous pansexual ancient vampires’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Psychotronica is just one of the acts in Starr’s forthcoming “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show in Oakland, right before Halloween. (Starr hosted past themed drag nights as Lumpia Anne Rice.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another of the performers slated for that night is Sacramento’s Alexa Gerrity — a cosplaying burlesque act who’ll be performing as Louis. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gerrity counts herself as a newer fan of the “Vampire Chronicles”’ thanks to her best friend Desrea Sabo — a Rice fan who described cutting their own bangs as a kid “because I thought \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIm8HfwnmVE\">they would grow back like Claudia’s\u003c/a>” — introducing them to the AMC television series.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103580\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/AnneRiceGetty3-c6d0f1da-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L-R): Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian seen onstage at the AMC Networks media presentation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire” during the 2024 TCA Winter Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Feb. 6, 2024, in Pasadena, California. (JC Olivera/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>What inspired Gerrity about the series was a major change it makes from the books in the casting of Louis and Claudia, portrayed variously by Black actors Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles and Bailey Bass. Along with a shift in time period and a more overt portrayal of sexuality, the show reimagined Louis not as the white plantation owner of the books but as a Black brothel owner in 1900s New Orleans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“As a Black woman, it just really hit a lot harder … him coming to terms with who he is as a person,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The queer experience, trying to see how he feels coming to terms with his sexuality … those are things that I can relate to growing up as a Black woman who grew up in the South as well and coming out to my family, to my friends,” Gerrity said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to Black characters in the gothic romance genre, “sometimes it’s looked at as weird, or we’re excluded from those spaces,” she said. “So to see us be embraced so wholly, and in these beautiful vibrant colors and scenes and imagery — it was just incredible.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, Gerrity and Sabo regularly cosplay together as Louis and Lestat at fan conventions — not unlike those readers who entered Rice’s San Francisco book signing all those decades ago. “It’s beautiful to be able to cosplay such a dynamic duo,” Garrity said. “Being able to be covered in blood with my best friend — I’m never going to be upset.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Sabo, who was born and raised in San Francisco, Rice’s work has only strengthened their connection to their home. “As a kid who has always — and still hopes — to be turned into a vampire someday, being able to walk down the street and see those locations, it made the fantasy so much more deep and real for me,” Sabo said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s a sentiment echoed by Psychotronica — a way of seeing this city, with its rolling fog and Victorian houses looming over its steep streets, in all its gothic splendor. “I can totally see how San Francisco would be such an attractive home to these androgynous pansexual ancient vampires,” Psychotronica said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think [Rice] loving it so much was one of the things that really made me fall in love with the city. Now I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vampire-events\">Vampire-themed gatherings and events in the Bay Area in October\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To mark “Interview with the Vampire”’s 50th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of vampiric affairs across the Bay Area, including elegant masquerades, fashion shows, raves and drag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earth Gala’s Vampire Ball at Verdi Club\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Friday, Oct. 9, at the Verdi Club in San Francisco, there will be \u003ca href=\"https://partiful.com/e/ow96u5LIkuJMIeEndMi4\">a vampire ball and fashion walkway\u003c/a> centered on “eco-couture,” where the winner can receive a $1000 cash prize. The gala is serving as a fundraiser for the Amazon rainforest. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earth-galas-vampire-ball-halloween-costume-ball-in-san-francisco-tickets-1999189409340?aff=oddtdtcreator\">General admission \u003c/a>costs around $108, but late entry after 10 p.m. is around $40.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CAVE RAVE: CLAWZ – VAMPIRE RAVE at The Foundry\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This rave on Friday, Oct. 9 at The Foundry in San Francisco starts at 10 p.m. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cave-rave-clawz-vampire-rave-tickets-2001031409813?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">can be found online\u003c/a> and are around $20.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/gHBhKbF2xMA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/gHBhKbF2xMA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">International Vampire Fest at The Balboa Theater\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Balboa Theater in San Francisco, there’ll be a series of vampiric movies playing all day long from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. \u003ca href=\"https://www.balboamovies.com/international-vampire-film-fest\">Individual tickets \u003c/a>are around $15. A full day pass is $30. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Particularly exciting for this reporter: two of her favorite movies of all time are part of the international lineup: Sweden’s “Let the Right One In” (2008) and Iran’s “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night”\u003cem> \u003c/em>(2014).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you aren’t able to make it that day, the following day in Richmond there’s a free \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dd_nZm_OvZ1/?stkn=Y3ozeHRnOXllaTVh\">screening of “Fright Night”(1985) in 16 mm\u003c/a> at The Planetarium venue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vampire’s Ball at SP2 Communal Bar\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 17 at SP2 Communal Bar in San José, there’s a vampire’s ball with a best-dressed contest. It is free to enter before 10:30 p.m. and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-ball-tickets-2002597411767?aff=ebdssbcategorybrowse\">$12.51 afterward\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Théâtre des Vampires Drag Show at The Thee Stork Club\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Oct. 29 at Thee Stork Club in Oakland, there’s an “Interview with the Vampire”-themed drag show featuring \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XR0RM128haG3D0EyeNKvH\">music from the television show’s third season\u003c/a>, “The Vampire Lestat,” by Pretty Frankenstein. Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://wl.eventim.us/event/the-vampire-lestat-drag-show/695682?afflky=TheeStorkClub\">are available online for $12 and at the door for $15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helena’s Masquerade at QBar\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not quite vampire-themed but very important for any emo kid, t\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKJiM9Njr8\">he broken, the beaten and the damned\u003c/a>: On Thursday, Oct. 29 at San Francisco’s QBar, you’ll find a Hot Topic-filled dance night of My Chemical Romance, Evanescence and Paramore. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/helenas-masquerade-emo-night-halloween-party-in-the-castro-tickets-1998505545886?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> range from around $7 to $14.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Halloween Vampire Tour of San Francisco\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Oct. 31 in San Francisco, a six-stop tour with \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mina_Harker\">Mina Harker\u003c/a> throughout the Nob Hill Neighborhood. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-halloween-vampire-tour-of-san-francisco-tickets-2001672663821?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are around $40.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula Kiss” at Coqueta\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Oct. 31 at Coqueta in San Francisco, there’s an immersive production of the play “Dracula Kiss.” \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dracula-kiss-tickets-2002563537448?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Tickets\u003c/a> are $44.52.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Black Cat Hotel at The Palace Theater\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This immersive theatrical experience runs through Halloween at the Palace Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.thepalacetheatersf.com/blackcat#linkourstory\">Reservations \u003c/a>start at $39. (Keep in mind, this is not a real hotel!)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">“Dracula” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout October, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents a stage production of “Dracula\u003cem>” \u003c/em>at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Tickets \u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/dracula/\">start around $44\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Le Bal Des Vampires at Alameda Elks Lodge\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Saturday, Nov. 7 at \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/alameda-elks-lodge-1015-at-2255-santa-clara-avenue-alameda-ca/le-bal-des-vampires/1959917641345476/\">the Alameda Elks Lodge\u003c/a>, there’s a vampire affair in an elegant ballroom featuring music throughout the centuries: 18th-century Baroque contredanses, 19th-century Victorian rotary and Viennese waltzes, 20th-century tangos, blues and rock and roll. \u003ca href=\"https://www.peersdance.org/vamps2026.html\">Tickets \u003c/a>are around $50.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic",
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"headTitle": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is legendary for its record-breaking giant pumpkins, coma-inducing fall treats … and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">infuriating traffic jams\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plan your trip around the events you care about\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"traffic\">Consider skipping the Saturday\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival: Know before you go\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A quiet area for diaper changing and nursing will be available at the Community United Methodist Church on Miramontes and Johnston streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bring cash for parking (and potentially for vendors).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pets are not allowed (service animals are OK).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Free water is available at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street, so bring an empty bottle.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Get there early early … ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr>\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "… or forego the car ride entirely",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is incredibly popular every year — but we have insider tips on how to beat the traffic and crowds this October. ",
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"title": "Everyone Wants to See the Half Moon Bay Pumpkins. Here’s How to Visit Without Getting Stuck in Traffic | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival is legendary for its record-breaking giant pumpkins, coma-inducing fall treats … and its \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">infuriating traffic jams\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’re one of those people who’ve vowed to never brave the festival again after spending hours in your car waiting to get over Highway 92 — or if you have yet to experience the event entirely out of \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/1g3lece/half_moon_bay_pumpkin_festival_travel_tips/\">fear of that hourslong wait in traffic\u003c/a> — we’ve got you covered. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/\">This year’s Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18 is bound to be a big one. Event spokesperson Ronan Fowler told KQED that this year’s growers are sure to give \u003ca href=\"https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-pumpkin\">the world’s current record-holding pumpkin\u003c/a> a run for its money.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have been talking to some of the growers, and we know we have a very, very large pumpkin coming this year,” Fowler said. “We don’t know how big — and I think the grower doesn’t know how big it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But “if he gets really good weather from here on to the event, it potentially could break the world record,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Former San Francisco Giants star Sergio Romo will also be presiding over the Saturday festivities as the event’s Grand Marshal. So if all that — plus the seemingly never-ending booths of art to peruse on both days — is enough to entice you to make your way to the coast for the weekend, let us help you out with some top tips for avoiding traffic getting to the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, and for making the most of your fall celebration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#traffic\">How to (maybe) beat the Half Moon Bay traffic this year\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plan your trip around the events you care about\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler’s No. 1 piece of advice, especially for first-time festivalgoers, is to plan their Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival trip around the specific \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/schedule.html\">activities and events\u003c/a> they hope to attend — rather than showing up and hoping for the best. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s true: There is a huge range of options, from the Monday weigh-off to the Saturday parade and costume contest. Some of Fowler’s personal highlights include taking photos with the enormous award-winning pumpkins and participating in the costume contest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also the Sunday half-marathon. “A great way to cap off a run is to head over to the festival and relax and have some pumpkin beer or a wine and just kind of hang out,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103389\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/activities-two-young-women-in-pumpkin-patch-300dpi-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>In particular, he said, don’t sleep on the music. All weekend long, local bands will take to the \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/experience/music.html\">festival’s three stages\u003c/a>, in addition to street performances all throughout the area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fowler said organizers do try to spread out the events so not everyone comes at once — or have events, like the pie-eating contest, on multiple days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My recommendation is: get into the fun of it,” he said. “Dress up, take your time, and don’t feel like you need to rush or see everything. Try not to overthink things and just do a little bit of exploring.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"traffic\">Consider skipping the Saturday\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news, said Fowler: Traffic to and from the festival has been improving since the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DBRX4PIvZJA/?hl=en\">chaotic 2024 festival.\u003c/a> And last year, “there was never a real big backup near the heart of downtown,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But if traffic remains your biggest concern, Fowler suggested visiting the festival on Sunday rather than Saturday, because there \u003cem>should \u003c/em>be fewer people — meaning traffic could be lighter. (That’s not 100% guaranteed, of course.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you’re kind of looking for more of a laid-back experience and just want to experience it without all the excitement on Saturday, Sunday is really the way to go,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or, if the giant pumpkins are the main attraction for you, swing by what he called the “intimate and relaxed” \u003ca href=\"https://hmbweighoff.com/\">weigh-off \u003c/a>on Monday, Oct. 12, which should have far fewer crowds than the weekend celebrations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get there \u003cem>early \u003c/em>early … \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Regardless of which day you choose, consider arriving as early as you can manage to beat the worst of the traffic in, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, that could mean getting to Half Moon Bay as early as 6 a.m., but it also means you’re arriving in time for \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/food-drink/pancake-breakfast.html\">the pancake breakfast\u003c/a> at 7 a.m.. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And while the vendors technically aren’t scheduled to open until 9 a.m., Fowler said they often open early, so you can be among the first to browse.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… and don’t leave at the same time as everyone else\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As for when to leave, Fowler strongly suggested sticking around the Coastside through dinner time — meaning, do not try to leave right around 5 p.m. like everyone else.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Just grabbing a meal at a local restaurant is kind of the hidden secret,” he said. Main Street favorites among locals include classic Italian spots Pasta Moon and It’s Italia, or there’s brewpub fare at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take an unexpected route home for less traffic …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This tip, Fowler said, he usually keeps as close to the vest as possible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you live in the South Bay — or even on much of the Peninsula — heading south instead of north on Highway 1 to leave the festival may actually save you time, or at least the headache of sitting in traffic over Highway 92.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1281\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103388\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/peter_hazel_great_pumpkin1-300dpi-1536x984.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Peter Hazel’s giant mosaic pumpkin sculpture for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival.\u003cbr> (Courtesy of Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Instead, route toward Highway 84 and La Honda. You’ll not only be driving against traffic, but you’ll get to enjoy stunning ocean views and the beauty of the South Coast’s redwood forest. You can even stop in some of the picturesque towns along the way, like San Gregorio and Woodside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even if your navigation app said it will take longer, it may simply be more enjoyable, Fowler said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can even make a road trip out of it and go all the way to Santa Cruz,” Fowler said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">… or forego the car ride entirely\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you don’t want to bother with driving at all, the festival is transit-accessible \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/public-transit.html\">via SamTrans\u003c/a>. While the buses may get delayed (after all, they wait in the same traffic as the cars do), Fowler said they typically utilize different event routes to minimize the impact of the festival on their services.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Another idea to avoid traffic entirely is to bike to the festival. Not only is there \u003ca href=\"https://hmbpumpkinfest.com/event-details/bicycle-parking.html\">dedicated bike parking\u003c/a> at the festival, many of the local hotels also offer bikes to borrow or rent — which may be the most efficient option if you’re willing to stay overnight for the festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Staying in town really kind of makes things less stressful,” Fowler said. “You can have one or two beers and not have to worry about driving, and you can just take your time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival: Know before you go\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Besides contending with the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival traffic, here are a few more tips from the organizers themselves:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A quiet area for diaper changing and nursing will be available at the Community United Methodist Church on Miramontes and Johnston streets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bring cash for parking (and potentially for vendors).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Try to snag the first spot you see, even if it means you’ll have to walk a ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wear sunscreen and lots of layers — Half Moon Bay can get very foggy and cold.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Pets are not allowed (service animals are OK).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Free water is available at the corner of Kelly Avenue and Purissima Street, so bring an empty bottle.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "historic-haunted-houses-tours-bay-area-san-francisco-bay-area-halloween-winchester-mystery-house-and-more-2026",
