Happenings

Virginia City boasts its notoriety of being one of the three most haunted towns in the United States, along with Savannah and Charleston. Otherworldly “haunts” exist during Halloween as Virginia City celebrates its ghostly history and offers a month of ghost experiences. Want to have your own paranormal experience? See the places and feel the chill with Bats in the Belfry Ghost Tours, or jump on board the V & T Railroad Halloween train for a spooky trip. Stay through the evening for the Virginia City Goblin Parade with youngsters dressed in their best before participating in the town’s safe trick-or-treating. Get dressed up and bring the whole family for safe trick-or-treating at local shops following the parade.

The following are a list of events taking place in October.

Voices of the Past Ghost Tour, Sept. 29 – Oct. 14., weekends, times vary at the Silver Terrace Cemeteries: Immerse yourself in a true step back in time experience with the Virginia City ghost tours. Voices of the Past is a living tour for visitors to meet spirits of the 19^th Century Comstock as they tell their stories of life and death. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children and seniors. Buy your tickets here.

Bats in the Belfry Guided Ghost Tours, all month long: If you want to know where the most haunted locations are in Virginia City, this is the tour for you. Take a walk around this historically haunted town and learn about the lively souls that still occupy it today. Tours are Fridays and Saturdays. A paranormal investigation is offered at 8 p.m. Oct 26 and 27. Tickets are $20. Reservations are required. Call 775-815-1050 to reserve; space is limited. Click here for the full schedule.

29^th annual World Championship Outhouse Races, Oct. 6 – 7, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on C Street: Potty humor abounds at this Virginia City tradition dating back to the day when outdoor plumbing was outlawed, and angry residents took their outhouses to the streets. These days, teams of three are pitted against each other in an all-out potty race to claim the latrine title. The event is free for spectators.

RedRun VI: Bloodline, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: RedRun is unlike any other zombie run. Dubbed the most authentic zombie event on the planet, the town turns into one giant escape room with participants fighting for their lives to survive the Zombie Apocalypse. Cost is $60 for competitors and $25 for zombies. Click here to sign up.

V&T Railroad Pumpkin Patch Train, Oct. 13 – 14, times vary, at the 1870 V&T R.R. Depot: A pumpkin patch is fall’s ultimate playground for kids so why not make an adventure of it with a train ride to the Gold Hill Pumpkin Patch. Prices are $19 for adults, $10 for children 5-12. Children 4 and under ride free. Tickets available online.

Day Out with Thomas, Oct. 19 – 21 and Oct. 26 – 28, times vary, at the 1870 V&T R.R. Depot: Enjoy a 25-minute train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine and meet Sir Topham Hatt along with other characters. Explore the Imagination Station Caboose, create colorful memories in the Coloring Caboose, or dine at the P.B.& J Pullman Car. Have fun with plenty of Thomas activities including motor car rides and miniature golf at Sodor Island. Tickets are $19 for all ages and can be purchased here. Click here to view train schedule.

Haunted House in a Haunted Mansion, Oct. 27 – 31, 7 p.m. at Mackay Mansion: If you don’t mind a few bumps in the night, then join this creepy cast as they take over the Mackay Mansion for a haunted experience of a lifetime. Visit and see why the Mackay Mansion is recognized as one of the spookiest places on earth. Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for kids 11 and younger. Tickets are available for purchase at the door.

Goblin Halloween Parade, Oct. 31, 5 to 6 p.m.: Bring your favorite little goblin dressed to scare to the Goblin Parade on Halloween night. Check-in is at 4 p.m. at the VC Jerky Company. Stick around for safe trick-or-treating at the many shops along the boardwalk.

Virginia City Cemetery, Oct. 31, 5:30 to 11 p.m.: Once a year, on Halloween, the gates to the old Virginia City Cemetery open for visitors to stroll from dusk till dark. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.

Join this spooky event filled with music, friends and good times for a great cause at Virginia City’s biggest Halloween party of the year. Groove along with the legendary funk/rock/soul powerhouse, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood at the ghostly Piper’s Opera House.

The word legend certainly applies to Lydia Pense and Cold Blood…and not in some past tense-make-a-living-as-an-oldies-act sort of way either. Fronted by the proverbial little girl with a huge voice, Lydia Pense’s powerful vocal chops are impossible to ignore. Pense can still shout like a 60’s soul diva and purr a slow blues tune with spine-tingling subtlety.

Lydia and the band debuted when the Fillmore was at its peak as one of the nation’s musical Mecca’s. Owner Bill Graham was so impressed with Lydia’s voice and the sound of the band that he immediately signed Cold Blood to his new record label, where they developed into one of the most popular high-energy bands in the Bay Area. During the span of six original late-60’s, early-70’s albums, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood helped, along with Tower Of Power, forge their own specific brand of funk/soul and R&B which came to be know as East Bay Grease. That music still holds up today, proving that great music is timeless and will continue to inspire generations to come.

Exclusive stage side Champagne Box Seats will be available for bid! Seating is first come, first served. Silent auction items will be available for sale.

Join us for a fun-filled evening starting with a Silent Auction fundraiser at St. Mary’s museum while enjoying delicious hors-d’oeuvres and a taste of our famous private label wine in the Mad Monk wine cellar followed by the main event – a delightful performance by the Carson Chamber Singers.

Carson Chamber Singers, conducted by Michael Langham, Choral Masterworks, including music by Pachelbel, Handel, William Billings, and Randall Thompson. The centerpiece of the concert will be the exquisite Mass in C Major, D. 452 by Franz Schubert, with chamber orchestra and soloists Jana Whitson, Laura Antinoro, Jenice Provost, Laura Hale, and Jonathan Rabben. Highlights of the program are Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré, which features harp accompaniment, and “Make our Garden Grow,” from Candide, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Leonard Bernstein.

General admission tickets are $10. Youth ages 18 and under are free.