COLUMBIA, Pa. — There's an October chill in the air, which means it's time to start embracing the Halloween spirit.
Columbia’s Haunted Lantern Tour guides guests through an hour-long tour of the lives of those who lived before us. Attendees will meet “ghosts from the past”--actors dressed in period costumes who portray historical figures and ghastly spirits.
"Columbia is huge on history," Sara Mimnall, owner of Rivertown Theatre Productions LLC and producer and director of Columbia's Haunted Lantern Tour, said. "There's so much history there, from the burning of the bridge from the Civil War to the Underground Railroad. So all of the shops and industry that's been there over the years, we have a lot of history. And I just want to share that with everybody, because not everybody knows it."
The tour winds through the Mount Bethel Cemetery as participants explore Columbia's haunted lore by lantern light.
The theme of this year's tour is “The Afflicted.” Each of the characters' lives were shaped by history's cruel whims. Sara says the production dives deep into the core of human emotion, exploring the agonies of love, loss, longing and grief.
"A lot of the characters that we have are people that are actually buried there," Jim Mimnall, Sara's father and a longtime actor and participant in Columbia’s Haunted Lantern Tour, said. "So they kind of come to life."
This year, Jim will portray William Campbell, a trapper from the 1700s who contracted rabies and carved his own tombstone before he died.
The tour is a family affair for the Mimnalls, with parents, sisters and nieces all being longtime participants. Sara says she is inspired and humbled by the passion and dedication the cast has poured into their roles.
The tour is always different, portraying a new theme with an original script written by Sara each year. Even when scenes or characters are pulled from previous tours, they are refreshed and given a new essence.
"We try to make every tour and theme unique so returning guests don't get that 'been there, done that' feeling," Sara said.
She strives for a balance of historical education and theatrical entertainment and says the tour is not meant to be a horror show.
"Not too scary at all. We are not a horror attraction by any means," Sara said. "It's just a little spooky because, hey, it is spooky season. It's October."
Organizers recommend that tour participants be 13 years or older due to some foul language and references to alcohol.
This year's tour dates are:
- Friday, Oct. 18
- Saturday, Oct. 19
- Sunday, Oct. 20
- Friday, Oct. 25
- Saturday, Oct. 26
Tours start every half hour, beginning with the first tour at 6:30 p.m. The last tour steps off at 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Guest check-in will be held at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at 616 Locust St. in Columbia. Reservations must be made in advance by calling Holly at 717-587-5368.