"title": "History but Make It Haunted: Historic Tours Around the Bay Area to Enjoy Around Halloween",
"publishDate": 1790938800,
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"headTitle": "History but Make It Haunted: Historic Tours Around the Bay Area to Enjoy Around Halloween | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The most blessed time of all has finally arrived: Halloween. (And yes, Halloween \u003cem>is \u003c/em>a monthlong affair.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And yes, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate the vampires, zombies and werewolves of lore. But for history fans, the Bay Area also has no shortage of real-life storied spots with haunting backstories — or places that just make for a downright spooky visit at this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From haunted manors and ghostly ships to castles, lighthouses and more, read on to see what historical sites are hosting Halloween tours, events and experiences this month around the Bay Area. (And if you want those jumpscares too at a more immersive horror experience, we’ve got a guide to those coming soon too.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The USS Hornet Museum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102396\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The sun sets on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California, on Oct. 25, 2024. (Courtesy of Florence Middleton)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>All aboard this giant warship, now a floating museum in Alameda. The USS Hornet Museum has a range of year-round exhibits, including one about its time as an aircraft carrier during World War II.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But during Halloween, the ship becomes \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/\">The Haunted Hornet\u003c/a>, inviting visitors on a seasonal group tour of the vessel after dark where you’ll learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">the nautical ghost stories\u003c/a> of its past. Tours are available until Nov. 1, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/tickets\">tickets can be bought online\u003c/a> for around $39. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/ship-of-spirits-spaghetti-spirits-paranormal-dinner-3/\">Spaghetti & Spirits Paranormal Dinner on Oct. 23\u003c/a> and a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/monsters-bash-2026/\">Monsters Bash party on Oct. 24\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Haas-Lilienthal House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1424\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco. (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYTiirmwo\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pacifica Castle\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay has a castle. Who knew? (No, not \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/26/albion-castle-bayview-brewery-private-events/\">that one\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re interested in checking out this unusual structure in Pacifica during Spooky Season, act fast: Tours of the castle are available \u003cem>only\u003c/em> on Oct. 10 this month, although there are more in November and the new year. Tickets are around $35.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the website, there’ll be a possible guest appearance from the castle’s ghosts. But tour guides \u003ca href=\"https://www.sammazzafoundation.org/news-and-events/castle-tours/tour-dates/\">promise they’re friendly\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The cemeteries of Colma\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/12/V0A9321-e1790886365827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10796841\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In many parts of Colma, neat rows of gravestones are visible for as far as the eye can see. (Olivia Allen-Price/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s everyone’s favorite Bay Area fact: there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">more dead people in Colma than living\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The reputation was founded in the 1900s, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">over 100,000 bodies were exhumed \u003c/a>and moved from San Francisco to Colma in order to make more room for housing in the city. Now, more than a million people are buried in Colma. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The multiple cemeteries of Colma host the resting places of many famous people, including athlete superstar Joe DiMaggio and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">a map of famed burial sites\u003c/a> — some of which are striking mausoleums — that people can visit in Colma. There are also \u003ca href=\"https://cypresslawn.com/events/\">opportunities for trolley or walking tours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Winchester Mystery House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on a cream colored wood paneled wall that says "Staircase to nowhere." The sign also includes an illustration of a hand pointing to the right.\" class=\"wp-image-11963333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1536x1146.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Staircases and doors that lead to nowhere are a hallmark of what makes the Winchester House ‘mysterious.’ (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s where we’ll really stretch the definition of “historical.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Winchester Mystery House in San José, dating from 1886, has always had an allure for fans of the paranormal. They’re drawn not just by its bizarre architecture but by the apparent sightings of ghosts that reportedly haunted its owner and widowed heiress, Sarah Winchester. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alas, the truth is sometimes a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less juicy, and \u003cem>Bay Curious\u003c/em> has an episode \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963206/after-100-years-the-mysteries-of-the-winchester-house-endure\">debunking a lot of the myths around the Winchester House and Sarah herself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, we can recognize there are still thrills to be had when touring the mansion’s sprawling estate — with \u003cem>lots \u003c/em>and \u003cem>lots\u003c/em> of stairs leading to nowhere. Tickets can be \u003ca href=\"https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/\">found online\u003c/a> (around $48 for adults, $25 for children), with \u003ca href=\"https://festivalfrightnights.com/\">a seasonal Festival Fright Nights\u003c/a> after-hours series running until Nov. 1. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Point Sur Lighthouse\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11701342\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Pt. Sur Lighthouse has been operating since 1889. It’s one of California’s oldest and most remote light stations. (Sasha Khokha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A little further away: Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey County, just off Highway 1 in Big Sur, is one of the state’s oldest — and most remote — lighthouses. It’s also said to be the visiting place of past families who once lived there, who’ve been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11701114/a-lighthouse-so-beautiful-ghosts-come-back-to-haunt-it\">known to make their ghostly presence felt\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now a state historic park, the lighthouse is \u003ca href=\"http://pointsur.org/\">open for haunting evening visits\u003c/a> on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with tickets priced at $125 and limited to 40 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kelley House Museum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102407\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-1536x1103.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Kelley House Museum in Mendocino. (W Nowicki via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, it’s several hours’ drive north up the coast from the Bay Area. But up in the always-scenic coastal town of Mendocino are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/visit-walking-tours/\">\u003cem>two\u003c/em> pretty great tours\u003c/a> for Halloween: the Haunted Mendocino tour and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7BvxQ8zmbf4gIaWBbkPLOA\">Murder, She Wrote\u003c/a> (of the Angela Lansbury television show fame) tour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Haunted Mendocino event will touch on Victorian specters and the town’s history. The Murder, She Wrote tour, meanwhile, visits former film sets and recounts behind-the-scenes tales about the television show that lasted for over 200 episodes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both tours cost around $25, and a calendar can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/events/month/\">the Kelley House Museum website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Haunting Bay Area spots to glimpse from the outside\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/29453895034_66004c1b14_k-e1790888078303.jpg\" alt=\"A large neoclassical white house sits behind a large lawn and in front of a stand of trees.\" class=\"wp-image-11964123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate has been a backdrop for many scary films, including ‘Phantasm’ and ‘Burnt Offerings.’ (Wayne Hsieh/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964119/dunsmuir-the-oakland-mansion-that-inspired-hollywood-nightmares\">This Neoclassical house\u003c/a> in Oakland has acted as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween\">the ultimate horror movie location\u003c/a> in the Bay Area over the years, featured in movies like “The Vineyard,” “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Burnt Offerings.” But it’s probably best known for its role in Phantasm, a cult classic soundtracked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13813192/phantasm-fred-myrow\">the father of KQED tech reporter Rachael Myrow\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIRVOepV9Ik\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, this gorgeous mansion in Oakland is \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Rent-a-Facility-or-Park/Dunsmuir-Hellman-Historic-Estate\">not exactly open to the public\u003c/a> right now, and its current condition has stirred up \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1psmm0w/the_dunsmuir_hellman_estate_a_37room_neoclassical/?solution=e398fa6a083f222ee398fa6a083f222e&js_challenge=1&jsc_token=2824be10929bdc604753c70a67a1c3312823c56eea499c3f5361a92901338702&jsc_orig_r=\">no shortage of community complaints online.\u003c/a> But it’s still worth a journey into the Oakland Hills to look at from afar through the fence, due to its place in Halloween movie history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The William Westerfeld House\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://churchofsatan.com/faq-the-black-house/\">The Black House\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964949/how-the-church-of-satan-was-born-in-san-francisco\">the Church of Satan’s most well-known headquarters\u003c/a> — was demolished in 2001, the founder Anton LaVey also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/characters/article/This-Alamo-Square-Victorian-holds-100-years-of-SF-15651657.php\">reportedly \u003c/a>resided in the Westerfeld House on Fulton and Scott streets overlooking San Francisco’s Alamo Square. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the impressive home is not open to tours or the public, it is an eight-minute drive from the Haas-Lilienthal House and can be a good opportunity to glimpse some more dark San Francisco history — albeit from the outside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want even more ‘spooky history’ events in the Bay Area this October?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re craving other events with a historical tinge, you can also check out:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Through Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tours\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 9: \u003c/strong>A recounting of Valencia St.’s “deathly past” by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZS9mUBAkQ/?stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">\u003cem>Dead Reckoning \u003c/em>podcast hosts Beth Winegarner and Courtney Minick\u003c/a> at taxidermy store Paxton Gate in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 10: \u003c/strong>Freaky, Spooky Wikipedia Show and Tell at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKTIohGp1F/?stkn=eHZ5bmN3bm52MWFp\">the Bathers Library\u003c/a> in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 21: \u003c/strong>More local ghost stories as told by \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunted-oakland-tickets-2000295815631\">Winegarner and Minick\u003c/a> at bookstore bar Clio’s in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 28: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-by-aria-tickets-2001984221699?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Death By Aria\u003c/a>, a series of music performances at the iconic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-halloween-masquerade-at-the-historic-clift-hotel-redwood-room-tickets-1999006466152?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Halloween Masquerade Party\u003c/a> at the historic Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_hhz_iaJ-/\">NIGHT OF 1000 MARY TODDS\u003c/a> at the White Horse Bar in Oakland. Kind of not historical \u003cem>at all\u003c/em>, this reporter is tickled pink to see an entire party dedicated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdrmXQgvwI\">the incredible piece of art that is \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> \u003c/em>— a fake biographical depiction of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln Todd, as a depressed diva. The touring production of “Oh, Mary!” is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohmaryplay.com/tour/home\">currently in San Francisco until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, featuring “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 winner Alaska as Mary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The most blessed time of all has finally arrived: Halloween. (And yes, Halloween \u003cem>is \u003c/em>a monthlong affair.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And yes, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate the vampires, zombies and werewolves of lore. But for history fans, the Bay Area also has no shortage of real-life storied spots with haunting backstories — or places that just make for a downright spooky visit at this time of year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And yes, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate the vampires, zombies and werewolves of lore. But for history fans, the Bay Area also has no shortage of real-life storied spots with haunting backstories — or places that just make for a downright spooky visit at this time of year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>From haunted manors and ghostly ships to castles, lighthouses and more, read on to see what historical sites are hosting Halloween tours, events and experiences this month around the Bay Area. (And if you want those jumpscares too at a more immersive horror experience, we’ve got a guide to those coming soon too.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>From haunted manors and ghostly ships to castles, lighthouses and more, read on to see what historical sites are hosting Halloween tours, events and experiences this month around the Bay Area. (And if you want those jumpscares too at a more immersive horror experience, we’ve got a guide to those coming soon too.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The USS Hornet Museum",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The USS Hornet Museum\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The USS Hornet Museum\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102396\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The sun sets on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California, on Oct. 25, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Florence Middleton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102396\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The sun sets on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California, on Oct. 25, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Courtesy of Florence Middleton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>All aboard this giant warship, now a floating museum in Alameda. The USS Hornet Museum has a range of year-round exhibits, including one about its time as an aircraft carrier during World War II.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>All aboard this giant warship, now a floating museum in Alameda. The USS Hornet Museum has a range of year-round exhibits, including one about its time as an aircraft carrier during World War II.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But during Halloween, the ship becomes \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/\">The Haunted Hornet\u003c/a>, inviting visitors on a seasonal group tour of the vessel after dark where you’ll learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">the nautical ghost stories\u003c/a> of its past. Tours are available until Nov. 1, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/tickets\">tickets can be bought online\u003c/a> for around $39. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But during Halloween, the ship becomes \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/\">The Haunted Hornet\u003c/a>, inviting visitors on a seasonal group tour of the vessel after dark where you’ll learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">the nautical ghost stories\u003c/a> of its past. Tours are available until Nov. 1, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/tickets\">tickets can be bought online\u003c/a> for around $39. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/ship-of-spirits-spaghetti-spirits-paranormal-dinner-3/\">Spaghetti & Spirits Paranormal Dinner on Oct. 23\u003c/a> and a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/monsters-bash-2026/\">Monsters Bash party on Oct. 24\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/ship-of-spirits-spaghetti-spirits-paranormal-dinner-3/\">Spaghetti & Spirits Paranormal Dinner on Oct. 23\u003c/a> and a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/monsters-bash-2026/\">Monsters Bash party on Oct. 24\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Haas-Lilienthal House",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYTiirmwo",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYTiirmwo\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfwYTiirmwo\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The Pacifica Castle",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pacifica Castle\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pacifica Castle\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Bay has a castle. Who knew? (No, not \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/26/albion-castle-bayview-brewery-private-events/\">that one\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Bay has a castle. Who knew? (No, not \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/26/albion-castle-bayview-brewery-private-events/\">that one\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re interested in checking out this unusual structure in Pacifica during Spooky Season, act fast: Tours of the castle are available \u003cem>only\u003c/em> on Oct. 10 this month, although there are more in November and the new year. Tickets are around $35.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re interested in checking out this unusual structure in Pacifica during Spooky Season, act fast: Tours of the castle are available \u003cem>only\u003c/em> on Oct. 10 this month, although there are more in November and the new year. Tickets are around $35.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>According to the website, there’ll be a possible guest appearance from the castle’s ghosts. But tour guides \u003ca href=\"https://www.sammazzafoundation.org/news-and-events/castle-tours/tour-dates/\">promise they’re friendly\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>According to the website, there’ll be a possible guest appearance from the castle’s ghosts. But tour guides \u003ca href=\"https://www.sammazzafoundation.org/news-and-events/castle-tours/tour-dates/\">promise they’re friendly\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "The cemeteries of Colma",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The cemeteries of Colma\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The cemeteries of Colma\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/12/V0A9321-e1790886365827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10796841\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In many parts of Colma, neat rows of gravestones are visible for as far as the eye can see.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Olivia Allen-Price/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/12/V0A9321-e1790886365827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10796841\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In many parts of Colma, neat rows of gravestones are visible for as far as the eye can see.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Olivia Allen-Price/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s everyone’s favorite Bay Area fact: there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">more dead people in Colma than living\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s everyone’s favorite Bay Area fact: there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">more dead people in Colma than living\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The reputation was founded in the 1900s, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">over 100,000 bodies were exhumed \u003c/a>and moved from San Francisco to Colma in order to make more room for housing in the city. Now, more than a million people are buried in Colma. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The reputation was founded in the 1900s, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">over 100,000 bodies were exhumed \u003c/a>and moved from San Francisco to Colma in order to make more room for housing in the city. Now, more than a million people are buried in Colma. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The multiple cemeteries of Colma host the resting places of many famous people, including athlete superstar Joe DiMaggio and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">a map of famed burial sites\u003c/a> — some of which are striking mausoleums — that people can visit in Colma. There are also \u003ca href=\"https://cypresslawn.com/events/\">opportunities for trolley or walking tours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The multiple cemeteries of Colma host the resting places of many famous people, including athlete superstar Joe DiMaggio and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">a map of famed burial sites\u003c/a> — some of which are striking mausoleums — that people can visit in Colma. There are also \u003ca href=\"https://cypresslawn.com/events/\">opportunities for trolley or walking tours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Winchester Mystery House",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Winchester Mystery House\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Winchester Mystery House\u003c/h2>\n"
