Finger Lakes Boating Museum to host spooky theatrical tours

HAMMONDSPORT, N.Y. ( WETM ) — People who are looking for some frights ahead of Halloween won’t want to miss a scary tour coming up in Hammondsport.

Legends and Lore: Troubled Waters is coming to the Finger Lakes Boating Museum on Oct. 24, 25, and 26. Guests will be taken on a guided walking tour of the museum’s campus, located at 8231 Pleasant Valley Road. Unlike a typical museum tour, Legends and Lore promises to be filled with tales of mystery, tragedy, and mayhem.

Guests on the spooky tours will be taken around the former Taylor Wine Company headquarters and visit behind-the-scenes areas the public rarely sees. Some of the 19 buildings on the old wine company’s campus are now filled with displays of historical boats, but others sit empty. The boating museum says some of the unused areas tour guests will get to visit include creepy tunnels, a dusty storehouse, and a clammy furnace room.

The rooms guests visit on the tour won’t actually be empty; volunteers from local theater groups will be portraying characters that haunt these rooms. These characters along with the tour guides will tell stories about steamboat tragedies, phantoms, shattered love, infamous serial killers, and old ghosts. All of the scary stories will be centered around the Finger Lakes Region.

Tours of about 18 guests will launch every 15 minutes starting at dusk, and these tours will last for one hour. Games, tarot card readings, and other activities will be available before and after each tour, and guests will be able to purchase light fare, snacks, and beverages.

Tickets for Legends and Lore: Troubled Waters cost $18 per person and can be purchased online in advance or on-site on event day. Tickets purchased online will have a $1.08 fee added to the price, and Finger Lakes Boating Museum members can use a discount code. The museum recommends buying tickets in advance. Those who don’t buy tickets ahead of time should check for availability online or by calling 607-569-2222.

All ages are welcome to join the tours, but the material might be too intense for little ones. Violent acts aren’t depicted on the tour, but parental discretion is recommended for children under the age of 12 due to the program’s themes, which involve death and tragedy. The tour will take place in semi-darkness and involves walking, standing, and climbing multiple sets of stairs. People with mobility concerns should send an email to programs@flbm.org.

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