Haunted Springfield Revisited

[Gonzo]

A few years ago some of us got together to discuss a "Haunted Springfield Weekend." It was to include a number of events and a lot of fun.

I created a website for it that is still up and gets a hit every now and then.

I guess my question to the 'hood as a whole is: is there any interest in doing something like this? Perhaps in a smaller, more manageable fashion this year to get things started and let it grow as time goes on.

With the success of the Main Street Cruise, this may be another way to bring outside folks to our little slice of heaven (or hell for purposes of the weekend).

My original post to MetroJacksonville seeking volunteers is included below along with the website address.

Haunted Springfield has plans for fabulous events all over Springfield and DownTown! Come join the group, volunteer where and when you can, and spread the word!

Do you have great contacts with Springfield and downtown businesses? Want to work with businesses on promotions/exposure for the weekend? we have a group for that!

Do you love to act or dress up? Know people who do? Sign up for the tour group!

Love dark art, moody photos? Know some fabulous artists, photographers, students of art? Sing up to work on the art tour.

Want to help promote the Haunted Springfield weekend? Dress up and hand out event flyers at Artwalk, RAM!

Like movies and sound? Sing up for the Haunted Springfield Street Movie group!

Know some business/building owners on Main who would allow us to use their vacant buildings/store fronts as art showcases and show off the buildings/business potential? There is a Main St group you can join.

Have performing art students who would love to put on a spooky dance/concert/act? We have a group for that!

Got some good ghost or scary stories in the hood- well we want those too!

There is something for everyone, get involved, sign up, and lets kick off the first annual Haunted Springfield in grand style!

Haunted Springfield, the darker side of the neighborhood you thought you knew!

http://www.wix.com/mwisdom/hauntedspr

The darker side of Jacksonvilles oldest and most historic neighborhood

[REDWING]

That sounds geeat. Maybe an older home not lived could be used.
My house had two deaths in it, and one murder (not in the home), but so far there is no activity to tell any stories.

[jbm32206]

the problem was with this idea, was plenty of ideas and nobody willing to do the work to see it through

[Chris Farley]

You are so right Joan. I will say though it is difficult to do a haunted tour, really no interest unless you can get a ghost, any ghost to show up.
SPAR did do a haunted house (decorated) one year, the one on the NE corner of 6th and Liberty. It was a huge success until the fire department shut them down.

[markusic]

Haunted houses were done here in Springfield pretty regularly until about 1999 or 2000 when the last one set up by HSCC and the WC/SIA was not even allowed to open by the fire marshal. It was on the first block of West 7th St off of Main, by the parking lot. The house had the haunted house set ups in it up to the time MCCD torn it down via reckless policy. It is my understanding that to do one after that, one has to have a permit and get safety inspections.

Apparently, an accident happened in one and that was the end of the fire marshal looking the other way about the temporary ones.

Isn't there still a haunted cemetery tour?

If you set up a house tour something like the Christmas home tour used to be but had houses decorated for Halloween and had enough volunteers to man the houses, ghosts certainly could be called up and screams could certainly be generated. A tour to inhabited houses would not trigger the inspections nor a special permit as the houses are already safe.

The ghosts and why they are in a particular houses does not have to be real, just entertaining.

[Chris Farley]

What would be great would be if each block would decorate the alley behind them, at least one part of it. We did one from 7th to 8th behind Walnut, it was the greatest fun, kids kept coming back. That does not take major preparation just a few neighbors on each block. The alleys are eerie at night and a few trims and webs make it eerier

[movedsouth]

Nice idea.

[Gonzo]

It sounds like there is a little interest. I would be willing to meet with any folks that would like to see if we can get something off the ground.

as I said in the post from last week, a smaller event that can be added on to would be the goal for this year.

Who is in?