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"alt": "A sign on a cream colored wood paneled wall that says \"Staircase to nowhere.\" The sign also includes an illustration of a hand pointing to the right.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1536x1146.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on a cream colored wood paneled wall that says "Staircase to nowhere." The sign also includes an illustration of a hand pointing to the right.\" class=\"wp-image-11963333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1536x1146.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Staircases and doors that lead to nowhere are a hallmark of what makes the Winchester House ‘mysterious.’ \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on a cream colored wood paneled wall that says "Staircase to nowhere." The sign also includes an illustration of a hand pointing to the right.\" class=\"wp-image-11963333\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Staircases and doors that lead to nowhere are a hallmark of what makes the Winchester House ‘mysterious.’ \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here’s where we’ll really stretch the definition of “historical.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Here’s where we’ll really stretch the definition of “historical.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Winchester Mystery House in San José, dating from 1886, has always had an allure for fans of the paranormal. They’re drawn not just by its bizarre architecture but by the apparent sightings of ghosts that reportedly haunted its owner and widowed heiress, Sarah Winchester. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Winchester Mystery House in San José, dating from 1886, has always had an allure for fans of the paranormal. They’re drawn not just by its bizarre architecture but by the apparent sightings of ghosts that reportedly haunted its owner and widowed heiress, Sarah Winchester. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alas, the truth is sometimes a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less juicy, and \u003cem>Bay Curious\u003c/em> has an episode \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963206/after-100-years-the-mysteries-of-the-winchester-house-endure\">debunking a lot of the myths around the Winchester House and Sarah herself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Alas, the truth is sometimes a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less juicy, and \u003cem>Bay Curious\u003c/em> has an episode \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963206/after-100-years-the-mysteries-of-the-winchester-house-endure\">debunking a lot of the myths around the Winchester House and Sarah herself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, we can recognize there are still thrills to be had when touring the mansion’s sprawling estate — with \u003cem>lots \u003c/em>and \u003cem>lots\u003c/em> of stairs leading to nowhere. Tickets can be \u003ca href=\"https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/\">found online\u003c/a> (around $48 for adults, $25 for children), with \u003ca href=\"https://festivalfrightnights.com/\">a seasonal Festival Fright Nights\u003c/a> after-hours series running until Nov. 1. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, we can recognize there are still thrills to be had when touring the mansion’s sprawling estate — with \u003cem>lots \u003c/em>and \u003cem>lots\u003c/em> of stairs leading to nowhere. Tickets can be \u003ca href=\"https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/\">found online\u003c/a> (around $48 for adults, $25 for children), with \u003ca href=\"https://festivalfrightnights.com/\">a seasonal Festival Fright Nights\u003c/a> after-hours series running until Nov. 1. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Point Sur Lighthouse",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Point Sur Lighthouse\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11701342\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Pt. Sur Lighthouse has been operating since 1889. It’s one of California’s oldest and most remote light stations.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sasha Khokha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11701342\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Pt. Sur Lighthouse has been operating since 1889. It’s one of California’s oldest and most remote light stations.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Sasha Khokha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A little further away: Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey County, just off Highway 1 in Big Sur, is one of the state’s oldest — and most remote — lighthouses. It’s also said to be the visiting place of past families who once lived there, who’ve been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11701114/a-lighthouse-so-beautiful-ghosts-come-back-to-haunt-it\">known to make their ghostly presence felt\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A little further away: Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey County, just off Highway 1 in Big Sur, is one of the state’s oldest — and most remote — lighthouses. It’s also said to be the visiting place of past families who once lived there, who’ve been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11701114/a-lighthouse-so-beautiful-ghosts-come-back-to-haunt-it\">known to make their ghostly presence felt\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now a state historic park, the lighthouse is \u003ca href=\"http://pointsur.org/\">open for haunting evening visits\u003c/a> on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with tickets priced at $125 and limited to 40 people. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Now a state historic park, the lighthouse is \u003ca href=\"http://pointsur.org/\">open for haunting evening visits\u003c/a> on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with tickets priced at $125 and limited to 40 people. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Kelley House Museum",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kelley House Museum\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102407\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-1536x1103.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Kelley House Museum in Mendocino.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (W Nowicki via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102407\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Kelley House Museum in Mendocino.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (W Nowicki via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes, it’s several hours’ drive north up the coast from the Bay Area. But up in the always-scenic coastal town of Mendocino are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/visit-walking-tours/\">\u003cem>two\u003c/em> pretty great tours\u003c/a> for Halloween: the Haunted Mendocino tour and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7BvxQ8zmbf4gIaWBbkPLOA\">Murder, She Wrote\u003c/a> (of the Angela Lansbury television show fame) tour.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yes, it’s several hours’ drive north up the coast from the Bay Area. But up in the always-scenic coastal town of Mendocino are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/visit-walking-tours/\">\u003cem>two\u003c/em> pretty great tours\u003c/a> for Halloween: the Haunted Mendocino tour and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7BvxQ8zmbf4gIaWBbkPLOA\">Murder, She Wrote\u003c/a> (of the Angela Lansbury television show fame) tour.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Haunted Mendocino event will touch on Victorian specters and the town’s history. The Murder, She Wrote tour, meanwhile, visits former film sets and recounts behind-the-scenes tales about the television show that lasted for over 200 episodes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Haunted Mendocino event will touch on Victorian specters and the town’s history. The Murder, She Wrote tour, meanwhile, visits former film sets and recounts behind-the-scenes tales about the television show that lasted for over 200 episodes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both tours cost around $25, and a calendar can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/events/month/\">the Kelley House Museum website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Both tours cost around $25, and a calendar can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/events/month/\">the Kelley House Museum website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Haunting Bay Area spots to glimpse from the outside",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Haunting Bay Area spots to glimpse from the outside\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Haunting Bay Area spots to glimpse from the outside\u003c/h2>\n"
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"text": "The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate\u003c/h3>\n",
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate\u003c/h3>\n"
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"alt": "A large neoclassical white house sits behind a large lawn and in front of a stand of trees."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/29453895034_66004c1b14_k-e1790888078303.jpg\" alt=\"A large neoclassical white house sits behind a large lawn and in front of a stand of trees.\" class=\"wp-image-11964123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate has been a backdrop for many scary films, including ‘Phantasm’ and ‘Burnt Offerings.’ \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Wayne Hsieh/Flickr)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/29453895034_66004c1b14_k-e1790888078303.jpg\" alt=\"A large neoclassical white house sits behind a large lawn and in front of a stand of trees.\" class=\"wp-image-11964123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate has been a backdrop for many scary films, including ‘Phantasm’ and ‘Burnt Offerings.’ \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Wayne Hsieh/Flickr)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964119/dunsmuir-the-oakland-mansion-that-inspired-hollywood-nightmares\">This Neoclassical house\u003c/a> in Oakland has acted as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween\">the ultimate horror movie location\u003c/a> in the Bay Area over the years, featured in movies like “The Vineyard,” “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Burnt Offerings.” But it’s probably best known for its role in Phantasm, a cult classic soundtracked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13813192/phantasm-fred-myrow\">the father of KQED tech reporter Rachael Myrow\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964119/dunsmuir-the-oakland-mansion-that-inspired-hollywood-nightmares\">This Neoclassical house\u003c/a> in Oakland has acted as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween\">the ultimate horror movie location\u003c/a> in the Bay Area over the years, featured in movies like “The Vineyard,” “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Burnt Offerings.” But it’s probably best known for its role in Phantasm, a cult classic soundtracked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13813192/phantasm-fred-myrow\">the father of KQED tech reporter Rachael Myrow\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIRVOepV9Ik\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIRVOepV9Ik\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, this gorgeous mansion in Oakland is \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Rent-a-Facility-or-Park/Dunsmuir-Hellman-Historic-Estate\">not exactly open to the public\u003c/a> right now, and its current condition has stirred up \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1psmm0w/the_dunsmuir_hellman_estate_a_37room_neoclassical/?solution=e398fa6a083f222ee398fa6a083f222e&js_challenge=1&jsc_token=2824be10929bdc604753c70a67a1c3312823c56eea499c3f5361a92901338702&jsc_orig_r=\">no shortage of community complaints online.\u003c/a> But it’s still worth a journey into the Oakland Hills to look at from afar through the fence, due to its place in Halloween movie history.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, this gorgeous mansion in Oakland is \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Rent-a-Facility-or-Park/Dunsmuir-Hellman-Historic-Estate\">not exactly open to the public\u003c/a> right now, and its current condition has stirred up \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1psmm0w/the_dunsmuir_hellman_estate_a_37room_neoclassical/?solution=e398fa6a083f222ee398fa6a083f222e&js_challenge=1&jsc_token=2824be10929bdc604753c70a67a1c3312823c56eea499c3f5361a92901338702&jsc_orig_r=\">no shortage of community complaints online.\u003c/a> But it’s still worth a journey into the Oakland Hills to look at from afar through the fence, due to its place in Halloween movie history.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The William Westerfeld House"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The William Westerfeld House\u003c/h3>\n",
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The William Westerfeld House\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://churchofsatan.com/faq-the-black-house/\">The Black House\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964949/how-the-church-of-satan-was-born-in-san-francisco\">the Church of Satan’s most well-known headquarters\u003c/a> — was demolished in 2001, the founder Anton LaVey also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/characters/article/This-Alamo-Square-Victorian-holds-100-years-of-SF-15651657.php\">reportedly \u003c/a>resided in the Westerfeld House on Fulton and Scott streets overlooking San Francisco’s Alamo Square. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://churchofsatan.com/faq-the-black-house/\">The Black House\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964949/how-the-church-of-satan-was-born-in-san-francisco\">the Church of Satan’s most well-known headquarters\u003c/a> — was demolished in 2001, the founder Anton LaVey also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/characters/article/This-Alamo-Square-Victorian-holds-100-years-of-SF-15651657.php\">reportedly \u003c/a>resided in the Westerfeld House on Fulton and Scott streets overlooking San Francisco’s Alamo Square. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While the impressive home is not open to tours or the public, it is an eight-minute drive from the Haas-Lilienthal House and can be a good opportunity to glimpse some more dark San Francisco history — albeit from the outside. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While the impressive home is not open to tours or the public, it is an eight-minute drive from the Haas-Lilienthal House and can be a good opportunity to glimpse some more dark San Francisco history — albeit from the outside. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Want even more ‘spooky history’ events in the Bay Area this October?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want even more ‘spooky history’ events in the Bay Area this October?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want even more ‘spooky history’ events in the Bay Area this October?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re craving other events with a historical tinge, you can also check out:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’re craving other events with a historical tinge, you can also check out:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Through Oct. 31: SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tours",
"Oct. 9: A recounting of Valencia St.’s “deathly past” by Dead Reckoning podcast hosts Beth Winegarner and Courtney Minick at taxidermy store Paxton Gate in San Francisco.",
"Oct. 10: Freaky, Spooky Wikipedia Show and Tell at the Bathers Library in Oakland. ",
"Oct. 21: More local ghost stories as told by Winegarner and Minick at bookstore bar Clio’s in Oakland. ",
"Oct. 28: Death By Aria, a series of music performances at the iconic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. ",
"Oct. 31: Halloween Masquerade Party at the historic Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco.",
