Join Us for a Spooky Family Day Out this October – our first ever Family Event at the American Irish Historical Society!
Bring your little ghouls and goblins to celebrate Halloween like the ancient Irish people!
Children can learn more about Irish Halloween traditions and how immigrants brought them to America (such as apple bobbing and trick or treating!), hear ghost stories, and enjoy hands-on
crafts and coloring stations.
Perfect for kids ages 5-12, this family-friendly event is a magical mix of history, folklore, and spooky fun!
Thousands of years ago in ancient Ireland, what we now call Halloween began as the Irish festival of Samhain, marking the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. It was a time
of fear and reverence, where crops were gathered and food prepared for the long cold winter. It was also a time when the ancient Irish believed that fairies would lure people to the ‘otherworld’, so bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits.
It is from Ireland’s Halloween traditions that mythological figures such as the Banshee, The Jack-O-Lantern (also known as Stingy Jack), and the headless horseman called The Dullahan
emerge.
Come dressed in costume and get ready for an enchanted afternoon!