Last year the folks over at Oddio Overplay put together a two-CD set of Halloween novelty tracks, Ghouls With Attitude. While it’s probably too late to fully enjoy them this year, I recommend pulling them down and burning the discs, so that you have them around for next year. (In particular, I recommend to you track 8 on CD 2, “Omar The Vampire“, which never fails to make Trish laugh.)
Apparently Halifax has it’s own team of Ghostbusters: Dimensions of the North Atlantic
I quote:
Dimensions of the North Atlantic is a non-profit team of investigators based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
DNA conducts research and carries out investigations regarding all aspects of the paranormal, and uses scientific methods and practices to try and prove or disprove the phenomenon.
(“Try to! It’s ‘try to’!”)
They have information on a series of investigations already closed and still continuing. I draw your attention in particular to the investigation of The Swallow, which is the closest licensed drinking establishment to my house. I am happy to report that they cleared the building, so I should be safe to go ‘the local’.
Apparently three of these guys–a minister, a psychic, and a “paranormal scientist”–are starting up a TV show, Dead Serious, where they will tour Canada and argue about life after death. I’m assuming the psychic is the one in the Renn Faire shirt.
Those guys aren’t the only group of crazy spook people in the city either. I draw your attention also to Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation. This group is more for the X-Files type, with their motto being “Bringing the truth into the light”.
In their words:
Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation is a non-profit and scientific organization that continually works to educate the general public in all areas of parapsychology and the unexplained. We hope to present high quality scientific research and investigation data so that an accurate picture of unexplained phenomena can be presented. PPRI is always available to assist the public in regards to professional research and investigations and to help educate the uninformed and misinformed public in a subject that still has many misconceptions, frauds and abusers who misrepresent the field of parapsychology.
Feh, says I.
I don’t much care for the pseudo-scientific stuff, but I do love a good ghost story, and the Halifax area is just littered with supposedly haunted sites. Some examples:
The Brewery Market – Salter Street, Halifax
Home to Alexander Keith’s brewpub, employees say that the ghost of Alexander Keith has been seen throughout the building, making sure that all is well with his brewery. His pleasant ghost is not the only one said to haunt this old building – disembodied running footsteps are heard in the hallways at night.
I love the idea of old Alex rattling around the place, eternally dry. If I worked there, I’d leave a pint out for him at night.
Historic Properties – Halifax Waterfront
This cluster of waterfront buildings dates back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and is said to be home to more than one ghost. Tales are told of shadowy figures seen both inside and outside the buildings in the hours after dark, and people in old-fashioned clothing roaming the shaded alleys, who vanish when approached.
It’s entirely coincidental that every reason for being near the Historic Properties at night involve drinking mass quantities of alcohol. Entirely.
Of course, with so many haunted places there’s a roaring business in ghost walks. (We’ve actually done a midnight ghost tour around the Citadel, that was kind of fun.)