"Oct. 31: NIGHT OF 1000 MARY TODDS at the White Horse Bar in Oakland. Kind of not historical at all, this reporter is tickled pink to see an entire party dedicated to the incredible piece of art that is Oh, Mary! — a fake biographical depiction of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln Todd, as a depressed diva. The touring production of “Oh, Mary!” is also currently in San Francisco until Nov. 1, featuring “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 winner Alaska as Mary."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Through Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tours\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Through Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tours\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 9: \u003c/strong>A recounting of Valencia St.’s “deathly past” by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZS9mUBAkQ/?stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">\u003cem>Dead Reckoning \u003c/em>podcast hosts Beth Winegarner and Courtney Minick\u003c/a> at taxidermy store Paxton Gate in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 9: \u003c/strong>A recounting of Valencia St.’s “deathly past” by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZS9mUBAkQ/?stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">\u003cem>Dead Reckoning \u003c/em>podcast hosts Beth Winegarner and Courtney Minick\u003c/a> at taxidermy store Paxton Gate in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 10: \u003c/strong>Freaky, Spooky Wikipedia Show and Tell at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKTIohGp1F/?stkn=eHZ5bmN3bm52MWFp\">the Bathers Library\u003c/a> in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 10: \u003c/strong>Freaky, Spooky Wikipedia Show and Tell at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKTIohGp1F/?stkn=eHZ5bmN3bm52MWFp\">the Bathers Library\u003c/a> in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 21: \u003c/strong>More local ghost stories as told by \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunted-oakland-tickets-2000295815631\">Winegarner and Minick\u003c/a> at bookstore bar Clio’s in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 21: \u003c/strong>More local ghost stories as told by \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunted-oakland-tickets-2000295815631\">Winegarner and Minick\u003c/a> at bookstore bar Clio’s in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 28: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-by-aria-tickets-2001984221699?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Death By Aria\u003c/a>, a series of music performances at the iconic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. \u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 28: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-by-aria-tickets-2001984221699?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Death By Aria\u003c/a>, a series of music performances at the iconic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. \u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-halloween-masquerade-at-the-historic-clift-hotel-redwood-room-tickets-1999006466152?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Halloween Masquerade Party\u003c/a> at the historic Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-halloween-masquerade-at-the-historic-clift-hotel-redwood-room-tickets-1999006466152?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Halloween Masquerade Party\u003c/a> at the historic Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_hhz_iaJ-/\">NIGHT OF 1000 MARY TODDS\u003c/a> at the White Horse Bar in Oakland. Kind of not historical \u003cem>at all\u003c/em>, this reporter is tickled pink to see an entire party dedicated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdrmXQgvwI\">the incredible piece of art that is \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> \u003c/em>— a fake biographical depiction of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln Todd, as a depressed diva. The touring production of “Oh, Mary!” is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohmaryplay.com/tour/home\">currently in San Francisco until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, featuring “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 winner Alaska as Mary.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_hhz_iaJ-/\">NIGHT OF 1000 MARY TODDS\u003c/a> at the White Horse Bar in Oakland. Kind of not historical \u003cem>at all\u003c/em>, this reporter is tickled pink to see an entire party dedicated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdrmXQgvwI\">the incredible piece of art that is \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> \u003c/em>— a fake biographical depiction of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln Todd, as a depressed diva. The touring production of “Oh, Mary!” is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohmaryplay.com/tour/home\">currently in San Francisco until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, featuring “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 winner Alaska as Mary.\u003c/li>\n"
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"excerpt": "Lighthouses, castles and a lot of spooky mansions: Check out these historical sites hosting Halloween events this October.",
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"title": "History but Make It Haunted: Historic Tours Around the Bay Area to Enjoy Around Halloween | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The most blessed time of all has finally arrived: Halloween. (And yes, Halloween \u003cem>is \u003c/em>a monthlong affair.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And yes, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate the vampires, zombies and werewolves of lore. But for history fans, the Bay Area also has no shortage of real-life storied spots with haunting backstories — or places that just make for a downright spooky visit at this time of year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>From haunted manors and ghostly ships to castles, lighthouses and more, read on to see what historical sites are hosting Halloween tours, events and experiences this month around the Bay Area. (And if you want those jumpscares too at a more immersive horror experience, we’ve got a guide to those coming soon too.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The USS Hornet Museum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102396\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/02_20241025_USSHornet_Middleton_013_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The sun sets on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California, on Oct. 25, 2024. (Courtesy of Florence Middleton)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>All aboard this giant warship, now a floating museum in Alameda. The USS Hornet Museum has a range of year-round exhibits, including one about its time as an aircraft carrier during World War II.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But during Halloween, the ship becomes \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/\">The Haunted Hornet\u003c/a>, inviting visitors on a seasonal group tour of the vessel after dark where you’ll learn \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">the nautical ghost stories\u003c/a> of its past. Tours are available until Nov. 1, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedhornet.com/tickets\">tickets can be bought online\u003c/a> for around $39. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/ship-of-spirits-spaghetti-spirits-paranormal-dinner-3/\">Spaghetti & Spirits Paranormal Dinner on Oct. 23\u003c/a> and a \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/event/monsters-bash-2026/\">Monsters Bash party on Oct. 24\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Haas-Lilienthal House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1424\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102412\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Haas-Lilienthal_House_exterior_2025-1536x1094.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Haas-Lilienthal House in San Francisco. (Ppienovagem via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>This beautifully preserved San Francisco Victorian survived \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/\">the Great Earthquake\u003c/a>. And this Halloween, the nonprofit SF Heritage is partnering with the \u003ca href=\"https://www.gregangelomuseum.com/\">Gregangelo Museum\u003c/a> to host “House of Weird” within the Haas-Lilienthal House’s walls, promising \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">“a secret, sensory world”\u003c/a> that’s an “only in San Francisco experience.”\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/MfwYTiirmwo'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/MfwYTiirmwo'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Slots are \u003ca href=\"https://www.haas-lilienthalhouse.org/halloween\">available online\u003c/a> from mid-October up until Halloween night, for around $66 per guest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pacifica Castle\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Bay has a castle. Who knew? (No, not \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/07/26/albion-castle-bayview-brewery-private-events/\">that one\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re interested in checking out this unusual structure in Pacifica during Spooky Season, act fast: Tours of the castle are available \u003cem>only\u003c/em> on Oct. 10 this month, although there are more in November and the new year. Tickets are around $35.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>According to the website, there’ll be a possible guest appearance from the castle’s ghosts. But tour guides \u003ca href=\"https://www.sammazzafoundation.org/news-and-events/castle-tours/tour-dates/\">promise they’re friendly\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The cemeteries of Colma\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/12/V0A9321-e1790886365827.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10796841\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In many parts of Colma, neat rows of gravestones are visible for as far as the eye can see. (Olivia Allen-Price/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s everyone’s favorite Bay Area fact: there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">more dead people in Colma than living\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The reputation was founded in the 1900s, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">over 100,000 bodies were exhumed \u003c/a>and moved from San Francisco to Colma in order to make more room for housing in the city. Now, more than a million people are buried in Colma. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The multiple cemeteries of Colma host the resting places of many famous people, including athlete superstar Joe DiMaggio and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. KQED has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11891074/some-of-the-most-famous-people-buried-in-colma-with-map\">a map of famed burial sites\u003c/a> — some of which are striking mausoleums — that people can visit in Colma. There are also \u003ca href=\"https://cypresslawn.com/events/\">opportunities for trolley or walking tours\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Winchester Mystery House\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1432\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on a cream colored wood paneled wall that says "Staircase to nowhere." The sign also includes an illustration of a hand pointing to the right.\" class=\"wp-image-11963333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/Staricase-to-nowhere-sign-1536x1146.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Staircases and doors that lead to nowhere are a hallmark of what makes the Winchester House ‘mysterious.’ (Carly Severn/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s where we’ll really stretch the definition of “historical.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Winchester Mystery House in San José, dating from 1886, has always had an allure for fans of the paranormal. They’re drawn not just by its bizarre architecture but by the apparent sightings of ghosts that reportedly haunted its owner and widowed heiress, Sarah Winchester. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alas, the truth is sometimes a \u003cem>little \u003c/em>less juicy, and \u003cem>Bay Curious\u003c/em> has an episode \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11963206/after-100-years-the-mysteries-of-the-winchester-house-endure\">debunking a lot of the myths around the Winchester House and Sarah herself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, we can recognize there are still thrills to be had when touring the mansion’s sprawling estate — with \u003cem>lots \u003c/em>and \u003cem>lots\u003c/em> of stairs leading to nowhere. Tickets can be \u003ca href=\"https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/\">found online\u003c/a> (around $48 for adults, $25 for children), with \u003ca href=\"https://festivalfrightnights.com/\">a seasonal Festival Fright Nights\u003c/a> after-hours series running until Nov. 1. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Point Sur Lighthouse\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11701342\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-960x720.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33425_84AD42F7-6D7C-4746-919E-8EE605106069-qut-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Pt. Sur Lighthouse has been operating since 1889. It’s one of California’s oldest and most remote light stations. (Sasha Khokha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A little further away: Point Sur Lighthouse in Monterey County, just off Highway 1 in Big Sur, is one of the state’s oldest — and most remote — lighthouses. It’s also said to be the visiting place of past families who once lived there, who’ve been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11701114/a-lighthouse-so-beautiful-ghosts-come-back-to-haunt-it\">known to make their ghostly presence felt\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now a state historic park, the lighthouse is \u003ca href=\"http://pointsur.org/\">open for haunting evening visits\u003c/a> on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with tickets priced at $125 and limited to 40 people. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Kelley House Museum\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1436\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12102407\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/Kelley_house_Mendocino_California-1536x1103.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Kelley House Museum in Mendocino. (W Nowicki via Wikimedia Commons)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Yes, it’s several hours’ drive north up the coast from the Bay Area. But up in the always-scenic coastal town of Mendocino are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/visit-walking-tours/\">\u003cem>two\u003c/em> pretty great tours\u003c/a> for Halloween: the Haunted Mendocino tour and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7BvxQ8zmbf4gIaWBbkPLOA\">Murder, She Wrote\u003c/a> (of the Angela Lansbury television show fame) tour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Haunted Mendocino event will touch on Victorian specters and the town’s history. The Murder, She Wrote tour, meanwhile, visits former film sets and recounts behind-the-scenes tales about the television show that lasted for over 200 episodes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both tours cost around $25, and a calendar can be found on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/events/month/\">the Kelley House Museum website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Haunting Bay Area spots to glimpse from the outside\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/29453895034_66004c1b14_k-e1790888078303.jpg\" alt=\"A large neoclassical white house sits behind a large lawn and in front of a stand of trees.\" class=\"wp-image-11964123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate has been a backdrop for many scary films, including ‘Phantasm’ and ‘Burnt Offerings.’ (Wayne Hsieh/Flickr)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964119/dunsmuir-the-oakland-mansion-that-inspired-hollywood-nightmares\">This Neoclassical house\u003c/a> in Oakland has acted as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12101714/the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween\">the ultimate horror movie location\u003c/a> in the Bay Area over the years, featured in movies like “The Vineyard,” “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Burnt Offerings.” But it’s probably best known for its role in Phantasm, a cult classic soundtracked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13813192/phantasm-fred-myrow\">the father of KQED tech reporter Rachael Myrow\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/RIRVOepV9Ik'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/RIRVOepV9Ik'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Unfortunately, this gorgeous mansion in Oakland is \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Parks-Facilities/Rent-a-Facility-or-Park/Dunsmuir-Hellman-Historic-Estate\">not exactly open to the public\u003c/a> right now, and its current condition has stirred up \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/oakland/comments/1psmm0w/the_dunsmuir_hellman_estate_a_37room_neoclassical/?solution=e398fa6a083f222ee398fa6a083f222e&js_challenge=1&jsc_token=2824be10929bdc604753c70a67a1c3312823c56eea499c3f5361a92901338702&jsc_orig_r=\">no shortage of community complaints online.\u003c/a> But it’s still worth a journey into the Oakland Hills to look at from afar through the fence, due to its place in Halloween movie history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The William Westerfeld House\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://churchofsatan.com/faq-the-black-house/\">The Black House\u003c/a> — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11964949/how-the-church-of-satan-was-born-in-san-francisco\">the Church of Satan’s most well-known headquarters\u003c/a> — was demolished in 2001, the founder Anton LaVey also \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/characters/article/This-Alamo-Square-Victorian-holds-100-years-of-SF-15651657.php\">reportedly \u003c/a>resided in the Westerfeld House on Fulton and Scott streets overlooking San Francisco’s Alamo Square. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While the impressive home is not open to tours or the public, it is an eight-minute drive from the Haas-Lilienthal House and can be a good opportunity to glimpse some more dark San Francisco history — albeit from the outside. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want even more ‘spooky history’ events in the Bay Area this October?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re craving other events with a historical tinge, you can also check out:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Through Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">SF Ghost Hunt Walking Tours\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 9: \u003c/strong>A recounting of Valencia St.’s “deathly past” by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZS9mUBAkQ/?stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">\u003cem>Dead Reckoning \u003c/em>podcast hosts Beth Winegarner and Courtney Minick\u003c/a> at taxidermy store Paxton Gate in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 10: \u003c/strong>Freaky, Spooky Wikipedia Show and Tell at \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DeKTIohGp1F/?stkn=eHZ5bmN3bm52MWFp\">the Bathers Library\u003c/a> in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 21: \u003c/strong>More local ghost stories as told by \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/haunted-oakland-tickets-2000295815631\">Winegarner and Minick\u003c/a> at bookstore bar Clio’s in Oakland. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 28: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/death-by-aria-tickets-2001984221699?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Death By Aria\u003c/a>, a series of music performances at the iconic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-halloween-masquerade-at-the-historic-clift-hotel-redwood-room-tickets-1999006466152?aff=ebdssbdestsearch\">Halloween Masquerade Party\u003c/a> at the historic Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in San Francisco.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Oct. 31: \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc_hhz_iaJ-/\">NIGHT OF 1000 MARY TODDS\u003c/a> at the White Horse Bar in Oakland. Kind of not historical \u003cem>at all\u003c/em>, this reporter is tickled pink to see an entire party dedicated to \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdrmXQgvwI\">the incredible piece of art that is \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> \u003c/em>— a fake biographical depiction of Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Lincoln Todd, as a depressed diva. The touring production of “Oh, Mary!” is also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ohmaryplay.com/tour/home\">currently in San Francisco until Nov. 1\u003c/a>, featuring “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 winner Alaska as Mary.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-spookiest-bay-area-films-to-stream-this-halloween",
"title": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween",
