Ghouls, Ghosts & Gambling in Central City

Halloween is as spooky or family-friendly as you’d like it in Central City. 

The festivities start early here, with the 34th Annual Cemetery Crawl on August 26, 2023. The dead will come alive in one of Central City’s 11 cemeteries, where local history buffs portray the fascinating characters who call these cemeteries their home.

Halloween gets into full swing starting October 20 with the 14th Annual Creepy Crawl. Guides from the Gilpin Historical Society will take you on tours of historic buildings, some of which are only accessible during the Creepy Crawl, where you’ll see live reenactments of murders, ghost stories and other ghoulish tales from Central City’s storied past. 

The Spirit Realm Investigative Project often hosts the nighttime paranormal investigation in the Gilpin History Museum for those 21 and older. This event has been canceled for 2023, but it will be back in 2024! Don’t worry, the spirits will still be there for you next year.

Take a Haunted Hike (source The Denver Post)

You can hike to several cemeteries in and around Central City and explore ancient headstones among the aspen trees. Look into haunted tales such as the woman in black satin who has been known to appear at the grave of John Edward Cameron in the Central City Masonic Cemetery. The Freemason section of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery has been called one of the most haunted places in Colorado. 

A little too scary for your group? Not to worry, Central City also hosts family-friendly events such as our annual pumpkin patch, Halloween parade, and a Halloween-themed day at the Levit Street Market in October.