There was a time when Americans packed a lunch, gathered the family, and spent the afternoon in a cemetery. It may sound strange today, but during the nineteenth century, cemetery picnics were a surprisingly common tradition. Long before public parks became widespread, beautifully landscaped rural cemeteries served as places for recreation, reflection, and community gatherings.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of cemetery picnics, from the rise of the rural cemetery movement to the Victorian attitudes toward death that made these outings possible. We discuss why families visited cemeteries for more than mourning, how these spaces became some of the country's earliest public parks, and what ultimately caused the tradition to fade. We also uncover newspaper accounts documenting real cemetery picnics, reunions, and community gatherings that reveal just how ordinary these events once were, along with a few places where the tradition continues in a different form today.

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This week on The Halloween Podcast, we cover one of the biggest paranormal stories of the year as Jason Hawes is officially listed as the owner of The Conjuring House, take a look at HalloweenCostumes.com's massive reveal of more than 100 new animatronics and inflatables, and discuss the announcement that a brand-new A Nightmare on Elm Street film is officially in development, along with Robert Englund's thoughts on the future of Freddy Krueger.

We also head Around the Crypt with news about Connecticut's Forsaken Lands haunted attraction relocating, a new Choose Your Own Adventure Halloween book, and after-dark ghost tours at Australia's historic Gladstone Gaol. Plus, we remember Sam Neill and Brenda Fricker, welcome a new Pumpkin Room supporter, and read another fantastic five-star Apple Podcasts review.

Jason Hawes & The Conjuring House

HalloweenCostumes.com Reveals 100+ New Decorations

New A Nightmare on Elm Street Movie Announced

Robert Englund Discusses Freddy's Future

The Forsaken Lands Relocating

Choose Your Own Adventure: Fairy House Halloween

Gladstone Gaol Halloween Ghost Tours

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Happy Halloween!

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What makes a scary story unforgettable? Is it a ghost that lingers long after the final page, a mysterious figure waiting in the shadows, or a tale that leaves your imagination doing the work? In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, Lyle and Meghan each count down their five favorite scary stories—but from two very different worlds.

Meghan shares some of the greatest works of supernatural fiction ever written, from timeless literary classics to unforgettable campfire tales that have terrified generations. Meanwhile, Lyle takes a trip back to the golden age of radio, counting down the old-time radio horror dramas that prove you don't need special effects to create genuine fear.

From haunted houses and mysterious strangers to ghostly legends, cursed objects, and stories that refuse to leave your mind, this episode is a celebration of the tales that have stayed with us long after they ended. Whether you're looking for your next spooky read or your next late-night listening experience, you may just discover a new favorite.

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In this Haunted Thursday episode of The Halloween Podcast, we investigate one of America's most infamous haunted homes: the Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas. For decades, visitors and paranormal investigators have reported unexplained scratches, shadow figures, mysterious voices, moving objects, and the spirit of a little girl known simply as Sallie.

According to the legend, Sallie died during an emergency appendectomy performed inside the house, and her ghost has remained there ever since. But how much of that story is actually supported by history?

For this episode, we go beyond the ghost stories and into the historical record. We trace the history of the house, uncover the Finney family who once lived there, examine Dr. Charles C. Finney's connection to the property, and search old newspaper archives for evidence of the little girl at the center of the legend. Along the way, we discover that while appendicitis was a very real and often deadly illness in Atchison around the turn of the twentieth century, the historical trail behind "Sallie" is far more mysterious than the legend suggests.

Is the Sallie House truly haunted? Or has one of America's most famous ghost stories grown from a mixture of history, folklore, and unanswered questions?

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In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, we step back into the golden age of old-time radio with “The Sea Phantom,” an episode of The Hall of Fantasy originally broadcast on August 24, 1953.

The story follows writer Larry Reardon and artist Don Fleming as they stay in an isolated house along the Maine coast. After hearing a mysterious woman calling from the water, the two men discover a phantom ship, a skeleton tied to the wheel, and a chilling warning that they will soon join its dead crew.

We discuss the eerie ghost-ship atmosphere, Don being identified as “the man with the brush,” Larry’s refusal to believe what is happening, and the surprisingly casual reaction of the townspeople when they learn the men actually boarded the ship.

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There are now just 110 days until Halloween!

Welcome to this week's Halloween Weekly Update as we cover the biggest Halloween news from July 6–12, 2026. This week, we discuss why Halloween merchandise is appearing in stores earlier than ever, how extreme heat is affecting pumpkin crops ahead of the fall season, and take our usual trip Around the Crypt for a collection of unique stories from across the Halloween world.

