A ghostly gala planned by Raynham Hall Museum

Raynham Hall Museum is inviting neighbors, history fans and Halloween celebrants of all ages to participate in their annual Halloween Ghost Walk & Dance Party. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in costume and bring their little ghouls and goblins, both two-legged and four legged, for a parade through the hamlet, ending next to Raynham Hall where giant puppets, stilt walkers, a DJ and more will keep the party going until the witching hour.

The museum has held the event for the past eight years according to Harriet Clark, the museum’s director, and Theresa Skvarla, the assistant director. Before that the museum had held a Halloween costume party under a tent in Raynham Hall’s garden, but over the years they wanted to expand the event to the community.

“To be honest, we needed it to get bigger, and the only way to do that was to make it free and bring it outside,” Clark explained.

“We wanted it to be more community oriented,” Skvarla added.

To help attract guests, the museum purchased several full-sized puppets, which were dressed in Victorian clothing and had photos of Townsend family members from the period as their faces, as well as two horse puppets. Each puppet requires three people to operate, with one person holding up the body and the other two manning the arms. The horses only need two people each, one for the body and one for the head.

Since their purchase, the puppets have always led the Ghost Walk, which this year runs from Oyster Bay High School through the hamlet, finishing at the parking lot next to the museum. After the parade is over, attendees can enjoy a dance party DJ’d by John Hubbard, who has volunteered for the event every year.

In addition, the event also features food and drinks provided by local and neighboring vendors. Skvarla and Clark said that this year Gimme Burger, Home Sweet Home and Nahmastay Vegan will be providing a range of culinary options, from burgers to empanadas.

There will also be a Mister Softee ice cream truck, for ghosts and ghouls of all ages to enjoy, while for older monsters the Oyster Bay Brewing Company will be serving drinks. Children will also be entertained by several stilt walkers, including one who juggles.

Local organizations will also be participating, helping to foster a sense of community and inter-organizational cooperation. These include East Woods School, the Main Street Association, and the Life Enrichment Center of Oyster Bay.

In years past, Clark and Skvarla said the event saw as many as roughly 700 people participate. While the museum doesn’t raise any money from the event, Clark added that the emphasis of the evening wasn’t about making money.

“I like it to be just a community event where people can have fun,” Clark said.
The Ghost Walk and Dance Party will take place on Oct. 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting at Oyster Bay High School, located at 150 E Main Street in Oyster Bay. For any questions about the event call (516) 922-6808.