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"headTitle": "The Spookiest Bay Area Films to Stream This Halloween | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>[baycuriousquestion]\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9c0gBgh6c\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9VqUzdEQsk\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxR7dlavwg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrqsdlgqCw\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "The Lost Boys (1987)",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNncHPl1UXg\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "Zodiac (2007)",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JidGAt7zXT0\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "Pacific Heights (1990)",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmINBAFhveM\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "Burnt Offerings (1976)",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "Contagion (2011) ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">View the full episode transcript.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As longtime locals and film obsessives, we’ll admit our bias up front: the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> puts on a masterclass in horror atmosphere.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Alongside the postcard views is a landscape engineered for suspense. Thick fog strips visibility to zero without warning. Hilly terrain turns every curve into a blind leap. And hanging over it all is the eerie geography of being at the edge of the continent — on the precipice of the deep, freezing Pacific.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That’s why we put together this list of our favorite scary movies filmed in the Bay Area. Spend spooky season with local thrills you may not know. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/5m9c0gBgh6c'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/5m9c0gBgh6c'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Fog\u003c/em> (1980)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080749/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Local legend tells of a ship lured onto the rocks of Antonio Bay being enveloped by a supernatural cloud as it sank; the myth says that when this mysterious fog returns, the victims will rise up from the depths seeking vengeance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Peep scenic North Bay locations like Stinson Beach and Point Reyes in this oft-overlooked John Carpenter film made on the heels of his smash hit, Halloween. In the film, the Point Reyes Lighthouse was chosen as the headquarters of K.A.B. radio, a central location in the film. It happens to be one of the windiest and foggiest places in North America — so the ambiance for this horror film was ready-made. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s a cozy classic as well,” KQED’s Carly Severn said. “It’s just so evocative of the fall to me. I always regarded this movie as an oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plus, we love to see our eternal weather pattern cast in a spooky light.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Fog has gotten too cute,” said Peter Hartlaub, culture critic with the \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em>. “There’s Karl the Fog. We’re wearing all these little foggy T-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/q9VqUzdEQsk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/q9VqUzdEQsk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Invasion of the Body Snatchers\u003c/em> (1978)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077745/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> When strange seeds drift to Earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, replicating the city’s residents one body at a time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> If you want a horror film with a strong sense of San Francisco, this one is tough to beat. “One of the best uses of locations,” Hartlaub said. “City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. The Painted Ladies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Nearly every scene feels like San Francisco — even the interior shots. Plus, the old-school special effects are straight up \u003cem>creepy\u003c/em> in a way CGI just can’t touch. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated,” Hartlaub said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/lCxR7dlavwg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/lCxR7dlavwg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> (1963) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20birds\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A wealthy San Francisco socialite follows a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn toward the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it:\u003c/strong> Look, it just doesn’t get more “classic Bay Area horror film” than \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em>. Alfred Hitchcock is one of cinema’s greatest, and he delivers in this nature-strikes-back film. The movie starts in Union Square in downtown San Francisco, but spends most of its time in the North Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green pencil skirt,” Hartlaub said. “She falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/kPrqsdlgqCw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/kPrqsdlgqCw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>The Lost Boys\u003c/em> (1987)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093437/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost%20boys\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>When a recently divorced mother and her two teenage boys move to a coastal town to stay with her father, it doesn’t take long for the brothers to realize the area is a haven for something much more sinister than party-going surfers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>Santa Cruz may technically be beyond the nine-county Bay Area, but spiritually it feels the part. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk and surrounding area are core to the film and help underscore the film’s 1980s teenage nostalgia. Atlantis Fantasyworld Comic Book Shop plays a central role, too. Every once in a while they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz, which is absolutely the most primo way to watch it.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of being a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town,” Hartlaub said. “There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure, there’s Chinese food that turns into maggots.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chilling!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/yNncHPl1UXg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/yNncHPl1UXg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Zodiac\u003c/em> (2007)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443706/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It’s not just one of the best scary movies set in the Bay Area; we’d argue it’s one of the best Bay Area movies, period. It should be on anybody’s watch list who has moved to San Francisco because it’s based on a true story — so you’ll learn some local history too!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the film, you’ll spot familiar sites like Original Joe’s, San Francisco City Hall, Lake Berryessa and ACT Theatre. \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> newsroom scenes were shot on a soundstage in Hollywood, but the set is so darn close to reality, we’ll count it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“How the movie manages the passage of time is so interesting,” Severn said. “Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though decades have passed since the real-life murders took place, \u003cem>The San Francisco Chronicle\u003c/em> still has a reporter assigned to updates on the Zodiac killer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job,” Hartlaub said. “It was [reporter] Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and he thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in … it’s not over.\u003cem>”\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/JidGAt7zXT0'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/JidGAt7zXT0'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Pacific Heights \u003c/em>(1990)\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100318/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_0_in_0_q_pacific%20heights\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Drake and Patty purchase a San Francisco Victorian hoping to fund their future through rental income. Their stability collapses when Carter Hayes occupies the studio, weaponizing tenant laws to drain their finances and sanity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>OK, this film should have been called “Potrero Hill” because that’s where it was nearly entirely filmed. “And it dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws,” Hartlaub said. But we’ll overlook both those details because there are so many other things to love about this film.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Director John Schlesinger clearly drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>The Birds\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Vertigo\u003c/em> because there are callbacks throughout the film — including casting Melanie Griffith, the daughter of \u003cem>The Birds’\u003c/em> star Tippi Hedren. And Hedren makes a brief wordless cameo herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Much like David Fincher’s \u003cem>The Game\u003c/em>, it takes place right before the city really shifted from the old money to the tech money,” Hartlaub said. “So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/dmINBAFhveM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/dmINBAFhveM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Burnt Offerings\u003c/em> (1976)\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074258/?ref_=fn_t_1\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>A family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>It was filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, a large neoclassical mansion that dates back to 1899. The house is a gem of real estate in the Bay Area in many ways, though it has fallen into disrepair in recent decades. \u003ca href=\"https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/restore-the-dunsmuir-hellman-historic-estate-protect-oaklands-most-storied-mansion\">Grassroots efforts are underway\u003c/a> to try to urge the City of Oakland to take action.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Burnt Offerings is a scary house movie, but not in the haunted sense you might expect. There are no ghosts, creaking doors or jump scares. This film is all about the sinister way the people who live inside the house start acting.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“In the first five or 10 minutes, they set up that this family loves each other; they banter with each other,” Severn said. “And then seeing how the house starts to affect them. It just kind of gets under your skin.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This one also has an awesome cast, including Oliver Reed and Bette Davis in her final role. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/4sYSyuuLk5g'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/4sYSyuuLk5g'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cem>Contagion \u003c/em>(2011) \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Plot summary from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/\">\u003cstrong>IMDB\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> Healthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Why we love it: \u003c/strong>San Francisco features heavily in this thriller that had us all wondering during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Did they know this was coming?” Locals will spot scenes set in North Beach, outside Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and inside Candlestick Park (RIP!). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This recommendation came from Bay Curious listener Kai Ando, who had this to say about it: “Because I watched it during the COVID pandemic and because it was set in the Bay … I think it stuck with me pretty deeply and even afterwards.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know by emailing \u003ca href=\"mailto:baycurious@kqed.org\">baycurious@kqed.org\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode transcript\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>If you’ve been following Bay Curious over the years, you may have detected by now that Halloween is my favorite holiday, and it’s not even close. I think part of my obsession is the changing of the season, of course, from the go-go-go of summer to the, you know, cup of tea vibes we get in early fall. And I feel like during trick-or-treating, the streets of our neighborhoods come alive like no other time of year, all packed with excited kids, adults laughing with each other. And teenagers in the shadows doing whatever it is teenagers do. And of course, the costumes. Now I love an elaborate something that takes weeks of planning, multiple trips to the craft store and several late nights to come together. But to get into the spirit this year, I am feeling called to the couch. It’s been a busy summer and I’m ready to just sit and chill a little bit and watch some scary movies. As is my inclination, perhaps obsession, I figure I may as well make them Bay Area scary movies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So as I was creating my watch list, I decided to call my two most trusted friends when it comes to all things Bay Area film and ask them, “What should we be watching this spooky season?” So here to offer their top recommendations are Carly Severn, KQED’s senior editor of Audience News. Hey, Carly.\u003cbr> \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Hello Olivia, the calls are coming from inside the house.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Ahhh, they are. Spoiler alert, we’re all sitting around one table. And Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic. Welcome, Peter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I am so glad to be back with you all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yay! I’m glad you’re saying ‘glad to be back’ because this is getting the gang back together because a few years ago, this same trio, we made an episode around Christmas time with your recommendations for Bay Area movies at the request of a listener, but today we’re back with a spooky twist on the theme and I couldn’t be more excited.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Oh we’re like the killer that just won’t die. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Before we get into your recs, I want to establish your credentials as people who know scary things. So I’ve got a quick list of warm up questions, and I’m looking for quick and punchy answers here. Are you ready?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Ready.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>I’m ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, starting with you. Best Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Mini Twix or Mini Snickers, no question.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Mini?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I love a little fun size because then you can eat 5,000 of them.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Wonderful. Peter, favorite Halloween candy?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fun-size Heath bar. And here’s the thing, the people giving away the full-size candy bar often are so wealthy you have to walk way up the path and you’re getting less candy overall so hot tip the fun size is OK.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about worst Halloween candy? What do you get and you just groan? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>What’s that corn thing?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Candy corn?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Yeah. Candy corn, yeah. Horrible. Get it off the planet.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Oh my God, I love candy corn. I’m sorry. This recording is over.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I’ll see myself out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>This is like black licorice. This is a very, very controversial one. I’m going with those black and orange wrapped up little peanut butter toffee things that always end up in the bottom of your kid’s Halloween bag after you’ve stolen all of the rest of their candy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> It’s interesting that toffee shows up in both your favorite and least favorite candies though.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Yes, there’s good and bad toffee.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, what about the place in the Bay Area you would be most afraid to spend the night by yourself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I had to think about this, because I think there’s some haunted hotel rooms, but I think I’d kind of be into that in a sort of 1408 way. So I decided Golden Gate Park, because the lighting there is not good, and what if I cannot find my way out?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so you’re afraid of getting lost?\u003cbr>\u003cbr>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I am.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Peter, what about you? I’m afraid of heights, so the top of Sutro Tower, which in addition to being super scary from a heights point of view, has a haunted elevator going up. I’ve been on it. It’s … we don’t wanna talk about it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, and what about … oh, this is my favorite question actually, the favorite costume you’ve ever worn. I’m going to Peter first for this one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I made a Gandalf costume for my son that had a light up staff and I loved it so much that I altered it and wore it myself two years later.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Nice. How old was he at the time?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>He was seven and didn’t know who Gandalf was. This was strictly performative parenting, but I did have him slamming it on the ground and saying, ‘you shall not pass.’ Really entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> The parental equivalent of making your kid wear the Ramones t-shirt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Very much so, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> I feel personally attacked by that. Carly, what about you?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I made a really good Shelley Duvall from The Shining, but I think a couple of years previous I was Pris, the Daryl Hannah robot character from Blade Runner, and I looked fine, I’m just going to say.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Not to humble brag but\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> No, no, it’s a long time and you can boast about yourself if it’s a long time ago. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>What do you think makes the Bay Area such a good background for a horror film?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I think there are two things that elevate the Bay Area over a lot of other cities. The climate and the topography. And with climate, the fog, what is scarier than that? What could come through the fog? Constantly changing unpredictable weather I think is scarier than being in Los Angeles and oh, it’s 70 degrees again. Topography, you’re going over the hill. What’s gonna be over that hill? It’s kind of, there’s this living element to … Exploring a city and not knowing what’s going to be around the next curve, not knowing what’s gonna be over the next hill and I think those two things sort of like become characters in some of these films that we’re going to discuss today.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Completely agree. And I think a lot about this patch of the West Coast as well, that it can have that end of the line feeling. You have gone as far west as you can and now there is just a great expanse of nothing, the Pacific Ocean. There’s also a history as well. The Golden State literally built on wealth accumulated during the gold rush. And you always wonder, like, what’s behind that? Too good to be true. What are the real stories behind that, what are the darker hidden histories behind that? And that’s something that- I think a lot of Bay Area-set horror movies, either directly or indirectly, are also wrestling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Music transition\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>So let’s get onto the main business for today, your scary movie recommendations. Now, I had each of you come with three recommendations, and then we also have one from a Bay Curious listener who responded to a call out. So let us delay no longer and get to it. Peter, I’m gonna start with you. What is the first movie you would recommend?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. So The Birds is a 1963 film starring Tippi Hedren as a little bit of a socialite, starts in Union Square at a Union Square pet shop. I’m trying to figure out where it was. I think it’s where the Disney store is now. Tippi Hedren’s costumes are just a star in this because she’s wearing the same green blazer and green kind of pencil skirt, falls for a guy, follows him out to Bodega Bay with a bird and then the rest of the birds in the world turn on them, quickly turns into a horror film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Birds clip:\u003c/strong> I want you to go as quietly as possible. Do not make a sound until I tell you to run. Then run as quickly as you can. Now does everybody understand? Yes, sir. All right, John, you lead the way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Where everyone from school children to people in a diner are trying to survive this attack of all the birds in the world.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>All right, Carly, what is your first recommendation? My first recommendation is The Fog by John Carpenter, which is about a town on the Northern California coast that is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary. And 100 years ago, something happened off the waters of this town that the town would rather forget, and the sins of the past come back to haunt them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Fog clip: \u003c/strong>Where’s the fog now? Well, it should be right outside my door now. Well, there’s something different about this fog. Dan, stay away from the door!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> I always kind of regarded this movie as like a kind of oddball curio, but now it’s become one of my very favorite horror movies. It’s absolutely in the yearly rotation. This movie was made on the heels of Halloween, like John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that was a huge success and just was a bit of a whoop when it came out. Everyone was just like, well, scary fog, what’s going on? It is set in the fictional California coastal town of Antonio Bay, but that is actually the Stinson Beach, Point Reyes area. So there is so much wonderful local photography, places that you can just go to and be like, yes, one-to-one, I match that with the fog. The lighthouse is probably the one that everyone thinks about automatically. It’s called Spivey Point in the movie, but that’s actually the Point Reyes lighthouse. And there’s also incredible shots of Point Reyes station in Olayma. And there was a point I love in the movie when there’s just been a big scare in a morgue. And night starts to fall and you’re like, oh no, it’s all gonna kick off. And as kind of a bridge into the nightfall, there are these gorgeous dusky shots of like that part of the coastline, there’s like forests, it’s just incredible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> And horrifying. I’m always shocked that this movie isn’t mentioned more among carpenters, oeuvres, among horror movies. It’s scary, and it’s local.