Mackinac Island is known for its fudge, but this hunk of limestone in the middle of Lake Huron isn’t all sweet. This year from October 21 to October 23, Mackinac Island will hold their annual Halloween Weekend complete with costume contests and ghostly encounters.
Plan your Halloween Weekend on Mackinac Island here! And be sure to read these insider tips to make the most of your two days on the island.
We checked in with Todd Clements, owner of Haunts of Mackinac and author of Haunts of Mackinac: Ghost Stories, Legends, and Tragic Tales of Mackinac Island and Haunts of Mackinac: The Next Chapter, about island ghost tours and his own paranormal encounters.
Todd has been investigating Mackinac Island’s ghosts for over 25 years. During that time, he has discovered and heard tales of over 100 spirits. “The geology of Mackinac Island has all of the materials—mainly quartz and limestone—for paranormal activity,” he says.
Todd’s first encounter with a ghost on Mackinac Island occurred when he was a child visiting the island with his family. Todd was swimming in the pool at Mission Point Resort when he looked up at the bluffs behind him and saw a young man. Then the man disappeared. Since then, Todd has discovered the identity of the ghost, Harvey, but you’ll have to go on a Haunts of Mackinac ghost tour to hear that story.
“My favorite ghost is the Whistling Woman,” Todd says. “Witnesses have seen her behind the Haunted Theatre, which used to be a silent movie theatre in the early 1900s.”
The woman is seen wearing Victorian clothing with a parasol in her hand. People have heard her whistling a widely popular song of that time, ‘Hearts and Flowers,’ which was often used as an accompaniment to films.
“We have records of an engagement, and we think she was proposed to at the movie theatre and had heard the tune during the show,” Todd says. “Since it was such a happy memory for her, a residual haunting of her remains in that area.”
There are tickets left for the Haunts of Mackinac Tour on both Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22.
On Saturday morning, get your blood pumping again at the Great Turtle Run & Half Marathon at 11:30 a.m. Go to www.runmackinac.com to register.
After you’ve sweated and then screamed, head to downtown Mackinac Island for live entertainment, costume contests, and Halloween cocktails. Keep an eye out for Todd and his tour guides. The crew is known to be a contender for the grand prize every year.
Here’s the lineup for Halloween Weekend parties and festivities:
- Pink Pony
- Horn’s Gaslight Bar & Restaurant
- Huron Street Pu
- Cawthorne’s Village Inn
- Mustang Lounge
- The Gate House
Halloween Weekend on Mackinac Island isn’t for the faint of heart, but rest assured, we have everything you need to plan your spooky trip.