We'll also visit a Halloween-themed restaurant in Michigan, spotlight a neighborhood haunted house raising money for a children's hospital, look at a beloved Colorado home haunt taking the year off, share a DIY decorating tip from Better Homes & Gardens, discuss why Rotta the Hutt could become an unexpected Halloween costume trend, and talk about one Ohio community's decision to keep trick-or-treating on Halloween night.

Halloween Comes Earlier Than Ever in 2026
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2026/07/11/halloween-comes-early-2026-decor/90835958007/

Heatwaves Damage Pumpkin Crops Ahead of Halloween
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75ygp434l1o

Halloween-Themed Restaurant Opens in Michigan
https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2026/07/a-musician-and-cook-who-loves-halloween-opened-a-restaurant-in-saginaw-and-the-menu-is-deliciously-dark.html

Neighborhood Haunted House Raises Money for CHEO
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-orleans-cheo-haunted-house-fundraiser-9.7262325

Colorado Home Haunt Taking 2026 Off
https://www.dailysentinel.com/news/local/garrison-s-star-halloween-attraction-taking-year-off/article_be9e6908-9c68-5adc-8d8f-b362fdedce65.html

Better Homes & Gardens Says Buy Pool Noodles Now
https://www.bhg.com/pool-noodles-halloween-12012546

Could Rotta the Hutt Become Halloween's Surprise Costume?
https://kotaku.com/rotta-the-hutt-is-ready-to-be-the-hottest-halloween-costume-of-the-year-2000714805

Dover, Ohio Keeps Trick-or-Treating on Halloween Night
https://www.wjer.com/news/dover-halloween-trick-or-treat-will-be-on-october-31/

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In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, Lyle puts Meghan’s spooky game knowledge to the test with a brand-new game show. Meghan is given a series of eerie titles and clues, and she must decide whether each one is a vintage video game, a classic board game, or something completely made up.

Along the way, we explore the history behind real horror games from the 1980s and 1990s, including early Atari titles, VHS board games, haunted castles, mysterious mansions, and some of the games that helped shape the survival horror genre. Play along at home and see whether you can outscore Meghan or if Lyle’s fictional games fool you too.

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In this Haunted Thursday episode of The Halloween Podcast, we’re heading to Washington, D.C., to explore the history and haunting legend of the Hay-Adams Hotel. Guests and staff have reported strange activity inside the elegant hotel, including lights turning on and off, doors opening and closing, swaying chandeliers, the faint smell of almonds, and the feeling of a woman nearby.

Many believe that presence belongs to Marian Hooper Adams, better known as Clover Adams. But there is one major problem with that story: Clover died in 1885, decades before the Hay-Adams Hotel existed. So if Clover haunts the Hay-Adams, what exactly is she haunting?

In this episode, we look at the real history of Clover Adams, her connection to Henry Adams and old Washington society, the tragedy of her death, the memorial known as “Grief,” and the timeline that makes this ghost story more complicated than it first appears. We’ll also examine the haunting claims and ask whether a spirit has to be tied to a building, or whether grief, memory, and tragedy can remain attached to the land itself.

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In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, we look at the surprising places where Halloween has been banned, restricted, or tightly controlled. From countries that outlaw public Halloween celebrations to cities with trick-or-treat age limits, curfews, mask laws, costume bans, school restrictions, and even rules about porch lights, we explore how different communities have tried to manage the spooky season.

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There are now just 117 days until Halloween!

In this week's Halloween Weekly Update, we're covering the biggest Halloween news from June 29 through July 5, 2026. This week, LEGO unveils three brand-new Halloween sets for 2026, Universal announces that Hellraiser is coming to Halloween Horror Nights for the very first time, Spirit Halloween reveals its first wave of 2026 animatronics, and The Bradford Exchange launches a brand-new Universal Monsters Challenge Coin Collection.

We'll also take a trip Around the Crypt, where we look at Disney's latest Halloween apparel, Hasbro's new Halloween-themed Star Wars Black Series figures, and why July 4 is an important date if you're planning to grow your own pumpkins this Halloween.

Plus, we spotlight St. Louis Horror Con, where Lyle will be attending and promoting The Halloween Podcast, and let you know how you can stop by and say hello.

LEGO Reveals Three New Halloween Sets for 2026

Hellraiser Comes to Halloween Horror Nights

Spirit Halloween Reveals 2026 Animatronic Lineup

Universal Monsters Challenge Coin Collection

Disney Halloween Apparel Arrives at Walt Disney World

Hasbro Reveals Halloween Star Wars Black Series Figures

July 4 Pumpkin Planting Deadline

St. Louis Horror Con (July 11–12, 2026)

If you're attending, stop by and say hello to Lyle at The Halloween Podcast booth!

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