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> It’s so scary and it’s a cozy classic as well, it’s just so evocative of the fall to me and ugh.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Fog has gotten too cute. We’ve got Carl the Fog, we’re like wearing all these little foggy t-shirts. Fog should be horrifying. Bring horrifying fog back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> What a movie, everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And who doesn’t want to watch fog while you’re curled up under a blanket? Ok, The Fog. Going on the list. Peter, you have another offering for us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, The Lost Boys, 1987.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>You’ll never grow old, Michael. And you’ll never die. Be one of us.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Joel Schumacher, who really got started with his 80s movies, with St. Elmo’s Fire, two bad Batman movies, and right in between, he kind of reinvented the vampire film to make it kind of a Peter Pan thing, really focused on teenage angst. We’ve got Kiefer Sutherland, we’ve got both Corey’s, Haim and Feldman, and they’re in Santa Cruz. They’re in a small town. New kids in town realize that this town might have some vampires in them, bond with some dorky vampire hunters. Go to the beach boardwalk, go to Atlantis Fantasy World, the comic book store. And I feel like the torture of being young forever is the horror in this film. The torture of a teenager forever, the torture not fitting in in a new town. There’s cliques, there’s peer pressure … Um, there’s a Chinese food that turns into maggots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Lost Boys clip: \u003c/strong>Guess first, how about those maggots?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>You Jamie Gertz is the love interest. Just a completely 80s, over the top, fantastic to watch with as many people as possible. Every once in a while, they’ll show it on the beach in Santa Cruz. I think that’s the best time to do it. But I just love this film, and it has aged in this way that Joel Schumacher was an adult in the 80s. He wasn’t a kid, but he really, really seemed to love that teen culture because he really captured it well. And it’s like going back to a place I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back to, but, uh, enjoyable film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Great music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Excellent music. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>I love it. It’s got that like, the kids have got to take on the vampires because no one else will DNA with Fright Night as well, which is nice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> So you can pick your monster and the era. Birds in the 60s. Fog in the 70s/80s era. Or Vampires in the 1980s… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What about the 90s? We got a movie recommendation from a listener slash KQED colleague that fits the bill … Let’s hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gabe Meline:\u003c/strong> Hey, it’s Gabe Meline, senior editor of Arts and Culture at KQED. Let’s talk about Scream, the classic high school slasher movie that’s a meta-commentary on every other horror movie before it. Scream was filmed in the North Bay. Healdsburg, Sonoma, Tomales, and what I like about it, also filmed in my hometown of Santa Rosa. In fact, in the end credits, you will see a curious note. It reads, no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa City School District Governing Board. That’s because director Wes Craven originally had an agreement to shoot the high school scenes at Santa Rosa High School. That is, until pearl-clutching parents caught word that a horror movie was being filmed at their kid’s school, and they got the ear of the school board, who called for a delay in filming. Wes Cravin threatened to, quote, sue their asses, a quote that appeared on the front page of the local paper, and he went out to Sonoma to film the high-school scenes at the Sonoma Community Center. Every time that credit comes up, students from Santa Rosa High School always roll their eyes and laugh to themselves about what could have been.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We will be back in just a minute with more recommendations from Carly Severn and Peter Hartlaub, but first a brief intermission. Stay with us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>We’re back talking scary Bay Area movies. One listener, Kai Ando from Foster City, had this recommendation for us… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>2011’s Contagion it’s the movie I think a lot of us saw during the COVID pandemic because of the eerie similarities that the plot had with the reality that we were all living in during\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Contagion Clip: \u003c/strong>pandemic. The average person touches their face three to five times every waking minute. In between, we’re touching doorknobs, water fountains, and each other.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Kai Ando: \u003c/strong>Jude Law’s character lives in San Francisco as a conspiracy theorist, I believe, who spreads misinformation and panic. I specifically remember his character walking around this trashed barren landscape of a San Francisco street in full hazmat suits.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Peter, Carly, any thoughts on Contagion?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Filmed in the Chronicle newsroom and speaking of hazmat suits, the desk, Benny Evangelista’s desk was specifically chosen because it was so messy, which is very much, usually in journalism movies I get angry because everybody’s desks are too clean, but they leaned into it. Our newsroom is as messy as those streets when the garbage stops getting collected. Great film.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>Contagion, good movie, it’s Stephen Soderbergh, right?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Stephen Soderbergh, you have to have an experienced director, and spoiler for a 2011 movie, kill Gwyneth Paltrow off in like the first 12 seconds.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> That’s their psycho moment as well, where it’s like, oh, you thought Gwyneth was going to be in this movie? Guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah, I guess again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> We just need to hear it for the publicity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> My next movie I want to recommend is called Burnt Offerings, which is 1976, and it is filmed in and around the Dunsmuir House in the Oakland Hills, which a big old neoclassical, this sprawling mansion and grounds that was built in I think 1899. And this movie’s great. I’d seen it once, I re-watched it for this and I think it’s genuinely great now. It’s got this killer cast, it’s got Oliver Reed, it has got Karen Black, Bette Davis in I believe her last ever movie role. It is one of those lovely family moves into a clearly quite scary house and stuff starts happening to them. And it’s so upsetting because they set up the family so well in the first five or ten minutes that this family loves each other, they banter with each other. And then seeing what happens and how the house starts to affect them is, it’s, yeah, it just kind of gets under your skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> There’s this iconic scene in the house’s pool … where Oliver Reed is playing with his son, but it keeps getting rougher and rougher until he’s basically drowning him. Meanwhile his aunt, Bette Davis’ character, is anxiously watching from land, not quite sure how to intervene.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Burnt Offerings clip: \u003c/strong>All right now, you two. That’s quite enough.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>It’s not a haunted house movie, there’s no possessions, there is no, did you hear that sound? A lot of it is filmed in the daylight. It’s all about the effect that the house has on this family and what it starts making them do and the location itself. It was featured in another classic 1980s horror movie, Phantasm. It’s so evocative the fact that it’s really dilapidated as part of the point when they arrive and the house starts to kind of regenerate themselves as it’s feeding off literally you know the fresh blood of the family. If you haven’t seen it, really check it out. It’s pretty great. Oliver Reed is one big ham sandwich, which is how I like my Oliver Reed. Bette Davis is great and really sparky and what happens to her character is again quite genuinely upsetting. Yeah, this movie rules. Everyone should see it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>I should mention here Bay Curious has done an episode on the Dunsmuir House — worth a listen if you want to learn more. Unfortunately right now the house is closed to the public because, quite honestly, it’s in rough shape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> When I saw the beginning of the movie, when it looks so dilapidated, that’s kind of like where it’s going now, unfortunately. I think a lot of people are sounding the alarm in the local community about this place being allowed to slip into disrepair.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right. Peter, what do you have next for us?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Pacific Heights, 1990 movie, which I like to call Petrero Hill because not a single frame of it is filmed in Pacific Heights. It’s actually the house in Pacific Heights is about three blocks from where we’re sitting in Potrero Hill. 1990 film that dares to suggest that the real monster is tenant rights laws. Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are moving into what looks like a fixer upper Victorian in Pacific Heights, a lot of things wrong with that, $750,000 and they’re going to rent a studio and a one bedroom and just try to make the narrow margins of home ownership and San Francisco work. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Terrifying \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Terrifying. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Yeah my spine is tingling \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>Michael Keaton pulls up in a Porsche and just seals himself in a room and just becomes the tenant from hell, cockroaches are involved, multiple identities are involved and Michael Keaton is so good in this. We’ve got to remember this is right after Batman. This is in his Mr. Mom era. He was not doing these, you know villainous roles and kind of what sort of a B movie and he is so good in this. He is so evil. He’s done things like this since, but at the time this was a real shock. And John Schlesinger is the director. He directed Midnight Cowboy Marathon Man. He’s kind of slumming it in this film, but you get the feeling he just wanted to do a Hitchcock film and it feels a little bit like a lost B movie Hitchcock film in all the best ways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Do you think casting Melanie Griffith is a nod to that since Tippi Hedren is her mom?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Oh, yes. And Tippi Hedren, Melanie Griffith’s mother, has a short cameo in this film that I’m not even sure if it’s credited, but she’s in it very, very briefly. So, no, very clearly this director was a big Hitchcock fan and probably a big The Birds and Vertigo fan because there’s feelings throughout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Peter, I’m so glad you brought Pacific Heights because we don’t talk about Pacific Heights enough as a society. It’s such a relic of a specific time. Michael Keaton is my guy. One of my very first crushes, I think, as Batman. And yeah, this movie is just really fun and like very San Francisco centric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Much like the game, David Fincher’s The Game, it takes place right before the city really shifted from kind of the old money to the tech money. So you get this slice of the city that kind of isn’t totally there anymore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> All right, Carly, well onto your third and final recommendation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> OK, so I know we discussed this movie on our previous movie podcast. I just have to bring it again. It’s Zodiac. I think it’s the scariest movie ever set and filmed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It is based on the true story of the still unsolved Zodiac murders in the 60s and 70s. This movie is just fantastic. I could watch it I think every year for the rest of my life. It was David Fincher. Well, Lake Berryessa scene, which recreates one of the murders, it is one of the very few scenes I just am unable to watch. I will always go and do something else. I will walk away from the screen and go and make like a cup of tea or use the bathroom. I physically cannot watch that scene. And I love my horror movies and that one just gets under my skin. It is too upsetting. And it’s all in broad daylight as well. Just a real example of broad daylight horror. Yeah, and just all these other little locations sprinkled throughout. There’s Geary outside, I think it’s the Tony Rembey Theater, ACT Theater, where the Zodiac Killer hails the cab that he then gets into that takes him to the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets where another murder takes place. But I got to say my favorite location for this movie is not actually real. It is the gorgeous CGI rendering, the time lapse of the Transamerica pyramid being built to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s inner city blues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub: \u003c/strong>It’s such a great scene. The visual effects are seamless there. Yeah, I mean, you listen to a song on the Zodiac soundtrack and it brings you back there. That’s a special, special kind of soundtrack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn: \u003c/strong>How that movie just manages the passage of time as well. Because that’s the whole point, that time keeps slipping away from these people that are investigating the Zodiac murders and eventually just, they run out of time. It’s too late. The chief suspect is dead. Yeah, what a movie. If you haven’t seen Zodiac, just come watch it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>And any update on the Zodiac killer?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> I know you guys are still working on it, right? So we have a Zodiac beat writer. It’s not their full-time job, but the Zodiac is always somebody’s job. It was Kevin Fagan’s for decades, and then now it’s been passed on to a couple other people. Kevin thinks that this thing could get solved. I mean, as DNA technology gets better, the tips keep coming in, of course. It’s not over. And people, when they did tours of the 901 Mission Chronicle site, would always say, I wanna see the Zodiac stuff. And my answer was always, it’s an active case. All of the stuff that the Zodiac sent is still at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. This case is not solved. So, yeah, amazing piece of our history that continues.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> OK, so we did say at the top you each could bring three, but there was one more that just can’t be left out. Initially we thought we’d leave it out because we talked about it before, but it just can’t be helped… \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Yeah and this would be number one on the list if we hadn’t talked about it before. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is just so stellar. One of the best uses of locations in San Francisco. Terrifying. City Hall is involved. The waterfront’s involved. The Civic Center. Painted Ladies, but you don’t even know that they are the Painted Ladies. It’s one of the ones on the end just a very terrifying film of the city getting taken over, but are you paranoid or is it really happening? And I’ve watched it probably 10 times. I think it’s one of the best San Francisco films, maybe the most underrated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Well, and I love that all these recommendations, because they are set in the Bay Area, to me that makes them more real, more believable somehow, because you’re not just watching something that takes place in an abstract city that you’ve maybe never been to, or you don’t even know what it is, maybe it doesn’t even have a name, but when you’re seeing these places on film that you recognize that you’re been to somehow it makes everything else that’s painted on top of those backgrounds feel more real which is scary.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Super special to watch as well there’s just something about that like tactility which as a viewer let your brain just goes it just feels great\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>These are some fantastic recommendations I cannot wait to tuck in and watch them. Just to recap, we talked about The Birds, The Fog, Lost Boys, Scream, Contagion, Burnt Offerings, Pacific Heights, Zodiac and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. You’ve got 5 weeks until Halloween, how many can you see? Peter Hartlob, Culture Critic with the San Francisco Chronicle. What’s the best way that people can kind of keep up with what you’re doing?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Subscribe to The Chronicle or whatever station or publication that you love, but I’m in The Chronicle all the time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price:\u003c/strong> Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news here at KQED. What about you? You got some spooky stuff going on?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> We do. Our desk does explainers and guides. You can see it all at KQED.org slash explainers. And while we do a lot of serious stuff, we also like to have fun too. So we have a lot of spooky season explainers, and guides coming up, including a guide to the North Bay’s historic cemeteries that you can replicate the tour, a guide to immersive experiences around the Bay Area. And for all you history nerds, we have a guide to the Spooky Feeling History Tours you can embark on too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Thank you both so much. This has been such a fun morning and I can’t wait to watch some of these films. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Carly Severn:\u003c/strong> Thanks, Olivia.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Peter Hartlaub:\u003c/strong> Thank you for having us. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Olivia Allen-Price: \u003c/strong>Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member-supported KQED. Our show is produced by, and me, Olivia Allen-Price. We get extra support from, and everyone on team KQED. Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco, Northern California Local. I’m Olivia Allen-Price. Have a spooky one.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>"
