You can see a spirit at Riverside Cemetery’s ‘Spirits in October’ walking tour
Nearly 17,000 people have been laid to rest in Macon’s Riverside Cemetery, but for the past 14 years, the Spirits in October walking tour has brought historical figures back to life to share their stories with visitors.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – As Halloween draws near, you have a chance to see a spirit in Macon’s Riverside Cemetery during its Spirits in October guided walking tour.
Nearly 17,000 people have been laid to rest in Macon’s Riverside Cemetery, but for the past 14 years, the Spirits in October walking tour has brought historical figures back to life to share their stories with visitors.
According to Cemetery Directory Mindy Heart, the tour is popular because it gives visitors a chance to tour the cemetery at night and interact with famous people from Macon’s past.
“We prepare for it all year long,” Hart said. “We have to recruit actors and volunteers, and then we have folks that write the scripts, and then we all get together and make sure that everything is succinct.”
The theme for this year’s tour is “Where Valor Rests.” Hart says it pays respect to those who have served our country.
“We’re highlighting some of Macon’s most honorable veterans that are interred here,” Hart said.
Visitors can hear from costumed actors representing the spirits of real people who are buried at Riverside Cemetery: people like Major Bobby Marvin Jones, whose plane disappeared from radar near Danang, Vietnam — and Major Wallace Cole Hogan, who lost his life in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon.
“They’ll be able to learn more about who is interred here and just how many varieties of folks that have been a part of Macon that have returned and that are here,” Hart explained. “It’s very historical.”
Money collected from Spirits in October benefits the Riverside Cemetery Conservancy, which ensures the cemetery’s preservation.
Hart says the tour provides a unique experience for visitors to see a different side of the cemetery but also to learn about Macon’s history.
You can see the spirits from 6 to 7:30 p.m. October 26-29 and then again from November 3-5.
Organizers say the Spirits in October walking tour is appropriate for all ages. To get your tickets, click here.