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"content": "\u003cp>The Tenderloin has the highest concentration of children in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also a tough place for families because they have to navigate homeless encampments and open-air drug use on the sidewalks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When October rolls around, child care centers in the neighborhood usually take young kids to a pumpkin patch miles away, to the Sunset District or Half Moon Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the staff at Compass Family Services considered chartering a bus for the annual autumn journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But every time you rent a bus to go on a field trip, that’s a couple thousand dollars, even if it’s nearby,” said Erica Kisch, CEO of the nonprofit organization. “And then I started to think about it and was like, ‘Why do we have to go to the Sunset for a pumpkin patch?’ Let’s host a pumpkin patch here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When she asked a few organizations to sponsor an autumn festival for kids in the Tenderloin, they responded with gusto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062173\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062173\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children pick out pumpkins in front of Trick-or-Treat Lane at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The city’s police department donated a bouncy house, the San Francisco Opera offered puppets and music, jugglers and magicians raised their hands, and a few players from the Golden State Valkyries women’s basketball team wanted to meet the kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was kind of incredible how much interest and enthusiasm and support we got,” Kisch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so on Wednesday, about 800 children converged on Civic Center Plaza to pick their own decorative gourd, get their face painted, jump in a bouncy house, and get treats like beignets from Brenda’s French Soul Food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062176\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062176\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children play in a bounce house at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We donated about 150 beignets to this event. They are almost gone. Everyone is loving it,” Alicia Stamps, the restaurant’s general manager, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stamps said the festival gave everyone a chance to come together during uncertain times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the federal shutdown drags on, the Trump administration will stop funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, when funds run out Saturday.[aside postID=news_12056592 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/250918-TLICECREAM-04-BL-KQED.jpg']That will affect some 112,000 San Francisco residents’ access to food in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s important for each of us to show up for one another, for the community, to let people know that they are not alone, that we see them and that we are with them,” Stamps said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kisch said she started planning the festival a month and half ago, and when the government shutdown began on Oct. 1 she worried whether moving forward with it was “tone deaf.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But I kind of keep going back to the importance of joy as a form of resilience, and we’re not going to sacrifice one for the other,” she said. “We’re going to feed our families, and we’re also going to have some fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saucy Fainga stumbled onto the pumpkin patch when she was on her way to the farmer’s market with her 1-year-old daughter, Reign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062175\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062175\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Per Sia reads children’s books at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My husband and I were literally just talking about how far we have to go to visit a pumpkin patch,” Fainga said. “I’m so glad I found this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she planned to come back with the rest of her family to take photos on a haystack positioned in front of City Hall and the inflatable marshmallow man from the “Ghostbusters” movies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other parents walked through the Tenderloin with their kids and teachers from GLIDE’s Family, Youth and Childcare Center to get to the festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patrice Clark, a supervisor at the center, said she was glad they got to feel safe walking in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062174\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062174\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah Abdulla (center) accompanies her child’s elementary school class through Trick-or-Treat Lane at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Parents rush through because they’re nervous about walking through their community,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clark hopes the experience empowers parents to take back the streets and lets kids feel a greater sense of belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because we live in the Tenderloin and it has a bad rap, they still have a right to feel proud about where they go to school and where they live,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "When October rolls around, child care centers in the Tenderloin usually take young kids miles away to visit a pumpkin patch. This year, the pumpkin patch came to them. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The Tenderloin has the highest concentration of children in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also a tough place for families because they have to navigate homeless encampments and open-air drug use on the sidewalks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When October rolls around, child care centers in the neighborhood usually take young kids to a pumpkin patch miles away, to the Sunset District or Half Moon Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year, the staff at Compass Family Services considered chartering a bus for the annual autumn journey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But every time you rent a bus to go on a field trip, that’s a couple thousand dollars, even if it’s nearby,” said Erica Kisch, CEO of the nonprofit organization. “And then I started to think about it and was like, ‘Why do we have to go to the Sunset for a pumpkin patch?’ Let’s host a pumpkin patch here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When she asked a few organizations to sponsor an autumn festival for kids in the Tenderloin, they responded with gusto.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062173\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062173\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-04-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children pick out pumpkins in front of Trick-or-Treat Lane at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The city’s police department donated a bouncy house, the San Francisco Opera offered puppets and music, jugglers and magicians raised their hands, and a few players from the Golden State Valkyries women’s basketball team wanted to meet the kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was kind of incredible how much interest and enthusiasm and support we got,” Kisch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so on Wednesday, about 800 children converged on Civic Center Plaza to pick their own decorative gourd, get their face painted, jump in a bouncy house, and get treats like beignets from Brenda’s French Soul Food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062176\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062176\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-07-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children play in a bounce house at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We donated about 150 beignets to this event. They are almost gone. Everyone is loving it,” Alicia Stamps, the restaurant’s general manager, said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stamps said the festival gave everyone a chance to come together during uncertain times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the federal shutdown drags on, the Trump administration will stop funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, when funds run out Saturday.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That will affect some 112,000 San Francisco residents’ access to food in November.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think it’s important for each of us to show up for one another, for the community, to let people know that they are not alone, that we see them and that we are with them,” Stamps said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kisch said she started planning the festival a month and half ago, and when the government shutdown began on Oct. 1 she worried whether moving forward with it was “tone deaf.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But I kind of keep going back to the importance of joy as a form of resilience, and we’re not going to sacrifice one for the other,” she said. “We’re going to feed our families, and we’re also going to have some fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saucy Fainga stumbled onto the pumpkin patch when she was on her way to the farmer’s market with her 1-year-old daughter, Reign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062175\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062175\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Per Sia reads children’s books at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“My husband and I were literally just talking about how far we have to go to visit a pumpkin patch,” Fainga said. “I’m so glad I found this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she planned to come back with the rest of her family to take photos on a haystack positioned in front of City Hall and the inflatable marshmallow man from the “Ghostbusters” movies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other parents walked through the Tenderloin with their kids and teachers from GLIDE’s Family, Youth and Childcare Center to get to the festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Patrice Clark, a supervisor at the center, said she was glad they got to feel safe walking in the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12062174\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12062174\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251029-PUMPKIN-PATCH-CITY-HALL-MD-05-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarah Abdulla (center) accompanies her child’s elementary school class through Trick-or-Treat Lane at the pumpkin patch festival at Civic Center in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Parents rush through because they’re nervous about walking through their community,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clark hopes the experience empowers parents to take back the streets and lets kids feel a greater sense of belonging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Because we live in the Tenderloin and it has a bad rap, they still have a right to feel proud about where they go to school and where they live,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "halloween-things-to-do-october-bay-area-outdoors-hikes-spooky-season",
"title": "Tunnels, Ghosts, Bats and Boats: 6 Ideas for Spooky Season Outdoors in the Bay",
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"headTitle": "Tunnels, Ghosts, Bats and Boats: 6 Ideas for Spooky Season Outdoors in the Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>With Halloween around the corner, and spooky season in full swing, now is the best time to explore the Bay Area’s darkest, eeriest and downright scariest spots outdoors that might make you squirm — or at least elicit some pleasing chills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From haunted-feeling hikes and tunnels to neighborhood ghost tours and creepy critters, keep reading for our pre-Halloween outdoor recommendations for making the most of the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to where to discover:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Localcemeteries\">Local cemeteries\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Batsinnature\">Bats in nature\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Tunnelsandcaves\">Tunnels and caves\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Bayareaghosts\">Bay Area ghosts\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Localcritters\">Local critters\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Spookyphotoshootopportunities\">Spooky photoshoot opportunities\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Batsinnature\">\u003c/a>Go bat watching\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While this year’s UC Berkeley Botanical Garden’s “\u003ca href=\"https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/event/bay-area-bats/\">Bay Area Bats” event\u003c/a> is already full, you still have the chance to see the spooky creatures yourself in the wild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closest place to spot bats is near Livermore at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/7130/habitats-for-bats-kids-build-homes-for-east-bays-thriving-bat-population\">Del Valle Regional Park\u003c/a>, where hundreds of these animals munch on insects all night long. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7x7.com/where-to-go-bat-watching-in-the-bay-area-2096256783.html\">Some say\u003c/a> they can even be spotted in San Francisco, in Golden Gate Park at Blue Heron Lake or even at Lake Merced.[aside postID=arts_13979698 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/UCB-hike-1536x1054.png']And while \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=465\">Olompali State Historic Park\u003c/a> in Novato is known for its annual “\u003ca href=\"https://visitnovato.com/event/olompali-bat-night/\">Bat Night\u003c/a>” event in summer, with eight types of bats living in the park, you stand a good chance of seeing them here in the fall too.\u003cbr>\nAnd don’t forget about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/22006/science-on-the-spot-bats-beneath-us\">iconic bats of Yolo County\u003c/a> near Davis, where the animals take flight at sunset every evening from underneath the Yolo Causeway bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re willing to travel even further into true bat territory, consider making the trip to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/bats.htm\">Pinnacles National Park\u003c/a> in the Central Valley. There, you can explore caves where bats hibernate and raise their young. Just be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/cavestatus.htm\">check on the status\u003c/a> of the caves before you go, as they close seasonally to protect the creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pro tip: To maximize your chances of seeing bats, remember they’re nocturnal and love water (especially the insects that lakes attract). But don’t ever touch the animals: not only are they a \u003ca href=\"https://www.smcmvcd.org/bats\">protected species in California\u003c/a>, they’re more likely than other animals to \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/content/article/bats-really-do-harbor-more-dangerous-viruses-other-species\">carry diseases\u003c/a> that are dangerous to humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Localcemeteries\">\u003c/a>Visit a cemetery (respectfully)\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to the city of Colma, known affectionately as the “City of Souls,” owing to the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">most of San Francisco’s graves were relocated there \u003c/a>in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. So if you’re looking to roam and reflect among the headstones, head to any one of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.colma.ca.gov/cemetery-contacts-locations/\">16 cemeteries\u003c/a>: the oldest and largest of which is the \u003ca href=\"https://sfcathcems.org/holy-cross-colma/\">Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery\u003c/a>, spanning 300 acres.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are also a number of other atmospheric and unique cemeteries across the city and Bay Area. In the city proper, you can still visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/sanfrancisco.asp\">San Francisco National Cemetery\u003c/a> in the Presidio. Or, for a birds-eye view, head to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054079/best-hikes-san-francisco-presidio-views-trails-hiking\">Cemetery Overlook\u003c/a> for unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge — a perfect hike on a foggy evening at dusk, even when the bridge itself is shrouded by mist. There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12009656/the-presidio-pet-cemetery-a-resting-place-for-furry-friends\">pet cemetery in the Presidio\u003c/a>, where you can visit with companions of the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009678\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009678\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Tombstones in a cemetery.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tombstones at the Presidio of San Francisco Pet Cemetery in San Francisco on Oct. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11914175/the-only-place-you-can-leave-your-heart-forever-in-san-francisco-the-inner-richmonds-palace-of-ashes\">The San Francisco Columbarium\u003c/a> in the Laurel Heights neighborhood is open to the public and adorned with stained glass, a soaring rotunda and several sculptures and fountains. More than 8,000 people are interned there, including gay rights leader and politician \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/harvey-milk\">Harvey Milk\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more cemeteries with views, try the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/\">Piedmont cemetery\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.skylawnmemorialpark.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_ven=ib&utm_kw=brand&campid=22372724787&agid=175776669583&adid=741873217167&term=kwd-2225399559821&network=g&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22372724787&gbraid=0AAAAACxqlIXDxxpsVl-S54TzMxp5sMZWT&gclid=CjwKCAjwu9fHBhAWEiwAzGRC_804iEaFlkxth5pB8aHaZsNpBmsawf4sH87kIv6tDzSrAbbp2xV0ARoCNP8QAvD_BwE\">Skylawn Memorial Park\u003c/a> on Skyline Drive near Half Moon Bay. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/nortonville-and-black-diamond-loop\">take an almost-6-mile hike\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/black_diamond_rose_hill_brochure.pdf\">Rose Hill Cemetery\u003c/a> in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/black-diamond\">Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve\u003c/a> in Antioch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these cemeteries, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces — these are the resting places of peoples’ loved ones, after all. In that vein, make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Tunnelsandcaves\">\u003c/a>Explore local tunnels — safely\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eager to go underground? And no — we’re not talking about the BART or Muni tunnels (which you should obviously never venture into, except while riding transit).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Bay Area has fewer mysterious tunnels than \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/may/30/underground-cities-in-pictures\">other, older metropolitan areas\u003c/a>, what we \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have are coastlines — with cliff areas where tunnels open up seasonally, like those that tend to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041355/what-is-that-massive-tunnel-on-the-beach-south-of-fort-funston\">crop up around Fort Funston\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/obscuresf/article/historic-tunnel-at-SF-Sutro-Baths-16988820.php\">Sutro Baths\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10936320\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 3000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/04/23992229385_6dd9eac96c_o-e1761074667713.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10936320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/04/23992229385_6dd9eac96c_o-e1761074667713.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2000\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once a thriving water park, the Sutro Baths are now just ruins. \u003ccite>(Derek Bruff )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a longer hike, in the East Bay, check out the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/indian-joe-nature-trail-to-flag-hilltrail-sunol-regional-wilderness.pdf\">Indian Joe Cave Rocks\u003c/a> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol\">Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve,\u003c/a> popular with hikers and climbers for their basalt rocks that tower overhead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or head to the Marin Headlands, where old bunkers like \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/battery-townsley.htm\">Battery Townsley\u003c/a> hid top-secret guns during World War I. The battery is open to the public for tours from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We cannot emphasize this enough — if you’re going to go tunnel exploring, be safe. If you’re on the coast, always research the tides beforehand, as you don’t want to ever get stuck in or near a tunnel. Always bring a light and don’t trespass — \u003cem>especially \u003c/em>into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11782405/tunnels-under-san-francisco-inside-the-dark-dangerous-world-of-the-sewers\">San Francisco’s vast sewer network\u003c/a>, which can contain lethal levels of toxic gases.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Bayareaghosts\">\u003c/a>Find ghosts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13936965/san-francisco-ghost-tours-true-crime-history-halloween\">Ghost tours in the Bay Area are aplenty,\u003c/a> but this one in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">San Francisco’s Pacific Heights\u003c/a> neighborhood is especially apt for those who want their ghosts with a hefty side of history.[aside postID=arts_13982172 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/carrie.jpg']You won’t just learn about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11700225/the-ghost-of-a-legend-how-a-san-francisco-civil-rights-icon-was-made-a-monster\">the supposed hauntings of the area \u003c/a>— you’ll also become immersed in the complex lives of the early San Franciscans who are rumored to still occupy the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You could also opt to make contact with the spirit world all by yourself. The \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/\">USS Hornet\u003c/a>, once a World War II Navy aircraft carrier that was also used to recover the Apollo 11 and 12 crafts, is now a museum docked in Alameda, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">which is also apparently quite haunted\u003c/a>. You can also stay inside it overnight … if you dare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879301/5-haunted-bay-area-locations-to-scare-people-into-social-distancing\">Another possible haunted stay\u003c/a>? \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/21/berkeley-claremont-hotel-ghost-tour-halloween/\">The Claremont Hotel\u003c/a> in Berkeley, where \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedrooms.com/california/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/claremont-hotel-berkeley\">reports \u003c/a>of children crying, smells of smoke rumored to be from \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/11/04/claremont-hotel-is-a-towering-east-bay-landmark/\">the 1901 fire that burned down the original hotel structure\u003c/a> and ghostly apparitions have all been reported. The Claremont is now offering \u003ca href=\"https://claremontresortandclub.com/claremont_event/haunted-history-tours/\">haunted tours\u003c/a> during the month of October.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Localcritters\">\u003c/a>Hang out with spooky critters\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eager to spend the fall season with some uncanny creatures? The \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbayvivarium.org/\">East Bay Vivarium\u003c/a> is your best bet for reptiles and other creepy crawlers. While their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13977949/two-headed-kingsnake-berkeley-east-bay-vivarium-angel-zeke-birthday\">two-headed kingsnake recently passed away,\u003c/a> there are plenty of other snakes and slithery animals to behold at the Berkeley reptile shop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out in the wild, \u003ca href=\"https://lindsaywildlife.org/events/tarantula-scorpion-hike-2/\">hikers recommend Mt. Diablo\u003c/a> for tarantula, scorpion and reptile viewing. Mid-October is the peak of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984392/its-tarantula-mating-season-in-the-bay-area-heres-where-to-see-some-fuzzy-friends\">tarantula mating season\u003c/a>, so head to grassy oak woodlands like Del Valle, Sunol or \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=561\">Henry Coe State Park\u003c/a> to catch a glimpse of the creepy crawlies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11702084\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11702084\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-160x51.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-800x253.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-1020x323.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-1180x374.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-960x304.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-240x76.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-375x119.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-520x165.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bats flying over Marin County. Novato is known for its annual Bat Night event in summer, but with eight types of bats living in the park you stand a good chance of seeing them there in the fall too. \u003ccite>(USGS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996099/best-bay-area-hikes-for-spotting-banana-slugs-newts-and-ladybugs-after-the-rain\">Looking for newts, slugs or ladybugs\u003c/a>? These creatures are more active in the spring, but can be seen after any rainstorm at nearby parks like \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden\">Tilden Regional Park\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Spookyphotoshootopportunities\">\u003c/a>And finally… Get some good spooky photos\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Just want to get an Instagram-worthy photo of the Bay Area in its prime during spooky season? Don’t worry, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">we’ve got you covered\u003c/a>: We’ve got a roundup of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">best-seen-in-the-gloom spots,\u003c/a> including the eerie abandoned boat rotting in Tomales Bay, the towering eucalyptus trees of Quarry Park in El Granada and the daring cliffsides of Devil’s Slide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not on the list, but still worth a visit for their atmospheric vibes: The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-cypress-tree-tunnel.htm\">Cypress Tree Tunnel \u003c/a>in Point Reyes and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/sutro-baths.htm\">ruins at Sutro Baths\u003c/a> — both of which are Bay Area outdoor highlights, no matter the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Looking for fall activities to get into a Halloween mood in the Bay Area? We have several ideas for things to do in the last days of October.",
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"title": "Tunnels, Ghosts, Bats and Boats: 6 Ideas for Spooky Season Outdoors in the Bay | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>With Halloween around the corner, and spooky season in full swing, now is the best time to explore the Bay Area’s darkest, eeriest and downright scariest spots outdoors that might make you squirm — or at least elicit some pleasing chills.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From haunted-feeling hikes and tunnels to neighborhood ghost tours and creepy critters, keep reading for our pre-Halloween outdoor recommendations for making the most of the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to where to discover:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Localcemeteries\">Local cemeteries\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Batsinnature\">Bats in nature\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Tunnelsandcaves\">Tunnels and caves\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Bayareaghosts\">Bay Area ghosts\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Localcritters\">Local critters\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Spookyphotoshootopportunities\">Spooky photoshoot opportunities\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Batsinnature\">\u003c/a>Go bat watching\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While this year’s UC Berkeley Botanical Garden’s “\u003ca href=\"https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/event/bay-area-bats/\">Bay Area Bats” event\u003c/a> is already full, you still have the chance to see the spooky creatures yourself in the wild.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The closest place to spot bats is near Livermore at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/7130/habitats-for-bats-kids-build-homes-for-east-bays-thriving-bat-population\">Del Valle Regional Park\u003c/a>, where hundreds of these animals munch on insects all night long. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7x7.com/where-to-go-bat-watching-in-the-bay-area-2096256783.html\">Some say\u003c/a> they can even be spotted in San Francisco, in Golden Gate Park at Blue Heron Lake or even at Lake Merced.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>And while \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=465\">Olompali State Historic Park\u003c/a> in Novato is known for its annual “\u003ca href=\"https://visitnovato.com/event/olompali-bat-night/\">Bat Night\u003c/a>” event in summer, with eight types of bats living in the park, you stand a good chance of seeing them here in the fall too.\u003cbr>\nAnd don’t forget about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/quest/22006/science-on-the-spot-bats-beneath-us\">iconic bats of Yolo County\u003c/a> near Davis, where the animals take flight at sunset every evening from underneath the Yolo Causeway bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re willing to travel even further into true bat territory, consider making the trip to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/bats.htm\">Pinnacles National Park\u003c/a> in the Central Valley. There, you can explore caves where bats hibernate and raise their young. Just be sure to \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/cavestatus.htm\">check on the status\u003c/a> of the caves before you go, as they close seasonally to protect the creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pro tip: To maximize your chances of seeing bats, remember they’re nocturnal and love water (especially the insects that lakes attract). But don’t ever touch the animals: not only are they a \u003ca href=\"https://www.smcmvcd.org/bats\">protected species in California\u003c/a>, they’re more likely than other animals to \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/content/article/bats-really-do-harbor-more-dangerous-viruses-other-species\">carry diseases\u003c/a> that are dangerous to humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Localcemeteries\">\u003c/a>Visit a cemetery (respectfully)\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area is home to the city of Colma, known affectionately as the “City of Souls,” owing to the fact that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10779164/why-are-so-many-dead-people-in-colma-and-so-few-in-san-francisco\">most of San Francisco’s graves were relocated there \u003c/a>in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. So if you’re looking to roam and reflect among the headstones, head to any one of the city’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.colma.ca.gov/cemetery-contacts-locations/\">16 cemeteries\u003c/a>: the oldest and largest of which is the \u003ca href=\"https://sfcathcems.org/holy-cross-colma/\">Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery\u003c/a>, spanning 300 acres.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are also a number of other atmospheric and unique cemeteries across the city and Bay Area. In the city proper, you can still visit the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/sanfrancisco.asp\">San Francisco National Cemetery\u003c/a> in the Presidio. Or, for a birds-eye view, head to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12054079/best-hikes-san-francisco-presidio-views-trails-hiking\">Cemetery Overlook\u003c/a> for unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge — a perfect hike on a foggy evening at dusk, even when the bridge itself is shrouded by mist. There’s also a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12009656/the-presidio-pet-cemetery-a-resting-place-for-furry-friends\">pet cemetery in the Presidio\u003c/a>, where you can visit with companions of the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009678\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009678\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Tombstones in a cemetery.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241016-PRESIDIO-PET-CEMETERY-MD-05-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tombstones at the Presidio of San Francisco Pet Cemetery in San Francisco on Oct. 16, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11914175/the-only-place-you-can-leave-your-heart-forever-in-san-francisco-the-inner-richmonds-palace-of-ashes\">The San Francisco Columbarium\u003c/a> in the Laurel Heights neighborhood is open to the public and adorned with stained glass, a soaring rotunda and several sculptures and fountains. More than 8,000 people are interned there, including gay rights leader and politician \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/harvey-milk\">Harvey Milk\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more cemeteries with views, try the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/\">Piedmont cemetery\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://www.skylawnmemorialpark.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_ven=ib&utm_kw=brand&campid=22372724787&agid=175776669583&adid=741873217167&term=kwd-2225399559821&network=g&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22372724787&gbraid=0AAAAACxqlIXDxxpsVl-S54TzMxp5sMZWT&gclid=CjwKCAjwu9fHBhAWEiwAzGRC_804iEaFlkxth5pB8aHaZsNpBmsawf4sH87kIv6tDzSrAbbp2xV0ARoCNP8QAvD_BwE\">Skylawn Memorial Park\u003c/a> on Skyline Drive near Half Moon Bay. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/nortonville-and-black-diamond-loop\">take an almost-6-mile hike\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/black_diamond_rose_hill_brochure.pdf\">Rose Hill Cemetery\u003c/a> in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/black-diamond\">Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve\u003c/a> in Antioch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just remember: If you’re planning on visiting any of these cemeteries, be sure to respect the sanctity of these spaces — these are the resting places of peoples’ loved ones, after all. In that vein, make sure you’re aware of other visitors who may be visiting to honor passed family and friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Tunnelsandcaves\">\u003c/a>Explore local tunnels — safely\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eager to go underground? And no — we’re not talking about the BART or Muni tunnels (which you should obviously never venture into, except while riding transit).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Bay Area has fewer mysterious tunnels than \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2014/may/30/underground-cities-in-pictures\">other, older metropolitan areas\u003c/a>, what we \u003cem>do \u003c/em>have are coastlines — with cliff areas where tunnels open up seasonally, like those that tend to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12041355/what-is-that-massive-tunnel-on-the-beach-south-of-fort-funston\">crop up around Fort Funston\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/obscuresf/article/historic-tunnel-at-SF-Sutro-Baths-16988820.php\">Sutro Baths\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10936320\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 3000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/04/23992229385_6dd9eac96c_o-e1761074667713.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10936320\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/04/23992229385_6dd9eac96c_o-e1761074667713.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2000\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Once a thriving water park, the Sutro Baths are now just ruins. \u003ccite>(Derek Bruff )\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a longer hike, in the East Bay, check out the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/sites/default/files/indian-joe-nature-trail-to-flag-hilltrail-sunol-regional-wilderness.pdf\">Indian Joe Cave Rocks\u003c/a> at \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol\">Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve,\u003c/a> popular with hikers and climbers for their basalt rocks that tower overhead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or head to the Marin Headlands, where old bunkers like \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/battery-townsley.htm\">Battery Townsley\u003c/a> hid top-secret guns during World War I. The battery is open to the public for tours from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We cannot emphasize this enough — if you’re going to go tunnel exploring, be safe. If you’re on the coast, always research the tides beforehand, as you don’t want to ever get stuck in or near a tunnel. Always bring a light and don’t trespass — \u003cem>especially \u003c/em>into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11782405/tunnels-under-san-francisco-inside-the-dark-dangerous-world-of-the-sewers\">San Francisco’s vast sewer network\u003c/a>, which can contain lethal levels of toxic gases.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Bayareaghosts\">\u003c/a>Find ghosts\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13936965/san-francisco-ghost-tours-true-crime-history-halloween\">Ghost tours in the Bay Area are aplenty,\u003c/a> but this one in \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfghosthunt.com/\">San Francisco’s Pacific Heights\u003c/a> neighborhood is especially apt for those who want their ghosts with a hefty side of history.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>You won’t just learn about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11700225/the-ghost-of-a-legend-how-a-san-francisco-civil-rights-icon-was-made-a-monster\">the supposed hauntings of the area \u003c/a>— you’ll also become immersed in the complex lives of the early San Franciscans who are rumored to still occupy the neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You could also opt to make contact with the spirit world all by yourself. The \u003ca href=\"https://uss-hornet.org/\">USS Hornet\u003c/a>, once a World War II Navy aircraft carrier that was also used to recover the Apollo 11 and 12 crafts, is now a museum docked in Alameda, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12011685/the-uss-hornet-in-alameda-is-a-destination-for-paranormal-enthusiasts-and-you-can-spend-the-night-there\">which is also apparently quite haunted\u003c/a>. You can also stay inside it overnight … if you dare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879301/5-haunted-bay-area-locations-to-scare-people-into-social-distancing\">Another possible haunted stay\u003c/a>? \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/21/berkeley-claremont-hotel-ghost-tour-halloween/\">The Claremont Hotel\u003c/a> in Berkeley, where \u003ca href=\"https://www.hauntedrooms.com/california/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/claremont-hotel-berkeley\">reports \u003c/a>of children crying, smells of smoke rumored to be from \u003ca href=\"https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/11/04/claremont-hotel-is-a-towering-east-bay-landmark/\">the 1901 fire that burned down the original hotel structure\u003c/a> and ghostly apparitions have all been reported. The Claremont is now offering \u003ca href=\"https://claremontresortandclub.com/claremont_event/haunted-history-tours/\">haunted tours\u003c/a> during the month of October.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Localcritters\">\u003c/a>Hang out with spooky critters\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Eager to spend the fall season with some uncanny creatures? The \u003ca href=\"https://www.eastbayvivarium.org/\">East Bay Vivarium\u003c/a> is your best bet for reptiles and other creepy crawlers. While their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13977949/two-headed-kingsnake-berkeley-east-bay-vivarium-angel-zeke-birthday\">two-headed kingsnake recently passed away,\u003c/a> there are plenty of other snakes and slithery animals to behold at the Berkeley reptile shop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out in the wild, \u003ca href=\"https://lindsaywildlife.org/events/tarantula-scorpion-hike-2/\">hikers recommend Mt. Diablo\u003c/a> for tarantula, scorpion and reptile viewing. Mid-October is the peak of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984392/its-tarantula-mating-season-in-the-bay-area-heres-where-to-see-some-fuzzy-friends\">tarantula mating season\u003c/a>, so head to grassy oak woodlands like Del Valle, Sunol or \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=561\">Henry Coe State Park\u003c/a> to catch a glimpse of the creepy crawlies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11702084\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11702084\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-160x51.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-800x253.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-1020x323.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-1180x374.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-960x304.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-240x76.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-375x119.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/10/RS33468_bat-wide-usgs-520x165.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bats flying over Marin County. Novato is known for its annual Bat Night event in summer, but with eight types of bats living in the park you stand a good chance of seeing them there in the fall too. \u003ccite>(USGS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996099/best-bay-area-hikes-for-spotting-banana-slugs-newts-and-ladybugs-after-the-rain\">Looking for newts, slugs or ladybugs\u003c/a>? These creatures are more active in the spring, but can be seen after any rainstorm at nearby parks like \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden\">Tilden Regional Park\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=546\">Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Spookyphotoshootopportunities\">\u003c/a>And finally… Get some good spooky photos\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Just want to get an Instagram-worthy photo of the Bay Area in its prime during spooky season? Don’t worry, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">we’ve got you covered\u003c/a>: We’ve got a roundup of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12049568/best-bay-area-hikes-for-cold-gloomy-weather\">best-seen-in-the-gloom spots,\u003c/a> including the eerie abandoned boat rotting in Tomales Bay, the towering eucalyptus trees of Quarry Park in El Granada and the daring cliffsides of Devil’s Slide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not on the list, but still worth a visit for their atmospheric vibes: The \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-cypress-tree-tunnel.htm\">Cypress Tree Tunnel \u003c/a>in Point Reyes and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/sutro-baths.htm\">ruins at Sutro Baths\u003c/a> — both of which are Bay Area outdoor highlights, no matter the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"morning-edition": {
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"onourwatch": {
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"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"order": 11
},
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"on-the-media": {
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"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
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},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
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"order": 14
},
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"planet-money": {
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
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},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
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"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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